Training Log Archive: Nadim

QOC Summer Short Series at Oregon Ridge, Cockeysville, MD. Eddie Bergeron and Francis Hogel setup a corridor-O training session. It was tricky. Eddie had designed corridors for courses that weren't necessarily on a straight route. To be accurate, one had to try to stay in the corridor even though it wasn't always on the optimal route or even straight. Initially, I had some troubles.Eddie was masterfull at removing just enough of the map to make it difficult to use the regular clues. On a couple of legs enough map was whited-out that it was hard to understand what was up or down. There were some shifts in terrain that went from descending to climbing that weren't entirely evident until running the leg. Whole reentrants were blotted out. I got the hang of things after some early flubs. The map had more than a few distinct trees on it that weren't distinct. I blew the second leg with a control being much higher than anticipated. I also blew the fourth leg tryng to interpret the contour over what my compass would have shown me if I'd looked at it. Two streamers had been removed and were never found. Tom Strat caught me a few times before I finally got away. never resorted to using the safety map with everything printed on it. I ran or walked 5.4 miles and climbed 335m on the course. The woods were pretty nice for summertime! It was a fun event for me. The heat, about 89 F and humid while starting out, was't too bad in the forest but the climbs were felt with quads still sore from cycling.

From 12th & C Street, SW, Washington, D.C., to Edgemoor Ln., Bethesda, MD. I was finally able to get some air into my tire at work, but not until I plugged a hole in the tube. It was new. Going back to Bethesda was nice since I had a pretty good tailwind most of the way. I took it easy while riding on low air pressure. The trail was just about empty; probably caused by a combination of people being on vacation, it being Friday, and the rain in the morning keeping the remaining regulars from coming in.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station. I fixed the flat on my commuter bike last night. Not having ridden it for a long time, I didn't trust it to be ready for a trip all the way downtown yet. The bike felt awkward and heavy when picking it up, but not as slow as my memory would have it.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. It was hard not to sweat in my work clothes. The breeze helped.

After a quick change of clothes, I went from Northfield Rd. to Ayrlawn Park to pickup Max, and then back. On the way back, Max rode his bike while I ran (in shoes this time), and carried his backpack. Running felt good.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cooler again (mid 70s F) but it wasn't evident how humid it was until I reached work. I set out easy but picked-up speed. I presumed a tailwind because I thought I was doing well (23 mph) for the effort that I was putting out. Before Dalecarlia, another guy went past me quickly; I could of drafted off of him but let him go so that I wouldn't push too much. I kept seeing him ahead all the way though Georgetown. Like yesterday, the wind was at the right angle to become a headwind along Ohio Dr. I tucked into it then ran into some other cyclist traffic finishing up.

From Ayrlawn Park to Northfield Rd. After getting off work, I discovered that my rear bicycle tire was flat. I knew that Ishould have changed it earlier but lacked the time or energy. Rushing to repair it at work before I'd be late picking up Max from summer camp, I was doing okay, only to then discover that something was wrong with my frame pump. It wouldn't push air except for a few of the times that I held my thumb over the valve. I guess a seal somewhere broke but it was odd that it would sometimes engage. Being in a secured courtyard, there were no passers by to borrow a pump from and unfortunately, no other cyclist at work were leaving then either. I bailed out and took the metro system to Bethesda, then grabbed a taxi. The taxi could only get me there (5 minutes late), because of another reservation it had at NIH. I ended up running home while Max rode. I only had my work shoes and cycling cleats (I'd worn the cleats all the way through the metro system) so I pulled them off and stashed them in my backpack. Max is too light to ride safely with his backpack so I carried both mine and his. That was a little awkward running but running with my bare 5 fingers on streets and sidewalks was okay. There were only a few places with sharp pebbles. I don't think that I slowed Max down much.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cloudy and humid, but cooler today; about 79 F when I got to work. Spike's AP log from Lawrence, KS a day ahead is often a good indicator of the weather in D.C. I started out more slowly. My muscles were sore and it was taking a while to loosen-up. I rode alone. There were tailwinds by the Kennedy Center but it was calm on Ohio Dr. I felt like I was going faster than it turned out to be.

From 12th & C Street, SW, Washington, D.C., to Ayrlawn Park, via Huntington Pkwy., then to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. The mileage is catching up with me. I was tired just walking around at lunch. Still, with a good tailwind, I got off to a fast start. Once through Georgetown, some roadies riding a lot of carbon, the loud kind, jumped over me and were gone. I only thought about following them for a second or so. Were I feeling better, I would have been okay tailing them but I've got lots of aches and pains--a more moderate pace was in order and so I did. The angle of the wind against the curving Capital Crescent Trail was such that the tailwind disappeared and sometimes I got a head wind. There were lots of club riders out going the other way to D.C. I slowed enoughf for another commuter to catch me right after Dorsey Rd. Max was ready to ride once checked out of camp. He powered his way up the hills on the way home.

From Northfield Rd., Max and I wandered around the neighborhood after dinner. He enjoyed reaching 17mph going down a long straight hill. Besides enjoying the shared experience with Max, I enjoyed how the ride felt easy on my legs and loosened them.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cloudy and humid from the rains the night before. With Peggy getting Max to camp, I got to go straight to work. I rode alone and it was hard to tell what the wind was doing; It's probably best rated as calm. I rode a fairly steady, though not exactly energetic feeling pace. I got there before it started raining again.

From 12th St & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. There were moderate headwinds from the NE and it was humid. I was also not feeling so strong. There weren't many people around since I left earlier than usual. I spun well.

From Northfield Rd., Max and I wandered around the neighborhood after dinner.

45 situps. I some family matters to attend to so I wasn't able to go field checking as planned. I did however finish-up some drafting work from earlier field checking at Wheaton Regional Park.