6am out the door for a road trip to the Blue Mountains. Strange idea for a triple date but company included Lorie, her two sisters + boyfriends; 3 hour hike near Wentworth Falls.

We started at Charles Darwin Walk, near the train station and very quickly I was let off the leash and released into the wild. I wanted to get as much elevation in as possible and was not disappointed. I was also able to negotiate not just walking by giving Lorie two options.... 'let me go or carry me'.

It's all about compromise ... Free ride for me, back workout for Lorie

Most of the 2.5 hours in the wilderness was on single-file, technical trials with stairs, stairs and more stairs. Had no idea where I was going, but notable tracks included: Rocket Point lookout, Wentworth Falls, Vera Falls and a final 450m stair ascent up to the Conservation Hut.

Sinking feeling once you descend... there is no elevator at the other end.

Wentworth Falls

Highlight ... dazed flat on my back or coughing up dirt off the side of the trail on a technical loop around Vera Falls. I think I tasted dirt about 10x?

Experienced navigator required? No marked paths? Ticks all the boxes

I did find it too hard to run a lot of sections. It gives me a good appreciation of trial races and I have lots of work to do to run TNF or Six Foot. Eventually I emerged from the bushes onto the street. Watch said I had done 15km, so I decided to 'round-up' to half marathon by wandering around the streets till I hit 21km. This helped lower my ave. pace to a still embarrassing 8min/km.

Emerging from the wilderness

Overall a good blend of hiking, stairs, getting lost and falling down. I expected my quads to be a lot more wrecked. Run summary - 21.5km of which 14km on trials. 1315m elevation change, the most since doing Inca Trail last year.

Elevation change 1.3km

I celebrated the day of hiking by dressing as a Captain with whiskers and finding a Geisha; plus also eating about 1kg of roasted chicken.

Geisha found

Finally, well done to those that decided to run Striders 10km at Lane Cove. Heard it was tough going at 26 degrees which got the better of many. Hats off to Enda who despite being very sick, clearly gave it everything (and more).