It was just Bronwyn and I departing at 5:45 into a misty ethereal morning with the hint of the warmer temperatures of spring around the corner. As we made our way onto the Brisbane Corso, I had a moment to ponder the predominance of lady’s names assigned to the streets around Highgate Hill. Gertrude, Mabel, Louisa, Emily, Ruth and Laura, perhaps suggests there was a number of women in the family of the land developer?
At kilometre 3, we turned into Leyshon Park leading into Fehlberg Park and then, but for a couple of streets, links to Yeronga Memorial Park. Possibly more a product of flooding than good town planning, we are very lucky in Brisbane to have retained the amount of green space there is to enjoy. We jumped green space to green space and started our ascent on the edge of Toohey Forest and Mount Tarragindi. The stairs up into the Little Toohey Forest are an excellent test for mental and physical fortitude. I lay down the gauntlet for any would be boot camp or Kokoda aspirant to run the entire set! Bronwyn and I strategically fast walked, believing ourselves to be at better mechanical advantage in doing so.
With the promise of a view at Pegs Lookout we followed the pretty undulating trail through the forest, assuring ourselves that the terrain was good for the marathon preparation. A viewpoint or vantage point, Pegs Lookout is not. Not professing to be a lookout aficionado, but the industrial landscape of warehouses, skip bins and garbage trucks seemed a stretch of the imagination as being worthy of looking-out on. We hastily consumed our bananas and retraced our steps to start our descent towards Tarragindi Recreation Reserve and Norman Creek to Greenslopes Hospital. I’m not sure the hospital administration will welcome the practice, as we made our way via hill and dale into the grounds of the hospital and took a short cut through the reception foyer. Nurse Bronwyn assured me the hospital likes to encourage physical fitness. I’m not sure why she pulled her visor lower over her face and declined to greet the staff as we passed through well before normal visiting hours.
At kilometre 15 we were both starting to feel a little weary, contemplating the sensibility of the considerable objective we had laid out for ourselves in November. We ploughed on towards our day’s two hour goal and breakfast destination.
There were already people at the door of The Jam Pantry waiting for the 8am opening. Within 30minutes of our arrival, the café was humming with all the seats taken and people lined up for their takeaway coffees. Our eager anticipation continued to grow as we sighted some delicious breakfast plates arriving at neighbouring tables. Any hints of fatigue, twinges of pain and self-doubt disappeared as my Nims Eggs ($15) was presented to me. Perfectly crispy bacon, delicious basil pesto, 2 perfectly poached eggs, roasted tomato and banana chutney on sourdough. I understand the signature of The Jam Pantry is their condiments, with some available for purchase. The pesto and banana chutney were strangely complimentary with little room for improvement for either. It might be the 1000 calories I had just burnt, but the addition of one more piece of sourdough bread would have rounded off the dish to my 100 percent satisfaction. There was easily sufficient bacon and condiments to accompany a second piece. Bronwyn ordered the omelette ($18) off the specials board. The omelette included coconut curried cauliflower, currants, raita, red onion and a frekkah and herb salad. She ordered well! With stomachs content, we both reflected on the enjoyment we have gained thus far through our improving fitness and the delights of the many and varied breakfast endpoints. The Jam Pantry will be certainly incorporated on the rapidly expanding list of cafes to be revisited at our leisure post marathon.
Nims Eggs |
Omelette |
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