Training Log Archive: Nadim

Summer Short Series (SSS) - Starting on the River Rd., near the Grist Mill Bridge, SE of Ellicott City, I walked and jogged Ted Good's line-o course. It was billed at 4K, 200m. The day was pretty good for this time of the year--in the 80s F, and partly cloudy. Though several of us had walked to the start together, I took off right away. Max followed me out and soon we fell into step. I'd memorized the first part of the course but I was still matching-up features and contours. The first control was easy--Joe Barrett had apparently started just a little before I had and was visible at the control near a stream. Max actually spotted the second control on a boulder to our left as we rounded a bend. The first climb out from the stream was really steep. I stayed on line but had trouble matching-up the summer growth at the top, with the vegetation on the map showing an open clearing. Max corrected us for that, spotting the control before I did. I got the next 2 pretty easily though I didn't recall (when I skimmed the notes) that some features had been removed from the map. I was curious why I was seeing both big boulders and various vegetation items missing. I hit the cairn control but seeing another nearby on the map had me unsure if I'd done something wrong or if Ted just mapped it a bit off. We descended along a stream, getting through a lot of thick vegetation by being in a rocky stream course. It seemed like we had to descend further than the line showed, just to get past it. When the line turned and we came out, I found a rock cliff I was looking for but climbing up to another clearing I came up a little short. Max saw it and got us there. The hills were wearing on me. The biking the last 2 days and cummulative training hours had my legs sore. I came. Max and I hit every control on the line up to the road. We drank water and proceeded by checking off features as we ran, but somehow we missed an easy one along the road--I was probably looking left for features when it was on the right. We did leave the road in the correct place and climbed past the two depressions. Eventually working our way up to open rides, I think we hit every control that was set. As the course looped back down the steep hill, we decided to cut it shorter and go upward across the power lines. We picked-up the course from there, and stuck with the line pretty well, even where it got thick and thorny with Cotoneaster bush (Max had gaiters but no o-pants). We saw Francis Hogel coming toward us, perhaps shortening his loop. We also ran into Greg Lennon who thoght we might have been making an error, but he'd actually gotton onto the wrong line where they crossed. Kathleen Lennong was not far away after we left Greg. There was a small trail much of the way back and that was the best terrain of the course. It went across a steep hillside. Max and I walked when the route was off the trail but jogged again. Soon we saw Michael Dickey catching up so we jogged more. Peggy was not far behind him and passed us as we looked at some rocks a bit early. Michael made a mistake where the route left the small trail, but Peggy didn't. We finished-up walking and jogging down another steep hillside to the stream near where we'd started from. Max and I finished right behind Peggy.

Ted brought cold water for everyone to have after the traiing. After cooling down and getting to our car, we found that we got a $35 parking ticket. We never saw the sign. There was a gravel area where signs were posted and no one was parking, but we were away from that. A whole row of cars were lined-up along the road where we were when we'd gotten there--all of them except for Marcus who also did the training, were gone when we returned.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I decided to ride in again since I need to be home early enough to make dinner. Running after work doesn't allow for that. The rain held off but there were significant headwinds at times. The trees on the trail gave shelter. I got past a lot of walkers and other cyclist with pretty good time. I even passed 2 electric bikes. However I was redlining and slowing a lot in the stronger headwinds on Ohio Dr.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I got through the auto traffic pretty well but had some headwinds getting to the Lincoln Memorial. I passed another electric biker along the way. I actually got through Georgetown in a little over 13 minute--fastest in a long time. Hitting the Capital Crescent Trail I kept to my pace and rode alone. The rest was pretty steady too, but sometimes I'd feel strain in me left side of my hip.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. There were a lot of other cyclists riding today. I rode my pace. I think only the electric bike guy went past me, though one guy I'd passed earlier came up and led me across the flats to Georgetown. He stopped there.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. There was a lot of car traffic initially, and headwinds getting to Georgetown. I moved better after that except when I stood up on pedals to accelerate or climb. Something is slipping badly and it makes me lose momentum. I'd hoped I'd seen the end of that for a while with the shop work (replacing the chain, cassette, and front chain rings) done several weeks back but it's happening frequently now. One guy went past me and I didn't try to keep up. The electric bike guy passed me right near home. I weighed out at 196.5 lbs. With the traffic and wind and being tired, I thought I'd be slower. I guess I'm getting a little more fit and losing weight, even a little bit, is helping.

From Northfield Rd. to Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was feeling worn out and thought I was going slower. I'd planned to go run this day but being late and needing to fix dinner for the kids this week, I forewent that. I should have cycled all the way to work.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I had a tailwind and it was around 56 F starting out. When I got onto the Capital Crescent Trail at Falls Rd., another rider was 30-40m ahead of me. We weaved through other riders, runners, walkers and I finally caught him at the water treatment plant. I sat in his draft all the way to Georgetown, though I had to do various accelerations where we got separated waiting to pass others. Unlike other mornings, we passed a guy on his electric bike. In Georgetown, I passed him and cruised through the streets, trails, and construction detours, to work.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. After fighting the wind and a little traffic getting to the Lincoln Memorial, I found that I had a tailwind just about all the way going home.

I'd worked from home after Peggy and I had a school meeting for Samantha. I would have biked-in to work otherwise. After working, I finally got around to taking the mulch from the oak tree that I had felled. I put it onto the garden that I created over the Memorial Day weekend. This involved shoveling mulch into large buckets, carrying it across the yard, and spreading it. Afterward, my back was a little sore but overall this was less work than I had done making the garden. I also got to transplant a few things that were in or under the mulch pile.

Event: QOC Jug Bay
 

QOC: The (Beer) Chase at Jug Bay Park. The season finale was as fun as ever. Craig Shelden set courses that were slightly longer than usual. He got us into a little bit of new terrain and updated the map along with David Linthicum. Though several club members weren't able to make it, many did. Lots people have been standing up to take over roles that many have been doing for a long time.

The Mass start was for multiple courses. In the first loop for each course, there was some crossing of legs that kept people on their toes. I ran the Long Advanced course. It was billed at 185m climb, but my GPS track came in with 306m of climb. I realized as I closed in on the first control (Loop A, but a White course level one) that I'd left my eye glasses at the start. I was able to read things okay for a while and I used my memory of the park to fill-in. I was falling off the pace but I hit 1, 2, and 3 pretty well. I hit #4 okay but adjusted near the end to do so. I couldn't read the detail in the circle for #5 very well but I could read the bigger things on that leg. I had a feeling I was about on track. I passed the control a bit but came back where others were and found it. A similar thing happened to me on #6. I was pulled left as I got distracted by another orienteer on #7, but I realized about where I was from the contours and corrected quickly. On the leg to #7, I realized that my legs felt wobbly already and knew it'd be a long day. I was on target pretty much, going straight to #8. I heard Max say hello as he was coming up behind me to that control--Max ran the Middle Advanced course. Not having my eye glasses helped me miss on #9. I was thinking the control was in the reentrant and on the same side that I was approaching from. I got past the control and came back to see Peggy and Howie punching. I chased both and closed-in. I punched #10 just behind Peggy and got ahead of Howie. I punched #11 right behind Peggy. I thought I'd get ahead of her there but I crossed the reentrant earlier than she did, thus finding myself right behind her as we went around a corn field. Leaving he corn field, on trails, I finally got ahead of Peggy, only to make a mistake as I often do--I missed a trail intersection. I realized I was getting too far east and I saw others on a different course coming across my path. I corrected and got to #12 behind Jan Merka. I took the low route to #13, and got ahead of Jan. I went around the reentrants by going north leaving #13. I successfully cut across to the farm/garden fields and control #14. When I punched #15, I drank my second beer and went for my eyeglasses. After punching out, I saw Peggy coming in behind me and I was confused. I thought she was still ahead of me. Peggy did tell me not to punch the finish control, after the drink exchange.

Going out on Loop D, I could see people far ahead. I thought I might have been seeing Tom Nolan for a little while, but I'm not sure. I did catch-up to Eugene Tcipnjatov and fell-in step behind Vido Aleksiev. Things were better in the woods going to control 2 on Loop D--we'd passed the same way in Loop A but I was more confident. I couldn't quite get past Vido we started to leave Eugene behind to the left, and followed the edge of the green into the control. Initially, on the long leg to #3, I was behind Vido, but we diverged. I went more left and did so again at the road to get around the green. The way was fast though I still didn't have much speed. As we got nearer Pindell Branch, it got greener. I hit a earth wall, showing me a bit left of the leg line. That helped me correct and perfectly hit the Farm Connector Trail going down to cross Pindell Branch. After walking up the hill and hearing rustling of leaves to my right, I saw Vido, just ahead of me again. I almost caught him at control #3. We crossed the stream over to the farm fields and I led us going straight in to #4. I got there just ahead of Vido as he paused further up the reentrant. I led Vido for a while and across the Pindell Branch again. As we hit the stream for #5, I thought to go around the green on the right and I hesitated. Vido got ahead and went left-a safer but slower route through the green. We crossed a side ditch that turned out to be unmapped, then went on to find it. I got ahead of Vido again driving toward #6--it was like two turtles racing, but fun. I made it into the drink exchange and downed another beer.

I couldn't find the maps to start the last loop. A few seconds later Craig gave me one (he'd been distracted talking to others). Vido got his just behind me. I went up toward the house and hit the road. I got to #1 just fine and decided along the way to be safe going to #2. I'd set a similar leg once when I was course setter here, so I had a memory of what I'd see ahead. I ran up the road and passed the Farm Trail head on my left. I went a bit further past the green and cut in with out seeing the mapped distinct tree. I did a good job keeping my bearing straight (according to my GPS track) but I was off to the left. I was seeing a ditch and a small earth wall that led me to think I was in the right area, but it looked much different from how I remembered it all. It was drier and less discernible. I stopped and looked back, seeing that Vido was nowhere to be seen (he later said that I was about 20m off to the left). I cut northwest and could see the earthwall I'd passed twice on the first 2 loops--too far north. I looped back south but I was hesitant and slow. I cut back to the east and this time I found it. I suppose I lost a few minutes. I had a glimpse of Eugene ahead but lost sight of him as I ran toward #3. Running at this point was like just throwing my feet forward over and over. I went around the green by going east on the road, then I curved my way right to the control--happily. I'd seen Eugene before I got there as he was heading off to #4. I chased and since Eugene was walking, I caught him. I had to adjust a bit to the right at the end. Eugene said something about the heat wearing him down. I was tired but okay. I went around on the left side of the green getting to #5. I hit it perfectly. Going to #6 I ran straight. I should have used the road to go west because I ended up having to walk through the only wet marsh on the course (for me). I hit #6 fine. Finishing up, I ran straight and hit the field in a good place to get #7. I gave it a little push at the end, passing 82 year old Sid Sachs. One of the others I saw already finshed and cooled off was Tom Nolan. I downed my 4th beer for the day and was finally done.

I sat down for a while after downloading. I felt pretty awful, more so after stopping than when I was still finishing. My arms were dead. I didn't eat for a while, and then I wasn't hungry enough to eat much. I drank a few times but even after a few hours I didn't need to pee. I look forward to getting in better shape with continued training, but I have a long way to go. I'm feeling like I'm over-trained right now, despite not really having done a lot--I'm just not recovering quickly enough. Maybe when I get more used to the heat I'll be better.

Long_Adv - Splits