Pat Carroll

Friday 8.00am About 10K 36mins

Thursday 4.00pm 1h10m

In Cairns Thurs/Fri no where near the extreme humidity of my last trip to Far North Q'land.

Thurs. arvo my colleague who grew up in Cairns suggested I go for a run up the Blue Track by the Botanical Gardens in Edge Hill. Edge of Hill it was!! first few K's were up well formed 'steps' but once past the tame Red Track things became wild, it was still climbing ever upwards but 'steps' here consisted of tree root after tree root with the occasional boulder 'step', not the sort of run someone with saw knees should really have even considered doing but I thought of it as a challenge! I went past a sign that I didn't bother reading but on the way down I read it. It said,

"Extreme danger !- Take great care on this track, serious injury and death have resulted from people going off track - Do not start attempt this track after 4.00pm - Jogging Prohibited"!!!

I did not enjoy it at all, every step had the potential to break an ankle or leg and I had visions of having to crawl back on hands and KNEES! to humanity to raise the alarm as only saw Walkers out on the lower sections of the trail. I also had visions of venomous snakes and spiders attacking me and again I'd have to make it back to Humanity half conscious! Well I survived and ran for an hour and ten minutes!

This morning I thought I'd join all the joggers and ran two 'laps' of the Esplanade, much more mundane but at least was able to stretch out and get some speed going, and enjoy the Deception Bay lookalike Trinity Bay but at least there was talent on the pathways to make up for the muddy mess of a Bay!

Cairns weather was 26/27 O C - now that's the kind of Winter weather I'd be happy with -Beautiful!

Today after we'd finished 'work' we drove the 16KM from the Bruce up to Lake Morris Reservoir, which is World Heritage Listed Rainforest around the Cairns reservoir.- Beautiful!

Made a mental note that next time I'm in Cairns will run the 16K uphill road and have someone meet me at the top (there is 'Kiosk' and facilities with seating overlooking the lake - really like a Shangri La experience after the twisting winding road this restaurant has the best view in town).

I found this video clip on YouTube which gives an impression of the scenery as you climb up the 16KM road.