Running in Aberdeen was a different prospect back when Fraser Clyne, the city’s fastest ever marathoner, was in his pomp.
Fraser, who in 1984 ran a remarkable 2m 11m for 26.2 miles, a time that is still the seventh-fastest for a Scottish athlete, remembers training on roads far less busy than they are today in the Granite City.
He also recalls how he and his friends would be the only runners on the beach — though they’d sometimes bump into Aberdeen’s all-conquering football team, who used the beach for training runs.
“Joe Harper told me he used to hide in the bushes there when they were sent for a run” says Fraser of the club’s record goal-scorer.
“And he always said, ‘Oh you didn’t do us any favours, seeing you belting round. They thought we could do the same.’”
Fraser has since toned down his running. These days he’s content to coach the next generation of Aberdeen runners with his Hidden Peak running club.
But as the city gears up for the P&J Runfest in April, he’s the perfect person to give the lowdown on the five best places for runners of all standards to train in Aberdeen.
Here’s his top five list.
1. Hazlehead Park
The park in the west of the city is very much a Swiss Army knife for Aberdeen runners as it has something for all aspects of training, Fraser says.
There’s the 500-metre straight line track that is great for sprint work – crucial if you want to hit those PBs at the P&J Runfest. And Hazlehead Park also has its Parkrun course, which is a great 5K training run.
Fraser adds: “If you continue on from that course, there’s a whole circuit that’s about four miles. But you can deviate off trails from that. The trails at Hazlehead are good, they have a bit of elevation on them.”
Fraser likes the uneven ground on the trails, because they can help strengthen feet and ankle muscles, which in turn can prevent injury.
“If you run on the roads, you tend to be pretty static, nothing much is moving,” he says. “But if you’re off-road or even on grass, you are working that much more.”
Hazlehead Park is also just across the road from Maidencraig, which hides some great running trails and a big hill. It’s where Frazer takes his Hidden Peak athletes to do hill reps.
2. The beach promenade
The beach can be a bit windy during bad weather but it remains the obvious choice for training runs in Aberdeen.
“It used to be quiet there in the ‘80s, but now it’s really busy,” says Fraser. “And that’s great, because it’s three kilometres from one end to the other, and you can extend if you go off the prom at the north end and run up to Bridge of Don.”
Fraser also highlights the trails off Seaton Park that go all the way to Persley Bridge and then back across the river.
3. Duthie Park/Old Railway Line
These two come hand in hand as you can do all your running drills in Duthie Park then head out on a long run along the (relatively) flat former railway line to Banchory and beyond.
There’s an annual ultramarathon along the line, the 33-mile D33, that goes to Banchory and back again. But there’s no need to run all that way.
“There’s a one kilometre loop at Duthie Park that a lot of the runners use for speed work,” says Fraser. “You can do lots of little relays.”
4. Kirkhill Forest
Fraser remembers when Countesswells was a great place to run, but storms over the past few years have made the trails there almost impassable.
Instead, he recommends Kirkhill Forest for some out-of-town running.
“There’s lot of forest trails, and it is very undulating,” he says. “I don’t think there’s any flat bits at all.
“The strength you get from running up and down hills is fantastic, and that makes running on the flat so much easier.”
There is ongoing forestry work in the area, so ensure you follow all on-site signage and stick to the formal trails.
5. Anywhere you can
Fraser says he’s only been on a treadmill four times in his life, and it was “four times too many”.
He’s a firm advocate of going outside to run as, for him, it is much more enjoyable.
He realises that the weather in the north-east can sometimes be a hinderance. But back when he was in full training mode, he could always find somewhere to run.
“I remember one day it was really icy, so I went to West North Street’s multistory car park, and I ran up each level. People were getting in their cars and thinking what on earth is going on here.
“But it was a way of getting a run on a really bad day.”
The lesson, then, for your P&J Runfest training?
“You can certainly improvise,” laughs Fraser.
Love running? Why not sign up for the P&J Run Fest 2024?
On April 14, we’re going to be hosting the P&J Run Fest at the P&J Live.
The event will bring together people from all across the north and north-east to create a community of runners, and raise cash for the P&J 275 Community Fund.
It will have a 5k, a 10k, and a junior run.
To sign up, click here, and to find out more, you can read our explainer on all you need to know about this new event.