Training Log Archive: Nadim

Seneca State Park, Lake Clopper area, MD. I finally got a chance to go field checking on the map that I started drafting last winter. I started in the area near the free parking; at the main entrance to the Lake Clopper area. I knew this to be the some of the greenest part of the park with some detail too. On average, it was light green. There was a confluence of man made features from an old homestead, some features from some water management, and a boulder cliff section. I didn't cover a lot of ground with all of this. I did however discover a bunch of stuff including a small trail. It was great to be out but I didn't get to stay as long as I'd hoped. I know other parts of the map are less feature rich so I'm hoping to cover a lot more ground more quickly, and have a Summer Short Series event here in the coming months.

From Northfield Rd., to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was around 59 F. The winds felt mixed but after Georgetown, I definately had a tailwind. I felt moved well. I rode alone.

From 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Rock Creek Pkwy. up Beach Dr. to Rockville Pike, to Grosvenor Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Huntington Pkwy. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I did this route last on August 22, 2011. Like then I had done it because the winds had picked-up a lot. I fought them almost all the way to Georgetown, and it was nice to have the option to go through Rock Creek Park where the valley is more protected. Not only was it more protected, but for some odd reason, the wind was somewhat reversed--I had a tailwind much of the time. I still had some close quarter traffic to ride through but it was much nicer riding that the CCT would have been. I had to stop or ride slowly for the traffic sometimes but I kept a decent pace. The climbs to Old Georgetown Rd. were slow but I flew along after reaching it. Like before, this was pretty fun, but unlike before, this is the longest ride I have had all this year, and for several months back into 2013.

From Northfield Rd. to Glenbrook Rd. with Max's bicycle in tow, then back with Max riding the bicycle after a birthday party was over.

45 situps.

From the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station to Tuckerman Ln., to Rockville Pike to Beach Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to the Kensington Pkwy. to Connecticut Ave. to the Georgetown Branch Trail to Woodmont Ave. to the Bethesda Metro Station at Edgmoore Ln. I adjusted plans to run this when it was raining hard as I left work. I figured that the rain would pass over while I rode the metro train and be done when I got to the Grosvenor-Strathmore station. I was right but it was damp on the ground, pretty humid, and around 73 F. I got going okay but felt stiff from the cycling. My quads felt tired at times. I hadn't run this distance (on pavement) in a while; since before all the injuries in April so it was pretty good that I did it without mishap. There was flood damage in the Rock Creek valley from earlier spring rains but it was nice to run through the park again.

From Northfield Rd., to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was around 53 F. I didn't start off fast. However there were some riders nearby right from the beginning. I would catch one and find another. Once on the CCT, another group was ahead of me. That got me going fast early as I passed them. I was doing 22-23mph going down the grade. After the sewage treatment plant I caught a guy who'd just passed a fast woman rider. He picked-up his pace so soon we were doing 25mph to Fletcher's Boathhouse. After that he was still doing 22mph on the flats. Rather than pass, I stayed in draft; he was going too fast for me for now. We sort of split after Georgetown but he paralleled on up to the Jefferson Memorial; he on the road and I more on the trail. He worked at the Smithsonian.

From C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I started out fast with a tailwind getting to Georgetown. There was some traffic there. I moved well and alone up the trail but slowed after Falls Rd. I needed to slow and didn't push it.

From Northfield Rd., to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was around 57 F. The willow trees along the Potomac, off of Ohio Dr. told me I had a tailwind but most of the time I didn't feel it. I was doing a stead 21 mph alone down the CCT to Fletcher's Boathouse, then a steady 20mph into Georgetown and most of the way to work. I tried not to push too hard since my legs felt sore from the race on Sunday. I was surprised by the elapsed time today since I didn't think I was going that fast; perhaps the computer didn't register everything.

From C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had to meet my mother this afternoon so I left work early, right after a late lunch. I was running behind on time but knew I wasn't going to make-up much while riding. Since I was tired I knew the best I'd do would be to not lose more time. Headwinds slowed me right from the beginning. Every now and then I'd be out of the wind or even more rarely, it seemed to push me for a while. I moved okay but was definitely feeling sore and tired. The lack of recovery time from the morning ride, the run yesterday, and lunch added to the slowness. To add insult, I was detoured in Bethesda where they were doing sewer pipe work and closed Glenbrook Rd. That meant going up a steeper and taller hill up Honeywell Rd., than I usually do getting to Wilson Rd.

Event: QOC Hemlock Overlook
 

QOC: Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, VA. I enjoyed the course that Jon Torrance set today. I included leg comments with the splits. My GPS track shows a loss of satellite lock between legs #10 and #11. The first couple of legs were rather easy technically, but not physically. The later legs were more fun. Most of the forest was quite open. I felt that most of the time I found pretty good routes where there were options. I stayed low when it made sense, even if that meant a dog leg. The control that I messed-up the most on was #14, and I'd just missed the trail route option of dropping down and then climbing. I ran a good bit extra there hunting, and relocating. There were a couple of funny map things that I noticed--green slash on top of green vegetation, green X root stocks obscured in green forest, a few small cairns that were too small to understand the symbol, and too many form lines. I didn't feel much stronger early in the run but I later I could tell that cycling and losing weight has helped me regain some hill climbing strength. I need to continue this path.

Blue - Splits