I've been to the town of Roma in the western/darling downs of Queensland, but the Roma Street fun run is in the big smoke of Brisbane town.
The picturesque Roma Street parklands is set next to the railway transit centre just off the CBD. It is the world's largest subtropical garden in a city centre. The primary attraction of the parklands is its inherent recreational amenity. And recognising this, the annual running4research fun runs have been held here every year since 200?. To mark the 10th year of Roma Street parklands, I dragged my lazybones out of bed last Sunday morning to take part in the 10km fun run.
The park is very well designed to cater for all types of users and for all kinds of occasions. It is popular with families and tourists.
Even ibises like congregating at the lake precinct.
One side of the racing area at the central precinct is flanked by a wall of sound, from a waterfall feature.
Another side is lined with trees and bounded by apartment buildings farther out.
Tents were erected on the grass for various promotional stalls, but a jumping castle for kids is the most popular spot.
From sunrise, runners started trickling in for the race start at 8:00 am.
A couple of coffee stalls were making brisk business in the early morning chill.
Some years ago I watched friends with the Bibak-Queensland dance troupe, perform some traditional Filipino dances here as part of Queensland’s multicultural festival. The performances comprised Igorot dances to the sound of music played from gongs. Some of the dances have been posted in youtube.
Bibak Igorot dance
We gathered around for some pre-race instructions, then we started off.
In recent years they have built apartment buildings next to the parklands. Busways, ramps, tunnels and other road works have also been constructed around the park. But rather than diminish, the apartments and infrastructure indeed complement and enhance the value of the parklands. This place has become a popular centre for various social and cultural activities and is one of Brisbane’s premier inner city green developments. I saw Paul Kelly for the first time here at the parklands.
From the parklands the fun run intersected roads bridges and railways. The route passed under College road and a couple of Brisbane Grammar schools footbridges on either side of the Normanby busway station. It paralleled the south side of railways to the ekka grounds before overpassing the rails and the inner city bypass opposite some tennis grounds in a park off Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill. The course then ran up and down alongside the ICB for some way before zigzagging back up the overpass from the golf course in victoria park in Herston.
The course comprised two loops of these winding and sharply turning pathways and bikeways, underpasses and footbridges.From the parklands the fun run intersected roads bridges and railways. The route passed under College road and a couple of Brisbane Grammar schools footbridges on either side of the Normanby busway station. It paralleled the south side of railways to the ekka grounds before overpassing the rails and the inner city bypass opposite some tennis grounds in a park off Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill. The course then ran up and down alongside the ICB for some way before zigzagging back up the overpass from the golf course in victoria park in Herston.
It felt great to run alongside people of all walks of life aiming to keep fit and healthy by racing walking jogging running strolling pushing babyprams etc. Lacing up the running shoes and just taking part in the 2011 Running4Research fun run, aids the work of the Brisbane Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) for sick kids.
I finished in under 56 minutes. Here's me at the scene of the crime of slow time.
The kids had their turn after the 10km and 5 km.
Even superheroes took part in the fun run. Somehow they look a little bit out of shape.
Everyone had a good fun run.
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| That's a 5km loop. Now to some r&r. yep running4research. |
I wonder how the research is going? I wish they could help me run faster.
The results of the 2011 running4research fun run races:
10km men
1. Nicholas-Hull-00:32:51
2. Mat-Hopper-00:34:33
3. Brayden-Tucker-00:35:18
4. Ron-Peters-00:36:00
5. Geoff-Heydon-00:36:01
6. Seung gil-Hong-00:36:41
7. Alan-Money-00:36:47
8. David-Sangster-00:36:57
9. Todd-Scott-00:37:45
10. Robbie-Mullins-00:37:49
10km women
1. Clare-Geraghty-00:36:27
2. Jeanne-Marle-00:39:09
3. Sharon-Ryder-00:39:59
4. Sharyn-Madders-00:40:26
5. Stephanie-Holt-00:40:43
6. Jo-Sherman-00:41:14
7. Katheryn-Jackson-00:43:23
8. Michelle-Mewing-00:43:48
9. Elle-Brookes-00:43:49
10. Laura-Ware-00:44:21
11. Pip-Brook-00:44:22
5km males
- Luke-Farrell-00:19:25
- Angus-Gibson-00:20:06
- Andrew-Dey-00:20:29
- Wyatt-Westmoreland-00:20:37
- Samuel-Morrison-00:20:58
- Richard-Bonner-00:21:26
- Go-Ishigame-00:21:37
- Steven-Bartley-00:21:49
5km females
- Emily-Bevan-00:21:29
- Bonnie-Atherton-00:21:50
- Curtney-Dutton-00:22:10
- Brittany-Dutton-00:22:48
- Holly-Grice-00:22:48
- Dolorey-Murray-00:22:48
- Shadae-Stavely-00:24:16
- Tiana-Stavely-00:24:23
- Lara-Sample-00:25:48
1.5km kids
- Emma-Gawne-00:08:19
- Ethan-Frizzell-00:08:33
- Oliver-Sweetman-00:08:39
- Jessica-Mikitis-00:08:45
- Michael-Mikitis-00:08:46
- Jamie-Grant-00:09:00
- Phoebe-Mccaw-00:09:04
- Mia-Cornwall-00:09:11
- Roy-Merilaid-00:09:16
- Rylee-Danvers-smith-00:09:19
Lachlan-Savage-00:09:51
- Inga-Savage-00:09:52
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