As part of my training for running a half marathon trail run, every weekend I’m running a different part of NSW to find interesting trails. This week, the trail was the Heathcote and Audley Circuit, a challenging track with some steep climbs, most notably at the beginning and, unfortunately, the end of the track.
The Heathcote and Audley Circuit is one of the trails closest to Sydney while providing ample opportunity to challenge yourself. The trail starts next to Heathcote train station, which is reachable via a 50-minute train ride from Sydney. Trains arrive every 30 minutes, which makes this track very accessible by public transport. If that’s not an option for you, there’s also parking next to the train station which provides parking opportunities even during a busy weekend. But the train option definitely is the preferred choice here.
This wasn’t the first time I ran the track. 3 weeks earlier I had my first encounter with the trail, and while looking for a moderate 15km, I found this one using my favorite Trail Running app, Alltrails. The previous attempt was a disappointment at best. It took me exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete my run, while normally my average trail speed is around 8-9km per hour (sure, I stopped for a chat, some photo opportunities, etc, but still…). Needless to say, I severely underestimated this track, and with a 1-0 defeat in my pocket, I went home with my tail between my legs. So, this time I was extra motivated to show who was boss, and equipped with my new Garmin Fenix 6 Solar, 2 liters of water, 2 energy bars, and a great spirit, I embarked on attempt numero 2.
Second attempt at running the trail
On my second attempt, I was aiming for a 2-hour run. I was way more prepared mentally and it just shows how much of running is a psychological challenge, instead of just a mere running exercise. This time I knew the beginning of the track would be extremely hard, armed with this knowledge, the first 5 kilometers went 15 minutes faster than my previous attempt (approximately 45 minutes), which put my goal of 2 hours well within reach. Nice!
The next 5 kilometers was easier with a flatter surface. The ground here consists of rock formations and loose rocks, branches, mud, and requires a bit of attention if you don’t want to kiss the ground, but overall, far easier than the first part of the trail. Along the way, there are some amazing open lookouts with great viewing spots, though some are a bit challenging in finding the right direction of the trail. Luckily, this was my second run on the track, so ha, I wouldn’t take a wrong turn here now, would I? Would I?? I would…
Mistakes were made
After running more than 8 kilometers, I found out I’ve been running the last 3 kilometers in the wrong direction. Not just any wrong way: I have spent the last 30 minutes running the exact same route back without having a single clue I already passed this part, and I needed the help of Runkeeper (thanks Runkeeper!!!!) to figure out that I had messed up big time. Confused with what happened, I had to make a choice: continue, or run back? This mistake would add more than 6 kilometers to my already challenging run, but running back wasn’t my favourite option either. So, I went for a compromise: I decided that instead of running, I’d walk back to the spot where I went wrong, and continue from there. I won’t bore you with the details of how I messed it up (okay, okay, I took a shortcut, sort of…), but after 3 kilometers of walking and slow running, I continued on my path, knowing that my target time of 2 hours was now way-out of reach.
The next parts of the run, without any time pressure, were very smooth. The weather was amazing (not too warm, not too cold, dry, with a slightly muddy underground) and the track was almost empty, allowing for a reasonably easy run and making good progress, giving me some opportunity to try out the new Garmin Fenix 6. A small note on the Fenix though: I’m planning on doing a proper review of the watch, but unfortunately, the day the watch arrived, all Garmin went down due to a large IT outage, making it impossible to install apps such as Garmin Connect. I did get to try out the recording features, the mapping features, and the solar options and so far, I’m impressed, even with being able to use only 30% of the watch. I really hope Garmin is able to re-instantiate their services soon (it’s day 3 now), so we can publish a proper review.
The Fenix did tell me that after 2 hours, I managed to complete around 17 kilometers, so had I not taken a wrong turn, I might have finished the run within my target time. Oh well, that’s for being stupid.
The rest of the track was without major issues, though at the end of the track, there’s an incredibly steep incline. At the moment, I’m not strong enough to run up, so it was more like a walk-up. It’s long, steep, slippery, so, all in all, quite the challenge, but it’s great to embark on this challenge and I hope that one day I’ll be able to run up this part too. The climb did take its toll on me, and after 20 kilometers of running, my left knee and right leg decided it was enough for the day. They let me know in a quite unpleasant way, knowing that this time, I really had pushed my limits, and the walk back to the park wasn’t one I recommend, but it did make me realize a few things, or teach me a few things.
First, in terms of safety: always tell people where you go. Our checklist will help to prevent such mistakes. Successful people use checklists, such as surgeons, helicopter pilots, etc, so for your safety, use either our or your own checklist whenever you go out for a run, and especially when running alone, tell at least someone where you’re going and when you’re back.
Secondly, in terms of food: I was planning on running 15 kilometers, so I packed for around 15 kilometers. I did not anticipate extending the run by almost 30%, and while that might not be something that will happen to everyone, I was really happy to have taken a little bit extra food for on the way. It made all the difference in the end.
Lastly: check the map sometimes. There are enough tools out there to help you, such as running watches, mobile phones (make sure you have an offline map, in case there’s no reception)
All in all, this run was unforgettable. It had the perfect conditions, it’s an amazing area to run in, the track is challenging in parts, but rewarding to have conquered them, and the views are amazing. If you don’t take a wrong turn, the 15 kilometers should be doable within 2 hours of decent running, but for now, I’ve been defeated again. 2-0 for the trail vs Erik, but while I may have lost the battle, the challenge is going on, and I’ll be back to conquer the Heathcote and Audley track with an under 2 hours finish!
But not today. My legs are sore 🙂
