Worldwide Festival of Races: the Zen 10

The Worldwide Festival of Races was here. Time to run with Speedy Reidy once again! Well, virtually, anyway.

I joined the Speedy Reidy Runners a couple of months ago when the challenge was first issued by Speedy. I needed something to aim for and given that you could choose to run anything between 5k and a marathon, aiming for the Zen 10K was achievable, while still being a challenge.

My goal was to run no slower than 7.5 minute Kms, but also given that it was a virtual run with Speedy, to also capture the experience for her and show off Brisbane to the world.

I chose a route that I'd run a few times with Speedy Reidy - along Kingsford Smith Drive from Brett's Wharf towards Newstead and Teneriffe. It was one of Speedy's favourite places to run when she lived in Brisbane - the photos I captured along the way probably show why.

Brisbane Citycat at Bretts Wharf, with the city skyline in the background.

Random fishermen at Newstead Park (This one's especially for you, Speedy Reidy.)

You can run almost all the way along the front from Newstead to the Gasworks development since we last ran there, Speedy. This is the parklands and one of the new apartment blocks.

The walkway leaves the river for a short time, but it runs through the parklands - not like the backstreets we used to run there, Speedy.

A pandanus tree not far from my turnaround point at Teneriffe. Quintessentially Queensland.

One of the woolshed-style buildings that line the River along Newstead and Teneriffe.

Riverside bikepath in Teneriffe

The damage from the floods earlier this year is still visible around Brisbane - the Teneriffe Ferry terminal still under repair

It's jacaranda season in Brisbane. (It's also magpie season, but that's another story.)

And this is just a shot of my shoes. I don't know why.

The upshot of the my effort at the Zen 10 is that I achieved my goal, just, with a run time of 1:14:29. A successful reunion run with Speedy Reidy. And as you can see, plenty of Zen.