And then there was 1 lonesome Hillbilly plodding up this hills.
But what a lovely plod it was!!!
I decided to head through Bishopscourt towards Kirstenbosch for a slow recovery run after this past weekend's Winelands Marathon.
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| Route Profile |
After waiting a few minutes to see if any other Hillbillies would arrive, I set off up Dean Street. That is a long, mean hill when tackled on tired legs!!! Caught my breath going along Newlands Avenue, before shooting over the M3 and then down the M3 to Boshoff (just to be a bit different this morning, I skipped the Orchard-Boshoff leg). At Heath I headed to Riverside, and off to Kirstenbosch Drive. From there I hit Bishopscourt Drive and followed the road over the intersection where you have to turn off Bishopscourt Drive to turn back onto it - going straight as I did the road becomes Canterbury: a lovely LONG hill leading all the way to Kirstenbosch Top Gate (eventually). So I followed the road, all the way (okay, yes, I did give in once for a brief walk-break near the top of the hill - that's where I missed the Hillbilly motivation!) and before I knew it I was sipping water in front of Kirstenbosch!!
Through the gates, there wasn't even the regular security guard opening up shop this morning - the gardens were deserted!!! Until I reached the Tea Garden at least, when I gate-crashed the Boot Camp session: the ladies seemed to be finishing up their warm-up session, a couple of circuits jogged from the Botanical Society lawn, up and around past the Tea Garden. Quick stop to sip some more water at the tap just before leaving Kirstenbosch, and I was on my way back. By this time the highest point of the route was long behind me, and I was enjoying the gentle downhill along M63/Rhodes Avenue.
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| Route Map |
Problem: keeping along this route would get me barely 11km, and I wanted 12. So, off down the M3 again to Protea Road, down past the Vineyard Hotel and up towards Mains Street. Back at Dean Street the 12km alert sounded - perfect!!! I was actually feeling so good by this point that I was sorry to stop, but sadly I can't run all day, I've got to fit some work in somewhere... :P
Chris and Linelle went for a shorter run this morning at 5:45 (both being victims of physio-enforced run-time-restrictions). How was your run guys??
I believe they're looking to run just about every day this week at 5:45, +- 20min at around 6m30/km pace - anyone else keen to join them??
I'm quite keen for a 10km or so run tomorrow morning, 5:15, if anyone feels like dragging themselves out of their perfectly good beds at that unearthly hour :P
Thursday will be another 10-12km. Slow. I'm not sure of the route yet, but I'm open to suggestions! Else I'll come up with something before the end of tomorrow.
And Friday morning I'm considering a longer run, possibly the 17km Constantia route from the other day - but watch this space for details of that one as the week wears on.
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Dean Street Hillbillies
Here's a route suggestion for tomorrow and/or Thursday: http://bit.ly/fYvBrP
ReplyDelete* From Great Westerford, up Dean Street and along Newlands Avenue.
* Down the M3 to Fernwood, Fernwood to Boshoff Ave
* Through Heath onto Riverside and down Kirstenbosch Drive (towards M3)
* Right onto Bishopscourt Drive, follow Bishopscourt past Canterbury (don't carry on straight over into Canterbury but right back into Bishopscourt)
* 3rd left after Canterbury into Norwich Dr, up and over the hill
* Follow Norwich past Lincoln and Chester, till it meets with Canterbury
* Then first right into Dunkeld (not Upper Hillwood at the junction) and Left onto Forest Ave
* Follow the bend and head to the M3
* Over the M3 into Struben and onto Bowood at the 'circle'
* 3rd left off Bowood into Eden, follow through to Protea Road circle
* Veer off Protea into Colinton (past Vineyard Hotel) and left up Kildare, right at Mains
* Back to Dean Street/Great Westerford.
About 10.4km (according to Google Maps)