Training Log Archive: Nadim

Great Falls National Park, MD. Starting from the main parking area, I looped through the park setting controls and dropping off water. It was another wonderful fall day with temperatures in the mid 60s F. While tying up one control at the end of a sharp spur, I heard some people below somehwhere probably on a trail yelling for their dog to come back. I heard the leaves being rustled behind me so I expected a dog to come running up to me. When I turned to look, 2 deer were flying by in great leaps going up the hill. They hadn't seen me as they came around the spur so one passed within 5-10ft. from me as it leaped by. One kept running, and the other stopped a short ways away. It was pretty neat to feel their power in the sound and feel of the air and not just see it. I finished with the water and controls just as it was getting really dark and left 2 controls on busy trails for the morning. It felt good to run.

Great Falls National Park, MD. Starting from the Angler's area, I looped through the park setting controls. I think more time was spent tying the bags and epunch boxes than actually moving. Since our permit to proceed was in question for so long, I hadn't seen all of the control sites and train between controls. Some parts were pretty steep and dangerously slippery with more fallen leaves than last week. Streams were flowing more than week ago. I have to go back to set out water and more controls tomorrow.

Max had a potluck dinner after school so I met him there. To end the party we played dodge ball with parents against kids (the balls used are very light. The parents were out numbered. I'd taken my work shoes off. One of the minor injuries sustained in this season in which I'm falling a lot is my right shoulder. I'm not sur when or where I hurt it but it was getting better after having restricted movement for a while. On my first throw, a fast but errant miss, I pulled quite badly. I almost quit then but I stayed back against the wall for a while with my right arm limp. Max was hunting me from the other side so I decided to go forward. I grabbed a ball with my left hand and threw badly. Instead of hurting my other arm, I hurt my pride when my slippery socks went out from under me and I landed on my butt. My right shoulder continued to hurt rather much. I took some Ibuuprofen.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Edgemor Ln., to Hampden Ln., to Wilson Ln., to Aberdeen Ln., to Northfield Rd. Having a parent teacher conference this morning and getting a ride downtown with Peggy, I was set to run on my way back home. I carried a full backpack with jacket, shoes, and my work clothes. It was a great evening for a run and if I hadn't started so late and been carrying clothes, I would of wanted to go farther. My right hamstring and calf are still tight.

Washington, D.C. I did yet another variation of the loop I call the Memorial Tour. From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, to Lincoln Memorial Circle via the Reflecting Pool, across Memorial Bridge to the Mt. Vernon Trail, to the 14th St. Bridge,. to Main Ave. to D St., SW, to 13th St., SW, to C. St. SW. It was in the low 60s F; bright and sunny. I felt pretty good starting off. It was like I thought I should be running faster. After half a mile, I settled down and felt that I was running fast enough. My right hamstring was a little tight starting out; probably an aftereffect of running part of the Stumble without training enough. For a while, I had some runners ahead of me that provided added motivation along with the beautiful day so I kept the pace a little high. I felt my right calf only a little, while going uphill. After the run I stretched and not long after, I was surprised at how quickly I felt some soreness.

45 Situps. Another busy day.

Event: SVO Susquehanna Stumble XIII
 

SVO: Stumble at Elk Neck State Park, MD. With my calf ailing me, Peggy having injuries, and both of us needing to keep an eye on Max, Peggy and I decided to relay the two loops of the Stumble. To make it more interesting the challenge laid out was to see who could finish in the shorter time. Peggy's loop was shorter, and included the mass start, but was potentially more physical. My loop used more trails but I was alone for most of the time.

I'd seen Tom Strat come through, not far behind Tom Overbaugh. I knew that Tom was stopping with doing the Short Stumble and I didn't see Tom leave. As I got started, I soon heard someone coming from behind. However, I never saw or heard the person again. I got off to a shakey start with getting used to the thickness of the forest and noticing disconnects with the map. I fell going downhill to #17 and banged my already injured left elbow again. I hadn't read the course notes which told about missing and new trails, etc... Despite this, I hit the first 3 controls pretty well. I'd mistaken #19 to be a spur and not seeing where I thought it'd be, I ran down the spur before coming back and looking in the reentrant. I took a bit too direct of a line to J next. This had me getting both feet wet crossing a marsh. I'd read the course incorrectly, thinking that the first window of the second loop was connected to the second window. The windows were adjacent but in reality there was a loop in between them out to the east. If I'd read it correctly, I might not have gone to J first. I did however want to avoid the thickly mapped green from #19 to K so going to J helped that. I hit J well and also K. Going over the top, I was concerned about getting off bearing in thick brush. I headed for a trail intersection but somehow overran it. I came down anyway and recognized being in between M and L. I corrected and ran to M. Goint to L next (because I was anticipating going to the next window), I pulled up not more than 10m from the control--went I bent down, I finally saw it.

I rushed downhill crossing the road and headed toward K next but realized just as I was passing the house, that I had to instead go east up the road. I was making good speed. Attacking #24 first from the road bend, then a higher set of ditches, I hit it well and felt confident going ahead. With leaves on the ground and already seeing trail problems, I opted to go around the green on the right side to get to #25. It looked like it'd be shorter too. I ended up going around the green much wider than anticipated. When I got to the stream before the large looking mapped trail, I was confused by the angle of a confluence. I had trouble believing I was as far south as my GPS later indicated. Furthermore, I happened to hit the stream right where the trail was crossing it and never saw the trail. When I went further I saw an unmapped trail, used it for a while, then went on. All of this put me SE of the control. I did find my way into the right reentrant and followed it down almost to the trail that I'd missed earlier. With it gettting thicker, and confusion about which side of the mapped trail I was on, I left the reentrant going south, then west to look for the trail. I found it and was able to get to the control well after that. It was a +10 minute error. Furthermore, my GPS track shows that I turned around right where the control was. I was surprised at how small this side reentrant was; it looked much smaller than mapped. Going to #26, I glimpsed Tom Strat. I'd seen him earlier when I was getting to L and he was headed to K. I caught him on the road not long after getting to #26 w/o error. I hit all of the controls in the next window well (PONQR). Going over the top of the hill in the first window again, I used trails to get to #32. They were slower than expected with fallen trees in places. I knew I was getting close to Peggy's time so I pushed on. I hit #33 and #34 well, then went west to finish on the road.

It was fun running. I was surprised at both how well my calf held up and how I didn't really tire much. The endurance was partly due to not running fast in the thick vegetation areas. The lack of calf pain was surprising. I felt it on uphills a few times but that was it. I suppose the softer ground prevented feeling it more. It's not yet healed but I was happy to get through the race. Unfortunately for me, my error on #25 put me over Peggy's time by a few minutes.