The first lockdown was easier to cope with, everyone had to stay within 5 miles of their house and it was just the luck of the draw whether you lived in Aboyne and could run up a hill or whether you were consigned to the city, but this time it was harder. Someone who lived in Stonehaven or indeed who lived just 2 miles to the south of where I stay could drive all the way to Braemar to run or ski on the Cairngorms yet I was stuck due to an arbitrary boundary. This made no sense. However, I stuck to it as it seemed like the right thing to do and came up with some creative routes of my own in order to entertain myself and then when some of the restrictions were relaxed and group training was allowed we made the most of the urban trails around the city and it has to be said, Aberdeen is well off for parks and open spaces.
As has been the pattern throughout the year on the morning that each lockdown has been lifted I have headed off to the hills for a quick pre-work trot on the hills just to relish in the freedom of being on the hills. Due to my antisocial start times I haven’t had any company on my previous morning runs but this time Bob Sheridan joined me. I think he was feeling sorry for me as Deeside runners were well underway with their checkpoint challenge but there was only 1 out of the 100 checkpoints I could have grabbed while staying within the lockdown rules. Now it was my opportunity to start my attempt on the checkpoint challenge – a morning jaunt up and down Mount Shade.
Standing around in the car park waiting for Bob was quite a weird sensation, I didn’t actually feel as though I should be there. Had too much lockdown time in the house made me agoraphobic?! I was worried too about the climb as I was very out of practice on hills, Bob was going to have to seriously slow down a lot to run with me. It was a glorious morning though, clear blue skies and great views as we did the little route to take in the summit checkpoint, Bob led the way and I did my best to keep up while Bob did his best not to get annoyed at my inane excitable chatter – I can’t help it, don’t get out much these days. After a slow steady climb up the inevitable summit photos were taken and then we headed back down to the car park. There wasn’t even enough time for post run coffee as I had to get back home in time for work. How antisocial or a first hill run back. There was cake though. 
Once again it was great to be free of hill related lockdown restrictions and being able to get back on to the hills (and chasing down those checkpoints) but I couldn’t help being more hesitant in celebrating this time round. Would another lockdown be on its way in a few months time? Surely not.
