Jacobs Ladder revisited, I hate hills!

[Oldgirl]

Well this morning off I set to say hello to Jacobs Ladder (down it I hasten to add), I'm no were near ready to try and tackle this up the way.

Its a pretty uninteresting run if the truth be told, long straight main roads, loads of fast traffic whizzing by, too close for comfort really.

connect.garmin.com/course/3...

Its as steep as I remember it to be, perhaps even steeper this morning just before I turned to go down Abbotshall Rd I glanced back at Jacob which I had just teetered down and yep it might just as well be Mount Everest!! Its too steep to run down freely if your legs start to go to fast you've had it, you would be headlong into a swallow dive and that would hurt.

So I'm now onto the longer stretch of this downhill challenge of mine and its quite nice to run, you just have to watch for all the dips in the pavements for the driveways and of course cars reversing out of the said driveways, 8.00am was not a good time on a Thursday morning to do this route.

So now I'm onto the Deeside Road, golly what a lot of traffic, it is tree lined but its still very boring, huge houses, a couple of hotels, wide road and mountains of commuter traffic. I'm beginning to struggle cos I know I've got almost 2K of this road, switch off, don't think about your tired legs, think of something nice, think about anything except my poor tired legs.

"What sort of a car would I liken myself to?" daft question I know but this morning it worked and the time passed while I came to a conclusion.

I would be an old style Austin Mini from the 1960's well at my age I can't be a new modern one now can I?! My little legs would be similar to its little wheels, right What colour would I be then? Well bright red of course, the colour my face goes during and for a good while after any run

Then I thought, "I would have to be a Mini Clubman, not just an ordinary Mini, well after all I belong to the best club there is, the C25K runners club, right

My wondering mindless nonsense had taken only a few minutes but it broke the bordom of the route. I'm a bright red Mini Clubman, but I think I'm having a bit of trouble with my gear box just now ;).

Well I've bored you with my first visit to Jacobs Ladder this year, I promise not to blog again about it until I have it conquered, hopefully by the end of this summer.

Just one question before I go though, "What make and model of car would you liken yourself to?

[Canidoit Graduate]

Have you been along the track known as Rocklands Rd/ Airyhall Rd instead of the North Deeside? There's often deer in the fields at that time. Jacob's Ladder is the start of my 5 minute warm up walk so I'm already out of breathe by the time I get to the top.

In my youth I owned an orange Citroen 2CV. I'd like to think I am fun like it was but it did take 13 hours to drive it up from London in the old days of no dual carriageways after Perth! Thinking about it, that's my speed some days!

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Canidoit]

Candoit it wasn't you that I saw this morning, was it, wearing a yellow running jacket just before the top of JL?

Thanks for the tip I've lived in Aberdeen for over 40 years and have never even heard of this road. Does it have good pavements etc as you said it was a track, will have to give it a go and soon.

Love the Citroen 2CV image can also remember the days when it took us 12 hours to get home to Shropshire, the roads were slower in those days but you saw more cos your speed was slower too.

[Canidoit Graduate]

It is a well used track by pedestrians and is lit. It can get muddy and a bit rutted but I find the concentration needed makes time pass quickly. It is the width of a single track road and runs parallel to NDRd and Craigton Rd.

I tend to be an afternoon runner. I'm meant to do 25 minutes today but it's a bit hot so maybe later. I lurk in a turquoise top mainly in Hazlehead woods as there is a direct path from Craigton rd.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Canidoit]

Will look out for you lurking in HH woods while I'm lurking although I do tend to run mornings. Will have a look at this track and thanks for the info on it.

[Poppy2010 Graduate]

I used to like the look of the 2CV model called Dolly when I had my second car - a metallic brown Renault 4 called Renee; it had the gear stick coming out of the dashboard, but went ok for a little car!

My first ever car was a Mini Clubman Estate, we used to fit in four adults, fishing gear and 2 dogs for days out; I couldn't use the drivers door as the frame was rotten with rust, and you could see the road through the floor... the engine was great though and I changed the head gasket all by myself... Those were the days!

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Poppy2010]

Brilliant, did your feet get wet when there had been loads of rain, must have if you had a hole in the floor cos they were so low on the ground with little wheels.