The gruelling, but strangely popular, Great Pyramid Race was held in Gordonvale on Saturday with a large crowd watching competitors test their fitness against the challenging track.

Our own Justin Whyte came in 83rd in a time of 2h:21m for the 12k run/trek which takes runner from Gordonvale to the top of the 922m high Walsh's Pyramid and back.

Nick Carling stormed home in first place for the 5km event, breaking the Open Male record finishing in a time of 18:24 and collecting a $200 cheque.

"I finished just ahead of Cairns Triathlete and Triathlon coach Joel Murray who was hot on my heels," Carling said.

The Great Pyramid Race has an interesting history.

According to the website it began 53 years ago, in a local Gordonvale pub, with two cane farmers having an ‘argument’ after the end of a hard days work. They decided to settle this argument with a race to the peak of the nearby Walsh’s Pyramid.

A wager was made between the two cane farmers to see who could run up in the quickest possible time. This race created so much interest that the local bookie took bets on which cane farmer took the honours.

Still on running and the Cairns Roadrunners are holding a 64km Kuranda to Port Trail run this weekend.

The track winds through Black Mountain Road and comes Down the Bump track to finish on the main beach outside the Port Douglas Surf Club.

There is also a 16km run which starts from the top of the Bump Track at 9.30am, and also a 5km fun run on the beach which starts and finishes on the beach outside the Surf Club.

For more details go to the Cairns Road Runners website.