Training Log Archive: Nadim

Our morning was taken-up by errands including getting one of Max's doctor test shots read. Later we flew out to Boston and drove to Woburn, MA.

From Northfield Rd. Bethesda, MD, to Montgomery Ave. via the Air Rights Building with Max in his trailer, then to C St. SE, Washington, D.C. I changed my flat tire late last night and I'm happy I did. Doing that let me ride on this nice cool morning. There were some headwinds from the east and I rode alone.

From C St . SW, Washington, D.C. to Montgomery Ave. where I picked-up Max and his trailer, then to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I enjoyed some tailwinds but rode a steady pace by myself. I was 40:03 at Montgomery Ave.

I hadn't changed my flat tire the night before and worked late on this day. I used the time to draft my field checking notes from the day before. My legs were oddly tired whenever I went up stairs.

Lake Needwood Regional Park, MD. I had the day off for mostly errands (Max got a shot, lunch w/my parents, yardwork, plumber visit) and it rained most of the time. When the brunt of it passed, I got out through the rush hour traffic for some late field checking :) That I covered as much as area as I did in the time I had was just great but it probably reflected the conditions. I was mostly on a very open and flatish hilltop with various rootstocks. I also got to the western sides of this hill with more rock and a wide gas line ride. I got showered upon just a little bit.

From the Friendship Heights Metro Station (at the DC/MD border), I ran from Western Ave. to Friendship Blvd. to Willard Ave. to the trail in Willard Park, to River Rd. to the Capital Crescent Trail to Woodmont Ave. to the Bethesda Metro Station. I had intended to bicycle to work this day. The weather was perfect for it--59 F in the morning and sunny. However after getting ready and about to push my commuter bike out I again discovered a flat tire. There was no time to change it so I changed and took the metro to work. I left work a bit late too and was unsure how my legs would do--I haven't gone out for just a run in a while though I had done some running while orienteering. My arches on my right foot had been throbbing with some regularity just while sitting at work. My left one hurt now and then too. The start was downhill and much of the rest of the run was on a slight grade giving me a net gain. I had no idea what my pace was until I looked at my GPS watch. I was surprised to see it at a low 7 minute pace. The trail was very busy. Though it's common for me to slow down on the CCT to wait to pass while cycling, I had to do this just to pass other runners and walkers. I got through the run fine though a bit tired. I was surprised to have seen Paz from MCRRC just before Bethesda Ave. and stopped when he called me over.

From Northfield Rd. Bethesda, MD, to Montgomery Ave. via the Air Rights Building with Max in his trailer, then to C St. SE, Washington, D.C. It was such a nice morning that I didn't want to miss riding, despite feeling a bit tired from the day before. As it was, I felt better than expected. I caught some people on the trail and hung on for a little way with another guy who passed and was doing 26mph. One of the guys I caught later traded pulls into Georgetown and we were doing 23mph on the flats. There must have been a tailwind but on Ohio Dr. The ground winds were from the NE.

From C St . SW, Washington, D.C. to Montgomery Ave., then to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I got out of the office with plenty of time before my bike got locked in however I discovered a flat. I must have gotten some lodged while on the trail or in the Air Rights Building tunnel where there's been more than a few broken shards lately. Fortunately, I had a nice bench to sit on outside the building courtyard and I made repairs. I got going soon to encounter the stiff winds along the river into Georgetown. Fortunately, the turn in the river, structures and trees made it easier from there. I climbed much faster than I had been riding on the flats in the open. I was still enjoying the cooler air too.

Event: QOC: Jug Bay
 

QOC: The Chase at Jug Bay, MD. I hadn't gone into this race planning or expecting much. I was pre-occupied with getting things ready for the start and the annual QOC meetings; the noon start on a day with a high predicted at 91 F didn't really make me look forward to running either.

As it was I thought I drank my first beer quickly enough but I was a few seconds behind others I usually would pace with and had been positioned further from the Lemans style map pickup spot. The larger crowd was visible going left down a road while my inclination had been to go straight through the woods. I hesitated, then chased the crowd and started catching them minutes later as we finally entered the forest on a dirt trail. In the early years of my having run the Chase or the Beer Chase as it had been called, I would never feel the effects of the beer until finishing--not true this time. I felt it right away on the road and the trail. As we finally plunged to attack, Eddie Bergeron, Jon Torrance (QOC's new club President) and Ken Walker were crossing our paths. We hadn't figured out where the control was at this point and wondered if they were still going to it. The group scattered and I found it after Ted Good. I trailed him not so smoothly until I lost sight of him around #4. I crossed a trail without seeing it and relocated as others caught-up going more directly. I was then able to read my way in with the crowd following me. I got out of #4 well and finished a few more controls of the loop good, not knowing that Ted had troubles with #4 and was behind me.

On the second loop, I was feeling the effects of the beer even more but felt I was still doing okay going to the 2nd control. I unfortunately got a little bit high and overran the control, off the map. It took a while to relocate and others started catching up. Ted was the first one I saw followed by Andy Britton whom I hadn't seen orienteering for the better part of a year. I found #3, then ran to #2 and back to #3. The 4th control was easy but I was wide to the right on #5. I went well past it and down a trail a long way to relocate. Andy, and Bjørn Skjævestad were headed to #6 as I ran back. I also saw Mark Mace around here. I finished the loop rather tired and hoping the 3rd loop would be short as most of the past Beer Chases had been--unfortunately, it was not short.

The length left at least gave me hope of being able to catch-up to others. After the easy first control, I was dragging even more from the 3rd beer and the heat. I passed Sid Sachs, Patti Mace (going the other way on a different loop), and caught sight of Bjørn again only to make a killer error. With 3 reentrants to cross I crossed two and started searching early. I hadn't expected to cross 3 since I was supposed to be above the middle one. I hadn't read the detail showing the stream extending much further up and I cut south without realizing why it took so long to find the deeper part of the reentrant. I was beat tired. The reentrant was deepish, steep, thick and mucky at the bottom--it sapped my remaining strength and worse, slowed me enough to let the beer hit my head. I was wobbly. After searching one way, then all the way back to the other end I realized what I'd done and went straight to #2. Behind Tim Good at the point, I caught him near #5 from loop 2. I used that control to cross his path behind him and hit the 3rd control from the 3rd loop. I spiked the 4th control but returning on what was I think the 5th leg, I somehow crossed a trail without seeing it (Sam Listwak said it was rather overgrown though it had been runnable on nearby parts of the map). I ended-up way past the control again and had to come back after another relocation. I hit the next control but wasn't efficient to the one after that. The last few near the field were easy.

I was sooo tired in this race. It was disheartening to perform badly again (about 20 minutes lost on just 4 of the controls I missed on). At least this time, there was a potential chemical reason for my confusions. After the run, I had to sit a long while to gather strength and balance. The edges of storms came through during our club picnic but it cooled things off nicely.

Long - Splits