Training Log Archive: Nadim

45 situps. This nice day was mostly spent shopping. I had wanted to get out to do some mapping but there wasn't any time. I did get around to doing some vigorous leafing with a blower and a rake. Though the top layer was dry, the bottom was damp. I worked into the dark and had to finish before the rains came. I cleaned-up the back, front and most of the sides, generating the largest piles that I remembered ever doing. I dragged the heavy piles to the road in a large tarp. Max "helped."

From Northfield Rd., I rode with Max to Ayrlawn Park and later to downtown Bethesda for lunch. It was a bit cool. Max said he was getting cold at some points but each time we were just about to our destination.

While yesterday I was feeling some tightness in my calves after the Turkey Chase, today I felt more in my quadricepts. Surprisingly, my knee felt good.

Event: Turkey Chase
 

Turkey Chase 2008. On home terrain, or as close to home as it has been so far..., I ran this 10K with David Onkst. It turned out pretty good. I'd woke up early with a coughing fit so I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't worried either. Peggy and Max walked and ran the Two Mile Fun run together withe Heidi Onkst. Altogether there were about 8,000 people registered which is the biggest for this event so far. Ken Walker was there too. It appears that he started in wave #1. Dave and I waited for the second wave in the 7-8 minute per mile zone. We had talked about doing the run comfortably in 45-50 minutes but when it was our turn to start, we moved out with the crowd. We ran parallel routes for a while zig-zagging around people. Unlike in years past when I ran more comfortably with Bob Angell, the crowd thinned-out quickly and enough to go about as fast as we wanted to. We went past the first mile marker without even seeing it. If my GPS is correct, we ran it in 6:40. At the second mile mark which was significantly downhill of the start but had some uphill portions, my watch read 13:51 which would have been a 7:11 mile. The race clocks were reading the time from the first wave and though I started my timing on the race chip pad, I'm not sure if that I started it at the correct spot. The third mile had more uphill to it but was long and straight. Dave and I had been moving steadily past others. We continued this but with less differential. We ran it in 6:52 if the mile marks were correct. With a little more climbing, we hit downtown Bethesda in 7:10. With the psychological and real midway points past us, we turned it on just a little more. The split is a bit suspect. In the short area on Old Georgetown Pike where there are tall buildings, my GPS watch shows a detour through a building that I didn't take. The 5th mile split time read 6:10. Cruising, half holding pace, and half pushing more, we finished by my watch with a 6:38 mile but the finish time on it was nearly a minute too fast. Dave's watch was not much help either since it read over a minute slower than mine. I don't know what was going on with our watches but our official time was well under our goal and under 7:00/mile pace (6:57/mile)--yeah! It was a fun way to start off the Thanksgiving holiday. It was also redeeming to me since it was at a faster pace than a 5 mile race I did last January; pre-knee injury. My knee felt pretty good during this run probably because I haven't been running much for a while. Peggy, Max and I relaxed and ate bagels with Heidi and Dave after the race.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was about 38F but with the velcro on Max's trailer securing the cover in place it seemed to keep things warmer in there. It makes it hard to hear him especially when there is other noise. He gets upset sometimes if I can't hear his questions about what type of trucks we're seeing. I felt fairly quick with tailwinds. At one point, I was doing 20mph with the trailer. I also think my legs are feeling rested since I've not been training much lately.

C • Hearing Max Talk 3

From the Bethesda metro station to Maple Ave. to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail. I had moments of intensity but it was broken up by traffic. There were lots of cars getting in place for the holiday. I wore my Iluminte jacket which is very warm for as light as it is. The relective power teamed with my already flashing trailer-bike combination even got a police patroler to yield to me.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. The velcro which I'd stuck onto his trailer to repair the cover latching is starting to come off so I'll have to get out some needle and thread.

C • sewing 4

From the Bethesda Metro station to Maple Ave., then to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail. It was kind of cool (and more so in the dark without my gloves) but I was moving along making my own heat whenever traffic allowed it. The extra reflectors and lighting on the trailer that I picked up seemed to grab the attention of the car drivers well.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda metro station. I rode with my laptop and backpack.

From the Bethesda metro station to Northfield Rd. It was dark, breezy and raining slightly.

Event: QOC: Avalon
 

From Northfield Rd. to St. Elmo Ave. and back. Rather than go to the QOC meet today, I stayed around the house unpacking more boxes and doing some maintenance work. I had slept in and needed to since I have a slight cold. I rode to downtown Bethesda for a quick lunch.