Leggo Down Under
I paid a visit to my friends and relations in Melbourne and mostly in the Sunshine State of Queensland namely Brisbane. Imagine waking up to brilliant sunshine at 5am every morning and going out for a run at 6am with the temperature hovering around 20 Degrees C. Running through the bush in the company of kangaroos, jack rabbits (as big as dogs,) and a few wild turkeys ending up in a swimming pool afterwards what bliss! (Not with the turkeys)
I managed to check out the venues for the next Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018, especially on Surfers Paradise.
This scene is like an episode out of “Baywatch” you have the surfers, their boards tucked under their arms, heading down the long expanse of sands. Then when they catch the waves and make the spectacular manoeuvres in the surf adds to the whole spectacle.
The Commonwealth Games marathon runners will have the distinction of running along the whole length of the esplanade and back with this backdrop in their sight the whole way. What an incentive? Get the mileage in now!
Gladly for me Park Runs are as popular in Australia as they are in UK. I managed to find one near hand and flashed the old blue vest in Ipswich Queensland . It started at 7am ( I won’t complain about Cramond again)and I managed 1st over 75 in 30.10. with the 1st placed runner clocked 19.07 and first lady 24.32. The course was very similar to Callender Park, the only difference being it was all footpath.
There are organised runs every morning at 6am in the center of Brisbane and a second run at 7pm for people who work in the city by “Run and Become”
Australia is certainly a very sporting nation it appears that there are runners out at all times of the day and I suppose the warm weather gives them a greater incentive.
Now I’m heading back to the Auld claes and porridge and the thermals with lots of fond memories. Especially the Aussies who came up to me and confessed they had robbed Scotlands rugby team in the World Cup and offering me too much beer as compensation, how could I refuse?
Leggo
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