2017 New Year's Eve (Eve) Ultra - Wild Dog Mountains Traverse

As 2017 drew to a close Anthony and I began to discuss plans for the New Year's Eve Ultra. Due to working down in Rockdale on New Year's Eve for the fireworks the date for the run was to be moved forward a day to the 30th. First and foremost we decided that due to our low level of fitness it would be prudent to tackle whatever course we decided on as a speed hike as opposed to a run. Given we were looking at a walk rather than a run I was keen to ensure that it still provided plenty of excitement and as such a repeat of last year's route was off the table. After some deliberation on potential courses we have decided on a full traverse of the Wild Dog Mountains, starting and finishing at the top of the Golden Staircase on Narrowneck.

Anthony arrived at my place at 04:30am on the dot and we jumped in the car and made our way west into the mountains. It was an extremely enjoyable drive accompanied by one of Spock's Beard's classic prog rock albums, Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep. Dark grey clouds rolled in and it looked as though we would be in for a rainy start. We met Andy at the end of the Narrowneck Firetrail where he had parked his car. He was going to run down to meet us at the Golden Staircase. The drive down the firetrail was pretty interesting, it’s desperately in need of a grading as there are some serious potholes. We made it safely and Andy was only a few minutes behind. We quickly prepared our camelbaks and then set off into the light drizzle.

We headed south on the firetrail and both the rain and fog began to steadily increase. I always love the look of the forest when it is damp, it really brings out all of the rich colours in the trees and flowers. The wind was pretty strong at times and we were treated to some spectacular visuals of the fog moving over the cliffs. We were making pretty good time with a strong hike on the climbs and the flats and the occasional jog on the downhill sections. By the time we reached the observation tower at the 8km point the rain had ceased and the fog was beginning to lift. The final 3km of the firetrail to Clear Hill is a nice gradual downhill and the views begin to open up to both the Cedar Creek Valley in the east and especially over towards the Breakfast Creek & Megalong Valleys in the west. We stopped briefly at Clear Hill to take in the view across to Lake Burragorang (Warragamba Dam) before preparing for the descent to Medlow Gap.

Early morning mist on the Narrowneck Firetrail

Anton & Andy on the Narrowneck Firetrail

Amazing views with dark clouds in the sky and mist moving quickly over the cliffs

Dark clouds still loom overhead as we look east towards Lake Burragorang (Warragamba Dam)

Leaving the firetrail we joined the Kanangra to Katoomba trail and began the technical descent down to the Tarros Ladders. Shortly before reaching the ladders we stashed two extra water bottles which Anthony had brought along, these would become a godsend later. At the top of the Tarros Ladders there is an excellent lookout which takes in the Wild Dog Range, our mission for the day. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view whilst I explained the intended route. It was a little intimidating looking over the valley at the row of peaks that we were intending to climb one after the other! After this short stop I descended the ladders first so I could get some shots of the guys coming down. Tarros Ladders is always heaps of fun and it was awesome for Anton to experience it for the first time.

The view from the top of the Tarros Ladders. In the foreground to the left in Mount Derbert and then behind that is the Wild Dog Range. Our first objective is Mount Mouin, the pyramid shaped mountain.

Andy descending Tarros Ladders

Anton descending Tarros Ladders

Anton descending Tarros Ladders

Anton descending Tarros Ladders

From the bottom of the ladders there is a lovely single trail that takes you up and over Mount Derbert before making its way down to Medlow Gap. We had a short stop at the gap to apply some sunscreen before proceeding south on the White Dog Ridge Firetrail towards the first big climb of the day up to Mount Mouin. After a kilometre or so on the firetrail you peel off onto an old overgrown 4WD track and immediately it kicks up very steeply. After about 700m the track comes to a stop and from there we picked up a light footpad. This too ran out after 200m or so and from then it was an all out scramble on all fours towards the summit. Just before the top we found a really cool little camp cave were some bushwalkers had stashed a bunch of firewood to keep it nice and dry, it would have certainly been a great spot to spend the night. From the cave it was only a short little boulder hop and we were on the summit. In total it took about 35 minutes or so to reach the summit (945m) but it was bloody hard yakka! It was certainly worth the effort as we had an amazing view back towards Narrowneck and the Breakfast Creek Valley. It felt really good to have the first summit in the bag and we spent a good 15 minutes or so admiring the view and taking onboard some food.

Stunning Sydney Red Gum (Angophora costata) at the base of the Tarros Ladders

Andy on the Mount Derbert trail

Tiny orange fungi growing on this fallen branch

Camp cave near the summit of Mount Mouin

On the summit of Mount Mouin (945m). Breakfast Creek valley in the background

The view north from the summit of Mount Mouin, Narrowneck in the centre of shot. You can clearly seen the ridge of Mount Derbert to the right of centre which we descended along after coming down the Tarros Ladders.

Departing Mount Mouin we made our way along the ridgetop towards Blackhorse Mountain. It was nice to pick up a footpad which made route finding easy. There were a few very cool rock towers along this section before the ridge thinned right out to a knife edge. At times it was only a metre or so wide and dropped away steeply on either side so made for interesting walking. It only took about 20 minutes or so to reach the summit of Blackhorse Mountain (865m).

Mountain Devil (Lambertia Formosa)

Broad Leaf Drumstick (Isopogon anemonifolius)

Layered rock tower on the Blackhorse Mountain Ridge

The knife edged summit of Blackhorse Mountain (865m). Mount Warrigal in the background

It’s a short descent down from Blackhourse Mountain to the saddle were you pick up the Wombat Parade. It was about this time that Anton and I were really noticing that our legs were starting to feel tired. Not too far along the Wombat Parade we caught sight of some Red Tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii). They were beautiful but sadly easily spooked and I was unable to get a photo before they flew off. The sun was well and truly out now and the heat and humidity were on the rise. We were all coming to the realisation that we were going to be short on water and we wernt too confident that we would be able to get some at Mobb’s Swamp given the lack of recent rain. The Wombat Parade quickly reaches the cliff line that extends right the way around the summit plateau of Mount Warrigal, our third objective. There are only a handful of passes through the cliffs which are hard to find and as a result the summit is very rarely visited. Luckily I had done some research and Paul Ma provides a grid reference for a pass on his blog (http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/). The Wombat Parade veers around to the left and runs right along the cliff on the eastern side of Mount Warrigal. There are some sections with lush ferns and the cliffs themselves are really beautiful. There are some rich sandstone colours and at times you come across layers of shale and coal which back in the day were extensively mined in other parts of the Blue Mountains. After two failed attempts we eventually found the pass, a thin ramp up through the cliffline. Once on the summit plateau it is a relatively easy 500m walk through open Casuarina forest to the top. The ground is nice and spongy as it is covered it a thick layer of their needles. It would make for a very comfy sleep if you decided to camp up there! We passed a few huge termite mounds on the way up to the top. The summit of Mount Warrigal is the highest of the 5 in the Wild Dog Range (970m) but there are no views, just a small rock cairn with a stick poking out of it. After a quick photo we retraced our steps and then proceeded to the southern tip of the plateau, it got thinner and thinner until you eventually reach the lookout at the end which has an awesome 180 degree panoramic view across to the final two objectives and all the way down to the Cox’s River and beyond. After a bite to eat and another splash of sunscreen it was time to move on, elapsed time was already 05:35:00 and we needed to keep moving if we were to have any hope of staying remotely on schedule.

Huge conglomerate boulder on the approach to Mount Warrigal

Huge conglomerate boulder on the approach to Mount Warrigal

Beautiful layers of sandstone, shale and coal in the cliffs

Layers in the rock

Anton on the Wombat Parade

Andy on the Wombat Parade

One of several huge termite mounds on the summit plateau of Mount Warrigal

At the summit cairn of Mount Warrigal (970m) the highest of the Wild Dog Mountains

Negotiating a fallen tree on the walk from the summit of Mount Warrigal to the lookout on the southern tip of the plateau

Negotiating a fallen tree on the walk from the summit of Mount Warrigal to the lookout on the southern tip of the plateau

Negotiating a fallen tree on the walk from the summit of Mount Warrigal to the lookout on the southern tip of the plateau

Taking a breather at the lookout on the southern tip of the Mount Warrigal plateau

Amazing view from the lookout on the southern tip of the Mount Warrigal plateau. Our next objective Mount Merrimerrigal is in the foreground with the Cox's River and Three Peaks in the distance

 We returned through the casuarinas towards the pass back through the cliffs which luckily was marked from the top with a few cairns. The pass is not marked from the bottom so it appears that people that know about it like to keep it somewhat secret. It was a fun scramble back down before continuing south on the Wombat Parade towards Mount Merrimerrigal. There are a few nice little scrambles to reach the saddle between Mount Warrigal and Mount Merrimerrigal. Once in the saddle it doesn’t take long at all to reach the pass up onto the plateau above. This one is particularly interesting as it actually takes you through a small tunnel! Once through the tunnel it was a nice easy walk to reach the very inconspicuous summit (905m) marked by a small clearing.

Old Man Banksia (banksia serrata) on the Mount Warrigal plateau

Old Man Banksia (banksia serrata) on the Mount Warrigal plateau

Anton on the ramp down through the cliff line

Anton scrambling on the ramp down through the cliff line

Back on the Wombat Parade heading south along the base of the cliff

Scrambling down into the saddle between Mount Warrigal and Mount Merrimerrigal

Scrambling down into the saddle between Mount Warrigal and Mount Merrimerrigal

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

Climbing up through the tunnel onto the Mount Merrimerrigal plateau

One of a few rock cairns marking the top of the tunnel pass

One of a few rock cairns marking the top of the tunnel pass

A gnarled fallen tree near the summit of Mount Merrimerrigal

The small clearing at the summit of Mount Merrimerrigal (905m)

From here the footpad seemed to peter out but it’s a pretty open forest so still makes for relatively easy going. The saddle (Dingo Gap) between Mount Merrimerrigal and Mount Dingo was quite nice with a few boulder hops and some nice mossy features. Finally we made our way up the gradual climb to the summit of Mount Dingo (935m) which is marked by a small camp clearing with a fireplace. It was awesome to have completed our goal of summiting all five of the peaks in the Wild Dog Range! We didn’t stop here long as it was only a final 500m further south to our final goal of the day which was the lookout at Splendour Rock. I had been here once before on an overnight hike back in 2014 but sadly then the view was virtually nothing as it was completely fogged in. It is rated as one of the best lookouts in the southern Blue Mountains and overlooks the mighty Three Peaks region and all the way to Kanangra Walls. As the trees thinned out and the made our way out onto the rock itself my jaw dropped at the site, it was truly spectacular! We all savoured in the view whilst taking on board some more food and signing the logbook. 23kms down in 06:47:00.

Lush mossy boulders in the saddle (Dingo Gap) between Mount Merrimerrigal and Mount Dingo

Boulder hopping in the saddle (Dingo Gap) between Mount Merrimerrigal and Mount Dingo

At the summit of Mount Dingo (935), the fifth and final of the Wild Dog Mountain peaks

Splendor Rock logbook capsule

The Bushwalker's War Memorial at Splendor Rock

Our logbook entry from our previous trip in 2014

Logbook entry from the 2017 New Year's Eve (Eve) Ultra

Outstanding view from Splendor Rock looking south towards the mighty Three Peaks region and Kanangra Walls

Outstanding view from Splendor Rock looking south towards the mighty Three Peaks region and Kanangra Walls

Finally at Splendor Rock after almost 7 hours and 5 mountains!

We spent about 20 minutes enjoying Splendor Rock before starting the return journey back to the car. The original goal was to start the return journey by 06:30:00 elapsed time so we were about 40 minutes behind schedule. We all still felt ok at that point but everyone’s water was starting to get awfully low which was a bit of a worry. The trail down of Mount Dingo zig zags its way down through small cliffs and boulders and is a lot of fun. It was nice to reach the bottom and rejoin the Kanangra to Katoomba Track which meant we were finally walking in the direction of home. We started some easy jogs on the flat sections and all in all were making reasonable time. About halfway to Mobb’s Swamp we passed a massive fallen tree which was down over the trail and really was quite a site. We reached Mobb’s Swamp at the 26.6km and although predictable it was very disappointing to find that the creek was bone dry. Everyone was starting to feel pretty parched as we had been rationing our water and the prospect of no fresh water until Tarros Ladders was a bit of a bummer.

The huge fallen tree near Mobb's Swamp

We left Mobbs Swamp and made good progress along the trail although it appeared running was now almost out of the question for Anton and I as we were both starting to really feel it. A kilometre or so out from getting back onto the White Dog Ridge Firetrail we came across a massive lace monitor. Once we hit the firetrail we managed a gentle trot down the hill into Medlow Gap. I was now completely out of water and not looking forward to the steep climb up Mount Derbert. Anton and I trudged up while Andy set a cracking pace up front waiting for us as regular intervals. It was a real grind but eventually we reached Tarros Ladders. Once up the ladders it was only a short climb until we reached the spot where we had left Anton’s water bottles. We could have easily finished them off within a minute but there was a small matter of the 11km or so back to the car so we had to be sensible. It was a relief to hit the firetrail and Anton and I were both shattered and it’s much easier to find a rhythm on the open firetrail. We were now way behind schedule looking at a finish time closer to 12 hours instead of the originally estimated 10. Andy charged on ahead running out and backs to rack up some extra kilometres whilst Anton and I just ground it out at a steady walking pace around 5km/h. It wasn’t long before the water supplies were low again and Anton and I were taking one sip every 15 minutes trying to make it last to the end. A few kilometres from the finish Andy left us for the last time as he had the extra few kilometres or so back to where he had parked his car. We shared a few handshakes and then he sped on off up the trail. At long last we reached the locked gate which meant approximately 800 downhill metres to go until we reached the car. We cruised it in and finished the 44.8km in 12:08:19.

Massive Lace Monitor (varanus varius) on the Kanangra to Katoomba track

We were both absolutely destroyed and I couldn’t wait to open up the esky. I don’t think I have ever been so thirsty in my life and that ice cold beer that we had waiting for us was one of the best I've ever had! We dipped a cloth in the icy water and poured it over our heads, wow it was refreshing!!!

Doesn't get much better than a post run/hike beer!

What a truly epic day! Although I had travelled much of the route before it was so awesome to string together all of those summits back to back in a single day! For Anton it was his first foray deep into the Blue Mountains wilderness and I know it has certainly wet his appetite for more. For Andy as well it was a nice experience for him to travel at the slower pace of us mere mortals and actually be able to enjoy the views that in the past he has never seen due to the need to focus solely on running fast on technical trails. I couldn’t be more stoked with how well it went and how much fun we all had, it certainly showed that you don’t necessarily need to be running to have a massive day. A huge thankyou to both Anton and Andy for sharing the adventure, looking forward to the next one!

Strava GPS Data:

30km of Trail Suffering on My 30th Birthday

For a while now I had liked the idea of attempting a 30km run on my 30th Birthday. It seemed to be a solid way to mark the milestone, one kilometre for each year. The main issue being that currently I am extremely unfit and weigh more than I ever have in my life. My longest run so far this year was only 15km and other than that I don't think I have done anything longer than 10km. A task that would have been just an easy training run a few years ago was going to be a fairly significant challenge!

I started out from home and tried to maintain a solid pace. I was quickly through Top Ryde and hitting the first section of trail at Burrows Park and then through the Field of Mars Reserve. I was pushing myself but didn't really think it would be realistic to maintain that pace. This section was over quickly and then I joined the trails along the Lane Cove River. These are really great trails and I don't know why I don't visit them more frequently. I shall have to try and make more of a habit of it. I ticked off just over 8km in the first hour.

After the flatish section along to the Lane Cove Weir I continued along the Great North Walk and onto a lot more technical terrain. I was starting to feel pretty rubbish but just tried to maintain forward progress walking the techy stuff and jogging the rest. I hit the 15km mark in exactly 2 hours. I still wasn't feeling confident that I would last the distance and the legs were feeling seriously heavy. It was a relief to hit the firetrail at the 19km mark. I enjoyed the downhill run into Browns Waterhole and then started a short out and back section along the valley floor to make up the extra few kilometres that I needed.

20km into the journey

The turnaround point on the Great North Walk

Hitting the Terry's Creek Trail after 22.5km I was onto very familiar terrain. The light was fading fast now to I grabbed out my torch to light the way and pressed on. I was completely destroyed now and just looking to get the job done so I could have a birthday beer. I passed by the 25km mark and only had 1.5km of trails left before the final road section back towards home.

In complete darkness at the 25km mark on the Terry's Creek Trail

Leaving the trails I started the grind up Blaxland Road and over towards Ryde Hospital. I was on struggle street but the fact that I was on the home stretch motivated me to get the job done. I cruised down the steep steps on Ryedale Road and down towards Anzac Park at the 29km mark. I was really looking forward to this. Jemma was waiting there with William and we ticked off the final kilometre as a family by walking a few laps of Anzac Park together. It was awesome to have them join me to finish off the end of such a milestone run.

My two favourite people in the world joined me to tick off the final kilometre together

I wouldn't necessarily recommend attempting a 30km run whilst extremely unfit and mildly overweight but I really enjoyed myself. I really tried to push myself and walk as little as possible and despite my pace dropping off a fair bit in the second half I was happy to knock it off in under 4.5 hours.

It feels odd to be entering a new decade in my life but I am looking forward to what it will bring. My 20's were nothing short of incredible with some huge milestones, getting married to the love of my life, buying a home together and starting our family with the coolest little man! Its going to be bloody hard to top that decade but I am seriously looking forward to trying!

The first adventure of the decade is already laid out for me. I have come a very long way in my recovery since my back injury and I think its time that I can realistically start turning my energy towards the goal that I was gearing up for when I got hurt... The 100 mile distance! I have a fair bit of weight to lose and almost all of my fitness to regain. Its gunna be a long road, let the training begin :)

Strava GPS Data:

Finally enjoying a well earned Birthday Beverage!

Faulconbridge Point & Grose River Walking Track

What a day out in the mountains. After originally having plans of heading out to Splendour Rock I awoke at 5am and felt that my cold was still lingering. I decided that a 40+km day probably wasn't wise if I wanted it to go away anytime soon so I went back to sleep. After waking at a more reasonable hour of 8am I started thinking about an alternate option for the day and given its been a few years since I did the Faulconbridge Point Trail I thought it would be a solid option. I had also never previously been down the Grose River Walking Track which descends from Faulconbridge Ridge very steeply down into the gorge. I had red that it is a pretty intense climb and it certainly didn't disappoint! With the extreme rain that NSW has been experiencing over the previous days it was also a great opportunity to see the might of the Grose River in flood.

Setting out shortly after midday I made steady progress along the ridgetop firetrail with a mixture of easy running and walking on the uphill sections. Due to the large amount of rain there were many spots where there was little streams forming over the track and also some pretty impressive puddles in places. It sure was a challenge to try and keep the feet dry. The rain feel steadily which was nice, I love running in the rain and it always makes the bush look nicer.

Water streaming over the firetrail due to the constant rain

Massive puddle flooding over the firetrail about 1.5km before the lookout

It took just under an hour to travel the 7.5km along Faulconbridge Ridge Firetrail to Faulconbridge Point. The fog was coming and going and unfortunately when I arrived at the lookout it was shrouded in mist. It was a shame as it would have been cool to see the swollen Grose River from above. Instead you could just hear a constant rumble coming from below the mist. The wind was picking up and given there was no view I decided not to hang around for too long. I grabbed banana from my pack and had it as I made my way back to the Grose River Walking Track for the big descent down to the river.


The Faulconbridge Point lookout, not much of a view other than mist

When I reached the turnoff I put my rain jacket on. I was pleased that I brought it along as it was getting cold and between that and my buff I was able to keep my body temperature regulated. The descent starts off steeply and gets more and more intense as you make your way down. The track had more or less become a watercourse and I gave up on keeping the feet dry. As I got deeper into the valley the trail entered a rainforested area. All of the ferns and moss dampened by the rain looked stunning. After several creek crossings you finally get your first glimpse of the Grose River.

One of the many creek crossings on the descent down to the river

Beautiful trail with the creek running alongside

The final few hundred metres down to the river is extremely steep. There are a number of short scrambling sections and ledges which provide a little bit of exposure. Two of the sections have a fixed rope to assist you on the way down the small cliffs. It was a heap of fun!

One of the small cliffs requiring the aid of a fixed rope to negotiate

The second small cliff with a fixed rope

Once finally at the base of the descent the mighty Grose River was a site to behold. It was well and truly in flood and there was an immense amount of water making its way down the gorge. About 50 metres from the end of the trail I could hear a waterfall. I made my way over to check it out and what is apparently normally just a small creek was a huge torrent. I found a small rocky outcrop to sit down and have a break whilst enjoying the view of the river.

What normally is a small creek was an absolute torrent

Infront of the waterfall

The mighty Grose River in flood, an impressive sight!

Feeling fresh after a break and ready for the big climb back up to the ridge

After a short break I started returning up the climb. It was a real slog and very slow going. I just trudged up and took my time on the rocky sections which were becoming increasingly slippery in the rain. Its a beautiful forest but a real brute of a climb!

The rocky and technical trail on the climb up to the ridge

The rocky and technical trail on the climb up to the ridge

After cresting the climb started out at a steady jog. I had originally hoped that I would crack 3 hours 30 minutes for the run but it looked pretty unlikely at this stage. My ankle was feeling good though so I proceeded at a run and figured that worst case scenario it would get me back to the car more quickly. The further I progressed along the firetrail the more impressed I was with how the ankle was holding up. I decided to go for it and slowly wound up the pace as the kilometres ticked by. I knew it would be touch and go and had to give it everything over the final two kilometres and was stoked to reach the car with about 25 seconds to spare!

All in all a really great day out. Seeing the Grose River in flood was a real treat and the consistent rain made the outing even more fun. I only wish it hadn't have been so misty at the lookout but at least its a good excuse to head back there again some day :)

Strava GPS Data (first 2km missing): https://www.strava.com/activities/464098809

Audax: Over the Hills & Far Away

Prologue - Coming Back from an L5/S1 Disc Herniation:

On Saturday the 31st of May 2014 I woke up in absolute agony, It was nerve pain like I had never experienced before. I was scheduled to partake in the Audax Brutal but Fair 300. Two weeks prior I had completed the Wing it West 200 and by end of the ride, the pinched nerve pain in my left leg felt better than it had in quite some time. Faced with the choice of either flopping back into bed or attempting the ride, I took the option of riding. Maybe a good choice, maybe not. Needless to say I suffered a lot that day but somehow managed to complete the ride. Interestingly enough, the back although constantly sore did slowly feel a little better as the ride progressed.

I knew the pain was horrendous but what was more worrying now was the fact that I was experiencing both numbness down the back of my entire right leg into my foot as well as weakness in my right leg. I booked in to see my Chiro Marty at Gladesville Healthcare on the Tuesday and he suggested I urgently seek an MRI for my lumbar spine. A week later I had the scans done and the results were certainly not what I was hoping for. I was diagnosed with a severe disc herniation at the L5/S1 level along with a Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis at the same location. This was a terrible result and Marty prepared me for the worst by easing me into the notion that I may never run again.

Below are my two MRI scans, the first one highlighting solids whilst the second one highlights fluids. If you look at the first image, you can see that the last disc above my sacrum is very clearly herniated. The gel from inside the disc has broken through the disc wall, mushrooming out and filling the canal that houses my spinal nerves. Its not until you look at the second image that you can really see the true extent of the damage. The thick white strip running down along behind my spine is the canal that houses the spinal nerves. Up the top it looks extremely healthy as there is lots of spinal fluid for the nerves to float in. When you get down to the site of the herniation the fluid is completely gone. The herniation has virtually filled the full width of the canal, crushing the nerves against the bone on the back side.

L5/S1 Disc is clearly mushrooming out in this image

Here you can see the extent that my spinal nerves were crushed

The Spondylolisthesis means that my L5 vertebra is not aligned correctly with the S1 vertebra that sits directly below it. Its only out by a few millimetres but its enough to put a lot of extra strain on the disc that sits between it. Marty said that it is quite likely that I have had the Spondylolisthesis since birth. The trouble is that it doesn't have any symptoms until it causes another problem. Although we never established the precise cause of the disc herniation, it is my suspicion that my lack of core strength has played a major role. The disc has slowly worn down over the last 28 years and I am sure that my love for pushing my body to its limit has probably accelerated the process!

In the few weeks following the injury the pain subsided slightly but the entire back of my right leg remained numb and my right calve muscle was weaker than ever. I had to keep my movements to a bare minimum as walking was very painful. Nerve pain would shoot from my back down through my glute and into my hamstring. The problem was that sitting or standing for extended periods would also enduce the same pain but with more of a throbbing sensation. Life was certainly a struggle. The first visit the Neurosurgeon was also particularly brutal as he told me straight up that unless I had some major surgery fusing my L5 & S1 vertebrae together that I would likely end up in a wheelchair eventually. Given the $50K pricetag for the surgery, I couldn't afford it even if I needed it so I went on the waitlist for the public system.

Fortunately I continued to improve ever so slowly over the coming month or so whilst waiting to see a different surgeon through the public system. He decided that it would be better to wait and see if it healed naturally as any surgery is potentially quite risky and the chances of having further problems later in life are extremely high. The recovery was frustrating and virtually the entire time it didn't feel like I was making any progress. It wasn't until I would do something like walk 100 metres up to the café to grab a coffee pain free and realise that a few weeks prior the same activity would have left me in agony that I would even notice the improvement.

It only took a few weeks to get gingerly back onto the bike. Normally this would be highly inadvisable for anyone with my injury but for whatever reason the action of riding was therapeutic so Marty encouraged me to ease into it. After 3 months I started to go walking again but I was limping badly. The nerve impingement had stopped the ability for my brain to send a signal to the Peroneal Muscle and as a result it had shrank away to almost nothing. Even still just the freedom to go for a short walk in the bush again was a huge boost for my mental state! In September I started to slowly work my way back into some running. I started out with 100 metres and slowly worked my way up to 1 kilometre and so on. I was determined to do my traditional New Years Eve trail ultra, even if I walked the whole way. By the time we got to Christmas, despite still having some numbness in my hamstring and weakness in the peroneal muscle, I was almost completely pain free. Under Marty's guidance my recovery had truthfully been nothing short of miraculous. NYE eventually arrived and Paul accompanied me on what would be an emotional run for me. 8 hours and 20 minutes is by no means a good time for 47km but the fact that against all the odds I had actually managed to cover the distance was incredible!

Paul and I after our 2014 NYE Trail Ultra

2014 NYE Trail Ultra Photo Gallery:

2015 was set to be my comeback year! I had a few goals that I wanted to tick off the bucketlist, the big one being the Coast to Kosciusko Ultramarathon. Our family friend and someone whose adventures have been one of my inspiration's, Jan Hermann would likely be attempting a record 10th completion of the event! What a perfect time to be having a crack at my first! Completing the run on NYE had given me hope that it was possible so I set about working out which events I would use to qualify and started training. Progress was slow and it seemed to take forever to make any progress rehabbing the peroneal muscle. Training continued but I became frustrated with this muscle as it was really affecting my stride and although I wanted to push it to strengthen it I then started running the risk of compensating for it and causing other injuries.

Eventually I realised that I just need to be patient with it as the entire muscle basically needs to regrow from scratch. Fortunately it has strengthened enough for me to cycle without its weakness having any noticeable affect. I decided for the time being to put my running on the back burner and focus on cycling. With cycling I was now able to challenge myself again and that is after all what I have been craving. I set about training on the local steep climbs and built up my distance with a 200km recon of the 2015 Ride to Conquer Cancer route and then completing a solo 300km effort on the 2015 Brutal But Fair.

Over the Hills & Far Away:

So here we are, exactly 12 months on from my Disc Herniation. After the disappointment of putting all the hard work in to organise the ride last year and then missing out due to injury I was extremely excited to give it a crack this year. The fact that it was 12 months to the day since the injury meant it was also a pretty important milestone in my recovery. There were unfortunately only two of us taking part, Tim Hughes who was doing the 300 and myself attempting the 400. It had all the makings to a true epic!

In the weeks leading up to the ride my excitement had been growing more and more each day but for whatever reason when I got out of bed at 5am to start getting ready I was in a really bad state of mind. I think memories of the extreme difficulties that you face on a 400km ride had started coming back. I know it might sound obvious but its just such a long way!

We rolled out at 6:15am and settled into a nice easy pace. Watching the sunrise as we made our way through the maze of cycleways at Sydney Olympic Park was a real treat. We joined the M4 motorway and I took the lead trying to dodge the myriad of debris that covers the shoulder. As we were approaching the 24km mark Tim had a rear tyre blowout which was a real bummer. I already had doubts in my mind but now I was strongly considering pulling the pin and just riding the 300 as an unofficial ride. We got the tyre fixed and pressed on only to have it blow again from a second piece of glass 2 kilometres later! It was a massive blow and we were both now letting the negative thoughts creep in. On a ride like this you really need things to go your way in order to stay positive. We got the second puncture repaired and Tim declared that if he was to puncture again he was going to pull the pin. Wanting to salvage something from the day I said that if he punctured again I would withdraw from the 400 and accompany him on the 300. Being an Audax ride I had absolutely no obligation to stay with Tim but neither of us were really feeling it and eachothers company was likely to be the only thing that would turn that around.

I think Tim must have felt bad about the time wasted with the punctures as after the second one was repaired he got on the front and went full gas to make up time. We were absolutely hammering along covering kilometre after kilometre at 35-45km/h. I was struggling to sit behind him and still conserve energy for the task that lay ahead. We quickly reached the foothills of the Blue Mountains and started the climb up to Glenbrook. Due to the crazy amount of climbing that was to be faced throughout the day I knew it was absolutely imperative that I paced myself well or else I simply wouldn't have the strength left in the legs to even get up the very steep climbs later. Whenever the gradient wasn't too steep I was again following Durianrider's 'Spin to Win' motto. Whenever it was too steep to spin I would settle into a comfortable rhythm and then try to back it off even further. Slow and steady wins the race :)

We ticked off the townships one by one as we made our way deeper and deeper into the mountains. I have never ridden further than Springwood in this direction but fortunately I knew all the landmarks from the countless drives in the car that I have done. Around Katoomba I started to have a bit of a hunger flat which was the last thing I needed given the already fragile mental state. It was afterall quite a long way to the first checkpoint, Blackheath at the 106km mark. We eventually arrived there and after originally aiming for a quick stop I decided that it was wise to stay a little longer at get a decent meal in. The warm sausage roll and fruit pie washed down with a ginger beer really hit the spot. Its amazing how just getting some calories in can really boost your spirits. We both left feeling refreshed and excited for the countryside that we were heading towards.

Its only a short trip from Blackheath to Mount Victoria which marks the western edge of the Blue Mountains. The fast descent down Victoria Pass was a blast and the views out over the Megalong Valley were fantastic. Swinging off the Great Western Highway and onto Cox's River Road marked the beginning of the real highlight of the ride. The countryside in this region and particularly in the Megalong Valley is absolutely stunning. The huge sandstone cliffs that the Blue Mountains are famous for stretched from right infront of us all the way back to the Narrowneck Plateau near Katoomba. In every direction lay beautiful rolling farmlands. Tim and I were absolutely loving it!

Stunning Views on Cox's River Road

After crossing over the Cox's River itself we got onto the first of two gravel sections for the day. I am a real sucker for the gravel on road bikes so this was really lifting my spirits! Most of the gravel was nice and hard packed but there was one short section with pretty loose gravel. Unfortunately this section also happened to coincide with a nasty little climb that was both covered in corrugations and with a gradient of 15%! It was a real brute and we decided to stop at the top for a quick breather. It was another good opportunity to admire the views.

Tim up ahead on the awesome gravel section Cox's River Road

Tim at the top of the nasty gravel climb. Stunning views of the
Megalong Valley in the background

At the top of the nasty gravel climb. Stunning views of the
Megalong Valley in the background

At the top of the nasty gravel climb. Stunning
views of the Megalong Valley in the background

After the rest stop we remounted and covered the final section of gravel before facing up to the nasty climb up to Jenolan Caves Road. Once on Jenolan Caves Road we were again treated to amazing views across the Megalong Valley. We made our way across to the small village of Hampton were the 300 & 400 course split. This was crunch time for me, I had to make a decision whether or not to push on. On the 300km course it was "only" 30km back to Lithgow which was very enticing. "F**k it!" I thought. "I have to give it a crack or I know I will really regret it later". I was sad to lose Tim's company as it had already been a long day and I still had another 260km to go! He would go on to complete the 300km shortly before 10pm.

Amazing views of the Megalong Valley from
Jenolan Caves Road

Tim and I at Hampton just before parting ways

I fired up the iPod for company and pressed onwards along Jenolan Caves Road. This part was more difficult than I had anticipated. It just dragged uphill for kilometre after kilometre. It was never really terribly steep but just slow going. As it was the afternoon most of the tourists had already arrived at the caves which meant that the road was nice and quiet. There was also quite a strong crosswind whenever the road got closer to the ridge line and at times it took quite a bit of concentration to keep the bike from being blown off the road. The descent down to Jenolan Caves was a real delight and as usual I was in complete awe of the surrounding mountains. The Jenolan River has carved out Hellgate Gorge over millions of years and its hard to even believe how steep the resulting terrain is. I eventually reached the bottom of the 8km descent and stopped to admire the Grand Arch. How often do you get to cycle through a cave? The whole area is really well done and I simply never get tired of the European chalet style Jenolan Caves House. After a few photos I quickly consumed some orange juice and a slice of apple crumble. The lady sitting at the table next to me asked "surely your not riding back up that hill today?". She just about fell off her chair when I said I was going all the way back to Sydney. I was happy with myself as including stopping to take photos I kept my break to under 20 minutes. I was anxious to get as much ground covered before darkness fell. I departed the Caves House a few minutes after 4pm for the monster climb towards Oberon.

The Grand Arch



Underneath the Grand Arch. The stairs in the background lead
up to the Carlotta Arch and Nettle Cave. Just to the right of the
stairs you can make out the opening of the enormous
Devil's Coach House

Jenolan Caves House

The climb out is properly brutal! The main part of it is "only" 3km long but it has an average gradient of 13%. There are many sections where it reaches 20%! Bloody hard on any given day but when it comes halfway through a 400km outing it really needs to be approached in the right way. I ground my way up slowly but surly but unfortunately its simply just too steep to take it easy. Even with my low gearing my cadence would have still only been 30-40rpm. I had to stop a couple of times for a breather on the way up the climb. The low cadence and increased torque going through the pedals was putting a fair bit of strain on my lower back. It was good as the muscles were doing their job and taking pressure off the spine itself but I didn't want to risk the muscles getting over tired. It was also a good excuse to get a few photos of how ridiculously steep the switchbacks are! I finally crested the climb and thinking back to memories of cresting the Kedumba Walls climb at the Mount Solitary Ultra shouted "Come On" as loud as I could! After the worst of it is over it drags on for a few more kilometres but at a much more manageable gradient. I decided to wait for the top of the climb before stopping for a leak. Even though it wasn't fully dark yet I also put my reflective vest on here and fired up my second rear light. I suspected that drivers wouldn't be expecting cyclists on this road at night so thought it best to resemble a Christmas tree as closely as possible.


The second switchback on the climb out of Jenolan Caves



The fourth switchback on the climb out of Jenolan Caves

The run across to Oberon was quite enjoyable. The light was fading and there was quite a nice sunset to look at. It was a nice mental boost to see the lights of Oberon in the distance. I arrived at the town just before 6pm and decided to stop and put my leg warmers on. I was getting quite cold as it was only 3.5 degrees. I was now just shy of the halfway mark so decided to put an update up on my Facebook wall as I knew a few people would likely be keen to know how I was going. It was 50km of hilly terrain to get to Lithgow and some hot food. That was to be the motivation to keep me moving forward. The big climb out of Jenolan Caves had taken a fair bit out of me and this leg of the course was particularly tough. Whilst there was a lot of downhill to enjoy the also frequent uphills were steep. The legs were starting to feel pretty heavy in the saddle and then out of the saddle seemed to only last a few seconds before the lactic acid caused them to scream in pain. A switch had flicked in my mind though at some point since having crested the climb out of the caves. My mindset had moved from still unsure about the reality of finishing, firmly across to, I'm going to finish this bastard off no matter what it takes!

This mental focus was what I needed to get me home. I coasted and listened to music on the downhills but come the uphills I was staring down at the road, forcing my legs to keep the pedals turning over. The roads were super quiet which was fantastic, I would have only seen 10-15 cars on the entire journey across to Lithgow. I also saw a few kangaroos and a giant wombat whom quickly waddled off the road as I approached him. The pub at Tarana looked very inviting but I continued on my way and eventually made it to Lake Lyell. There were a number of people camped out by the lake with a campfire going for warmth which looked even more inviting than the pub! Cruising over the dam wall was fun and then I faced up to the final big climb before Lithgow. The kilometres ticked by and I got a few friendly cheers from cars as they passed me on the way up. Looking back down to the campfires along the edge of the lake was a fantastic site. Cresting the climb was certainly a relief and I enjoyed the mostly downhill run into Lithgow arriving just on 9pm. The hot chips from Maccas had never tasted so good and my first hit of caffeine for the day in the coke really hit the spot. I also enjoyed reading the words of encouragement from everyone on Facebook, they certainly got me pumped up and ready to go! I kept the break to under 15 minutes here which was good as It was getting late, I still had another 150km to go & I really just wanted to go to bed!

Wholesome Dinner :)

Leaving town I once again faced up to the darkness that comes with the country roads by night. I absolutely hammered it down the descent of Brown's Gap and was extremely grateful that I wasn't having to ride up it. There wasn't a single car on the road and I could barely even make out any lights in the farm houses. I was just in a little bubble created by my front lights. Eventually I got to Hartley Vale and the final long climb of the ride. The road turns to gravel here for a kilometre or two and it really brought a smile to my face. I was on the constant lookout for kangaroos as they were all over the road. The climb was steeper than I remember and I ground my way up and up until finally reaching the Darling Causeway. I remember being very excited and probably scaring some local wildlife with a few loud profanities. It was now almost 10:30pm and there was still another 130km to cover.

The next 70km to Penrith were mostly downhill. Now you would think that that is easy but when your not focusing on pedalling you mind tends to zero in on all of the pain that the rest of your body is feeling. My god there was a fair bit of that! I tried to coast as much as I could on the steeper descents but when it wasn't too steep it really made sense to pedal as it was going to get me home quicker. I made reasonable time and the legs were able to recover a little without the constant 10% climbs that I had been facing earlier in the day. Ticking off the towns again one by one was a good way to pass the time and eventually I made it to Warrimoo and swung off the Great Western Highway. The descent down Mitchell's Pass was fantastic and I was quite surprised to be passed by a police car on the way down. They gave me a friendly toot as they went by. From the bottom of the descent it was only a couple of kilometres across to the final checkpoint at Penrith. It was now 1am. 340km down, 60km to go! Paul encouraged me to channel my inner Fabio Aru and push for home. I think its safe to say that from about Oberon onwards, whenever the road was going uphill, the suffering on my face would have certainly matched or even bettered his. Thank god it was night time and no one was around to see it! :)

Fabio Aru suffering in the 2015 Giro d'Italia

The guy at the servo was pretty blown away when he signed my card and wished me best of luck for the rest of the ride. I smashed a can of coke and was back on my way in just under 10 minutes. I was keen to get off the roads here and across to the M7 cycleway. I have had my fair share of late night encounters with bogans in their commodores around Penrith and wasn't really in the mood for it. All I can say is 1am must be past their bedtime because it was a very pleasant ride. I wasn't holding anything back now and pushed as hard as I could. It was quite eerie on the M7 cycleway, there was not a single other rider out. Getting off the cycleway was great as I knew that I was almost in familiar territory again. There were a couple of steep climbs through Winston Hills but I just forced my way up them as best I could. At long last I made it to Windsor Road and instantly recognised where I was. It was a big relief and I cruised down the hill into Parramatta to join up onto the Parramatta Valley Cycleway. The cycleway was again deserted which was nice but I had to make one final stop. Pulling up under the lights of the Rydalmere ferry wharf with 390km in the bag I reached into my jersey pocket and pulled out the celebratory food. As usual my Grandma's Favourite Chocolate Custard was saved for the bitter end and it really hit the spot.

On a ride this epic... It would have
been rude not to :)

Full of energy with the music pumping in my ears I remounted one last time and went as hard as I could along the cycleway. All the landmarks were super familiar as I always run along here. I left the cycleway and made the final little climb up to Victoria Road whilst watching my total elevation gain for the day tick over 6500m! From here is was all downhill to the finish. I coasted my way home and pulled up outside my front door to stop the clock with a time of 21 hours, 56 minutes and 24 seconds.

What an incredible day. It was a stunning course but the sheer amount of climbing was brutal. Looking back on my cycling stats for the year this one ride actually made up 25% of my total kilometres for the year so far! Given that fact I would have to say that I had really great legs. They certainly felt like lead and/or screamed in pain for many many hours but they never feel apart completely. Nearly every part of my body was also sore and it made the second half a real sufferfest! But after all that pain comes the realisation that you have achieved something great and despite being alone on my front steps at 4 o'clock in the morning I had a pretty big smile on my face! What a way to mark 12 months since my injury and here's hoping that the recovery continues. It really was a true epic!

Strava GPS Data:

That moment when despite all the pain you realise
the epiccness of the journey you just completed!



About to switch off the Garmin... Crazy Stats!

Audax: Brutal But Fair 300 2015

I came into the ride feeling very undercooked due to a considerable number of other commitments over the last few weeks. I had managed to get in a 200km training ride the week before but it was almost pancake flat and I was pretty destroyed after it so needless to say I was a little worried at how this was going to turn out.

Leaving home shortly after 5am I made my way up to Hornsby via Brown's Waterhole. When I reached the start I was to discover that I was the only entrant in the ride. Initial thoughts were one of a little bit of despair as I was really hoping that in my undertrained state I would at least be able to draft behind people for some of the way to save the legs. Dave the ride organiser discussed the weather which was looking pretty ominous with some huge grey clouds rolling in! I departed Hornsby at 6:11 for a solo 300km epic!

I knew that in my current form I was going to have to be very careful to preserve the legs or else face the very real possibility of DNFing and being stranded in the Hunter Valley, neither of which seemed particularly appealing. My mantra for the day was Durianriders "Spin to Win" or usually in his colourful language's case, "Spin, to F**king Win". Every time the road turned even slightly uphill I repeated this to myself and switched down a few gears.

The first part of the ride was relatively uneventful until reaching the climb up to Mount White. The clouds opened up and it started to drizzle. Towards the top of the climb I was passed by two riders. I repassed them at the top as they were standing on the side of the road. Finally they caught me again as I was nearing the Calga Interchange. I asked them where they were off to and they said Somersby and then having seen my Audax "endurance cycling" jersey asked me the same question. I told them I was off to Cessnock at back. They both laughed and said "oh so just a short one then". The rain started to increase and they decided to turn back, Soft ;)

The next part of the ride was relatively straight forward. I stopped at Kulnura for a muffin and chocolate milk and then proceeded down towards Wollemi which is a real highlight of the route. The scenery in the valley is absolutely stunning and made for a really enjoyable run. I filled up the bottles with ice cold water at the Wollemi pub and then settled in for the cruise across to the lunch stop at Cessnock. Fortunately when I arrived there the whole town was no longer underwater and it was an absolute no brainer choosing a lunchstop. How could you possibily go past 'Old Mate's Bakery'? With 155km in the bag I savoured a can of coke and an apple pie before remounting to commence the return journey.

The beautiful scenery of the Wollemi Valley

How could you go past it :)

I absolutely love the next part of the route. The town gives way to rolling farmland and the views down to the Watagan Ranges to the south are always fantastic. The climb up Sandy Creek Road is a real treat and I got the phone out a couple of times to take a few snaps. From the top of the climb I hammered it down the descent and finally made the proper turn south and towards home onto Branxton-Toronto road.

Sandy Creek Road Climb

Stunning view South towards the Watagan Ranges from the Sandy Creek Road climb

Almost at the top of the Sandy Creek Road climb

Finally at the top and enjoying the scenery
across the valley

As soon as I turned south I was instantly hit with a fierce headwind. My heart sank, I was starting to feel pretty buggered and was not sure I was capable of the 150km return to home with a headwind the entire way. It had rained the entire way from Mount White to Wollembi but since then it had been really nice overcast conditions but there were some serious storms raging near Watagan Gap which I was heading straight for. Its a tough climb with a long section about 10%. Unfortunately I could 'spin' on this one so I just went as easy as possible. Cresting the top I plummeted back down the other side and continued south. I was extremely pleased to discover that the headwind was only localised with strong wind currents flowing through the gap in the mountains at Watagan Gap. The rain started to fall heavily for about 5 minutes and then stopped. This was the start of a very frustrating weather pattern that would last for the rest of the ride. It would seem to wait just long enough for me to dry out (maybe enjoy 30 minutes of being dry if I was lucky) and then piss down for 5-10 minutes just resoak me.

Looking South towards the storm over Watagan Gap

The journey south towards Wyong was pretty uneventful and despite the large traffic volumes everyone bar one truck was very courteous leaving me heaps of space as they overtook. I still felt surprisingly ok and the back and neck weren't overly sore which allowed me to get down on the aerobars on the flat sections and tick the kilometres off that little bit faster. After the short section through the Yarramalong Valley it was onto the Pacific Motorway and I absolutely hammered it down to Ourimbah for my next food break with 239km in the bag. I desperately wanted some salty food after all the sugar so went the staple salt and vinegar chips and then remounted for the big climb up Dog Trap Road.

This was another fantastic section, the road is quite rainforesty and the lyrebirds where chirping away. It was reasonably light at the bottom but by the time I reached the top it was almost fully dark. I pulled over on the side of the road and put on my reflective vest and then started the rest of the grind up to Peats Ridge. This was the final stop with 261km covered. I was pretty quick here and back on my way within 5 minutes or so for the mostly downhill run to the Mooney Mooney Bridge. The stars were now out in force and I was having a total blast. It doesn't get much more epic than riding down a pitch black country road with millions of stars overhead and Ayreon's Amazing Flight pumping through your earphones!

I crossed over the Hawkesbury river and absolutely crawled up to Pie in the Sky. I made it but not without some strong words to myself throughout the climb. Lucky it was night time and no one was around or there could have been some strange looks. The final run into Hornsby is undulating and I stuck to the mantra on each of the little uphills. I ticked off each train station along the way and finally rolled into the Hornsby Police Station at 9:05pm for a time of 14 hours and 54 minutes!

Celebratory Grandma's Favourite
Chocolate Custard

I didn't waste a lot of time, only enough to savour a celebratory Grandma's Favourite Chocolate Custard before jumping on the bike one last time. The cruise home was nice but I sure as hell was happy to get home and power down the Garmin with a total of 333km and a pretty respectable 3,924m of climbing for the day. Although a little slower than previous attempts at this course I am really happy with my effort. I was completely solo the entire way so I had to earn every kilometre. I was also very undertrained for an outing of this magnitude so I am really please with the way I managed to pace myself almost perfectly. I certainly need to hit the hills over the next two weeks but I feel like the Jenolan Caves 400 at the end of the month has gone from impossible to doable :)

Strava GPS Data:

The trusty steed finally about to get some rest after
another 333km epic!

Excellent choice for a post ride beer :)