Training Log Archive: Nadim

Arundel Mills Mall, MD. From a parking spot, I jogged to and from the mall dropping off kids to a movie; we were rushed to get to the SSS QOC Squirrel Kill event because of a mess of a traffic jam on the major highways.

QOC SSS at Sawmill Creek Park in Anne Arundel County, MD. The whole event was basically a score-o but our late start (Peggy, Heidi Onkst, and I) began with getting credit for a sprint in which all controls had to be taken in order, as usual. I ran confidently to the first control, then with a bad bearing, I went around the wrong baseball field. I lost more time figuring this out but recovered as well as possible by seeing a shortcut out of a field that I'd gotten stuck in. Heidi had started ahead of me and after #1, only about ten seconds ahead, she took a route that I thought was a slightly longer (but safer) way around to the right. I didn't catch her until after the 3rd control. For the rest, I was right on target. After getting to the finish, I realized I'd started at control 11, 30 ft. away so I ran back to #11 to make up for it. I felt pretty slow on this run and it took a while for me to get into the map. I guess that being late and starting in a rush didn't help. My nose kept dripping too.

QOC SSS: Squirrel Kill at Sawmill Creek Park in Anne Arundel County, MD. The event involved driving or bicycling around to several parks where there were score-o controls to find. I was the designated driver for Peggy, Heidi and myself. That meant a little less time to sort through the 11 maps and instructions, though none of us took much time to hunt for an optimal solution at all. With the lack of analysis, we set out to be linear with our parks. Ted clued-in Heidi and Peggy that we would do well to get some of the controls from map 3, right from where we were at.

Peggy set out a little ahead of me. I caught up and ran together for a while, then started to go ahead. I read the map wrong and while doing this I completely missed a turn. I ran back and got the control just after Peggy got it. I caught her and we basically got a few more together. On the run back I made another mistake at the same turn, but finished a little ahead of Peggy. After finishing, Ted had some cold drinks for us and that made me feel better.

QOC Squirrel Kill in Friendship Park, Anne Arundel County, MD. Starting from the Thomas A. Dixon Jr. Aircraft Observation area, I set out shortly after Heidi and Peggy. Though familiar with this area (I'd run the complete paved trail around the airport several times), it took me a little while to get used to the map. For one thing, I forgot my compass in the car. After the first control, I took time to get it, but that wasn't really necessary. The controls for this section of score-o were linearly spread along the trail. I eventually caught Heidi and Peggy and got the controls we'd planned to do. I could have gotten the others which Peggy and I had left on our last run, but again, I didn't want to have to leave Heidi waiting so long, and I figured there would be many other easy to get controls in other parks. After getting the last control, I initially slowed my run so Peggy could catch up, but eventually figured it best to move ahead. I as running a little better on this outing, probably due to the slight downhill grade and having had a cold Gatorade in me. It was still hot out. I had blown out a lot of snot and junk in my lungs too.

QOC Squirrel Kill at Park 100 Industrial Park, Anne Arundel County, MD. For this score-o, Peggy, Heidi and I started nearly together again. I once again left my compass in the car and went back for it. It was once again not necessary to have one. Peggy and I started to do this clockwise after the first control. With her ahead, she quickly got caught-up in some unmapped briars along the fence. I waited until she got freed and we went around the fence. Peggy switched plans, but after rounding the fence, I went left and continued a clockwise route. It was probably a tiny bit longer, but just seemed to make sense. It was all pretty easy. I had to run a long way along 2 buildings to a forest corner for the next control--this had one obstacle, a hill with rough-open scattered trees. Fortunately that wasn't bad. I walked across it. At about the half-way point distance-wise, I passed Peggy going the other way. The last control I hit was behind a sign. Not seeing it at first from the front, I had to reach through the rose thorns coming from behind but only lost about 10 seconds. Heidi finished just ahead of me, having gotten fewer controls. Peggy finished shortly behind me.

QOC Squirrel Kill in Queenstown Park, Anne Arundel County, MD. Once again, all 3 of us (Peggy and Heidi and I) started off nearly together. I almost left without a compass again. I got the first control which was very close by. I then hesitated. A theoretically optimal route would take me clockwise to get all of the score-o controls but I was having trouble lining-up the map with the tree line, and then I hesitated not knowing if I should trust the white wood mapping on a leg that would not have a trail route. I backed-off my plan but by this time, Peggy had already gone the counter-clockwise way. I caught her at about the 3rd control near a ball court. This would have been a pretty good map to use a mountain bike on. The controls were on trails with not much advantage to cutting across--it was too green for that. I got one control near troublesome vegetation just ahead of Peggy, and thought I was ahead of her when I cut across a small bit of vegetation to a trail. I was surprised to see her in front of me later. I caught her and passed her as she hesitated in a rough open area. The trail that we were on was getting overgrown and she'd lost contact with it, while still being on it. I went on through to the control. After getting the last on another trail run around vegetation, I was enough ahead that I should have finished that way. However after crossing a felled area, I decided to try to cross the forest that I'd hesitated about after the first control. It was the wrong choice. Peggy got back to a trail and beat me in by about 10 seconds or so.

We had to pickup our kids after this, so we didn't try to do any more parks. Had we done so, we were later told that many of the controls were really close and quick to get. We'd have gotten more points for them. I took part of the written part of the test in the car as Peggy/Heidi read it to me. The party at the Good house was as fun as usual. We hadn't seen a lot of the people there for most of the summer.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I'd woke up very late. None of the kids had awaken either. Perhaps none of us heard our alarm clocks. I somehow got out of bed, and got the kids to a bus stop a quarter mile away in 13 minutes, then went home to get my bike. With my rush I went to work casually in shorts. I think the last 2 days of working out weakened me so I'm having more congestion.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. Part of the way was still bumpy from a repaving construction project.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. Part of this time was riding alongside of Samantha, getting her to a bus stop. Right away, it was evident that I'd be riding into a headwind. It persisted all the way to the 14th St. Bridge. On the way, I saw an old man trip on a sidewalk where construction was being done. He turned out to be alright. That reminded me of some of my own recent falls being more embarrassed than hurt, though he was much older. I was weak on the ride; tired from the run last night. I slowed in the headwinds on the flats after Fletcher's Boathouse, and got passed by a trio drafting together. I came in behind them for the last mile into Georgetown, then passed them on the streets. My weight is down a lot but much of that is probably dehydration. The loss of weight doesn't translate into much immediate increase in running or riding speed but it should eventually help with that. This is a low point for me for close to 2 years (since back troubles began) and is encouraging.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had a good tailwind getting to Georgetown. There was some traffic before getting there and on Water St. I caught a rider who passed me back just as we left Georgetown. Another rider passed him soon after so up until the trestle bridge, we were cruising at a good clip and I got the draft. I couldn't keep up when the two in front switched leads going up the hill, though they remained not far ahead for another mile or more. I slowed more later, still feeling tired and sore from my run the other night. There was some construction again at the end of Falls Rd.

From Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Cheshire Dr.. to Grosvenor Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail at Fleming Ave. to Old Georgetown Rd. to Northfield Rd. via Greenwich Park. Temperatures were in the mid 70s F and the humidity was low so it was a nice night to run. I was pretty slow to start. My lungs still have phlegm so I spent the first half mile or more coughing and getting my lungs clearer. My legs felt weak most of the time though on the few downhills, my pace quickened. It's taking me along while to get used to runs of this distance, and I'm not used to them yet. I pushed in the last mile somewhat and though somewhat downhill, and into a cooling breeze, it was only an 8:44 split. I'm still glad I got out. My cats were glad to have me back so that they could hunt and play with the locusts while I cooled off.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. Part of this time was riding alongside of Samantha, getting her to a bus stop. I had headwinds but was carrying a slightly lighter load. My shoes and belt were already at work from the day before. Though the time isn't fast, I felt stronger riding. It might have been the upper 60s F temperature.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I got started just before 6pm. There was some traffic from cars, pedestrians, and other riders that slowed me. I also had a heavier load, carrying back my clothes from 2 days, and also my work laptop. I rode alone and no one passed me.

From Northfield Rd., to Huntington Pkwy. & back, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. I had to return from the bus stop to get Samantha her water shoes, sun screen, and bug spray.

From the Friendship Heights Metro Station at the DC/MD border (Western Ave. & Wisconsin Ave.), Friendship Rd. to Willard Ave. to River Rd. to the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT), to Bethesda Ave. to Woodmont Ave. to the Bethesda Metro Station. I once again ran fartlek from River Rd., to Bethesda Ave. It felt okay and I probably shortened the jog parts by having longer sprints. I did 10 sprints.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. Road crews had ripped-up the roads near the downtown, getting it ready for eventual paving.

30 sit ups.