Peel club! That’s what the Aussies call the group of people who have run a parkrun in every Australian state, and today I joined them. This wasn’t the toughest in gradient or terrain, being a mildly undulating run on paved paths along Darwin’s waterfront. But it has to have a 7am start because otherwise it is too hot. 25 degrees or so for the run, and heading up steadily to 35 over the day, and very humid, which makes a lovely warm blanket settling over you on the run. It’s not the easiest. Apparently it can be much less humid in winter, and around 19 degrees – pleasantly warm but not punishingly so, and if you can visit in July, I’d recommend it.

It’s all as well organised as you’d want. No marshals out on course, but it’s pretty straightforward – cross the field to start, run along the main path of the esplanade, ignoring the loops off to the left (on the way out); turn around at the cone at the far end, back to the path at the beginning (but not the field), turn around and do it all again. On the second lap, cut left across the field to finish, as the cone tells you.

The sign on the cone shows you, at any rate.

There are toilets at the start, which is near the car park at the South end of the esplanade. From the YHA I stayed in, it’s a short walk, so I could roll out of bed at 6.30 and make it without any worries.

It’s hot, though. Really hot.