Just Perfect up Here

Friday:
1st Run: Palm Cove Beach at 11.00 am
Distance: 10.75 km
Time: 49' 53"
Rate: 4' 39" per km
Weather: sunny, temp 25 degrees, humidity 40%, light ENE breeze off the sea at 15 kmph, sea temp 23 degrees, sand temp 20 degrees:
2nd run: Local Primary school oval at 5:00pm
Distance: 12.3 km
Time: 53' 02 "
Rate: 4' 19" per km
Weather: just before dark, clear sky, temp 21 degrees, humidity 40%, wind calm,
Week: 53.65 km
August: 23.05 km
Year: 3010.5 km

Friday was my idea of an almost perfect day on holidays. I'm not much of a tourist, been to Cairns before, just a good day to spend with brother and niece. Morning drive north of Cairns to the beach at Palm Cove about 25 km past all the resorts that support a big tourist trade in FNQ.
The beach is just over 5.5 km long on a long sweep around the the bay. Tide was on the way out so the run out was in the softer sand near the high tide mark. Plenty of tourists catching the warm rays of the sun, not many in the sea, probably too cold for them. Turned at a small creek at the end of the bay and ran in the salt water to keep a little cooler, give the legs a bit of relief and because I like it. So out in the soft sand, back in the water made a great morning to run.
Finished up with a splash about in the sea, water a bit too warm for really good recovery, but is sure as hell warmer than the Murrumbidgee River at Pine Is.
A rest after lunch because the Friday afternoon is track running for a group of youngsters my brother trains. Tonight they did 6 x 1 kms with the first 5 at just under all out pace and the last one a handicap based on time for first 5. I jogged between each set and missed run 4 to recover just cruising while the others went fast.
Must tell you that there is a youngster living out here now from Ethiopia, name's Bini, about to turn 13 years old, ran just over 3:00 min pace for each of 6 km, bare feet of course, he is really good.
The handicap was decided on the times for each of your runs, I had ran most between 4'08" and 3'55" pace, so I got to start on go. I had my brother just 15 seconds behind me with Bini on 55 seconds behind. The others around 30 seconds and the fastest on 60 seconds behind.
Very scary to run from the front not knowing or daring to look behind to see if any are catching.
The youngsters didn't look like catching me, but brother, doesn't like being beaten, very good competitive spirit, makes you run fast, just failed to run me down. I heard breathing and footsteps with 100 metres to go and just found another gear to hold him out by 1 second. I ran the 1 km in 3'40", very happy after covering 23 kms for the day.
Great day, I am half way through another day, ran tempo at the oval this morning and will write a full story after our second run later today. Tough training up here, glad brother doesn't coach me full time. Who cares if the training is tough, the weather is perfect.