GNW, Circular Quay to Cowan station, Non Stop

[forest]

So I'm yet to complete the GNW Sydney leg in it's entity between Circular Quay and Cowan station. I've done little niggles around Hornsby and Thornleigh in the past but only day/afternoon walks & training.
I've completed all the rest north of Cowan, some sections multiple times.

I have this notion at the moment to complete Circular Quay to Cowan in one leg, no camping, just a light race vest with minimal gear, mostly food and water. My fitness is pretty good for me at the moment but I've never walked/ran this type of distance.
I'm slowly training towards an ultra marathon, maybe the GNW 100km next year. My body is used to hills, rough track etc but more along the lines of carrying a UL pack and walking briskly (just completed Larapinta in just shy of 10 days)
My running is improving and I'm concentrating on just trail runs locally, often at night (when baby is asleep) Something about road running just doesn't excite me, I like the BUSH !!
Long days on foot don't bother me, nor does the dark. I enter most 12 and 24 hr Rogaine's that are not to far from home so I have had a taste of long durations plenty of times, navigation along the GNW is not a problem.

Looking at the wildwalks info for the Circular Quay to Cowan sections there's just shy of 3400 meters climbing along this 67km section. That's some decent elevation gain.

How do you think I would cope with this is a single hit. I might have to do a few food/fuel and maybe water drops as I would imagine the water quality in Sydney creeks would be far from ideal.

I guess I'm just chasing any local knowledge on particularly rough sections or better still, how much of the "walk" is trail runnable.
Knowing most of the GNW north or the Hawksbury the flatter sections can be ran along with the road and fire trails but the single footpad hills are generally a slog up them. I sure cannot run up massive hills yet and I'd imagine you would have to be uber fit to do so.
I know there are plenty of events like the trailwalker, GNW 100 etc but to my knowledge they don't run through this specific part of the GNW. There might be a good reason why.......

So would I be crazy to do this, most might say yes.........

[GPSGuided]

We just walked the GNW section b/n Lane Cove Rd and up towards Pennant Hill/Thornleigh. We walked but saw a few trail runners tackling that path, even over a very rough and rocky section that was probably repeatedly washed by the Lane Cove River. Further, you are never far from civilisation and will cross some major shopping/train station areas, so supply shouldn't be an issue south of Pennant Hills. Just have to time it for the last opening of those local pizza shops and bring money. You'll find tap water in parks/sports fields or from private yards.

[Bluegum Mic]

I dont think so. Ive done hornsby to Davidson in one hit (50km). Started at 3am (I know half GNW half H2H but similar terrain and track type).
The track until lane cove is quite pedestrian ie lots of suburbia and quite flat. The track from circular quay to cowan is so constantly walked it is so easy to follow(plus the markers are frequent). I think the only "tricky" part (and it aint bad) is the drop down to the gorge. You just need to take it slower at night. The only time Ive ever lost my way at night was between the gorge and crosslands. We dropped down to the creek in some ferns on a false track (only took 5mins to rectify). The only potential issue for you is the harder sections are at the end ie hornsby to crosslands theres a few good hills and again berowra to cowan theres another (and also up from sams creek too). Perhaps reverse it might be easier to guage how your traveling and knock the hills over early??

[forest]

Perhaps reverse it might be easier to guage how your traveling and knock the hills over early??

That's a suggestion I will look into. Main reason for the Sydney outwards direction would be that I can drive down from Newcastle, Park at Cowan then train it into Circular Quay, then finish at my car, closer to home etc. Say I'd depart Cowan about 6:30am into the City after the drive down the F3. I'll have to look at train and ferry options at night going from Sydney outwards. Is there an easy public transport way to get to Woolwich to avoid the ferry out, or back ?? I know I'd technically not start right from the begining of the walk but I can live with that. Mmm I'll ponder the transport options, Good suggestion though.

[GPSGuided]

It's all a question of timing. What time do you think you'll finish if coming south? Ferries are less frequent, especially at night. From Hunters Hill area you can take a 5xx series bus. They run till late.

http://j.mp/15PppPx

[DarrenM]

Not sure if it's all that relevant but I used to run (before the bridge issue) from Cowan station back along the GNW to Thornleigh station (34klm) in 5 hours. Sounds like you are pretty fit so non stop either way is doable. I have contemplated similar things so keen to hear how it all goes.

Agree with Bluegum Mic in part as the hills at the end could be mildly fatiguing when you're thinking about sleep! But hats off for going either way.

[forest]

Hills suck, but they suck worse to try to run up or down one. Really can pound your legs etc. That might not do me any good early on. Walking up them is hard enough but less fatiguing in the long run, at least I will not have a full pack.
I'm thinking that I might still stick to the original direction. That way I can get the running in earlier, then when I crash and burn I can just walk the hills at the end. The long day walking I can handle, it's this whole running caper that I'm getting used to. Ahhhhhhh.
I'd like to walk this bit but time constrictions in home life are making long trail runs more enticing.

[DarrenM]

Makes sense Forest, enjoy!

[Bluegum Mic]

I must say if you stick to your original plans you can bail if needed a lot easier. You can literally pop up at any of the stations if fatigue sets in and train it back to your car. Mind you I live close by in the hornsby area so I'm happy to PM you my number. If you get too tired at crosslands or the gorge I can potter down n give you a lift out.

[forest]

I must say if you stick to your original plans you can bail if needed a lot easier. You can literally pop up at any of the stations if fatigue sets in and train it back to your car. Mind you I live close by in the hornsby area so I'm happy to PM you my number. If you get too tired at crosslands or the gorge I can potter down n give you a lift out.

Thanks for the offer Bluegum. I might contact you a bit closer. At this stage I'll work towards the Oct long weekend. This will be great leadup training for the 24hr NSW rogaine champs later that month.

Is the bridge still down north of crossland. I'm sure I'll manage a crossing upstream if need be. Something else in the mix I guess.
It would be nice not to swim though. Nothing like a swim after a long run....Did that once at a rogaine and got the worst leg cramps ever about halfway across the small 75m channel. Worth it for the shortcut though

[Bluegum Mic]

I havent been down since back due to mummy duties but according to parks site its still down. Its only about 10/15 meters wide so not as big as your last swim but its fairly deep there at high tide (always loads of mullet sitting there). The bridge is still there...its just under water in its mid section. Mind you if given the choice id swim it vs walk on it. It looks pretty bad in the photos.

[Turfa]

I've walked those sections many time for Oxfam Trailwalker training. The northern half is much rougher than the southern. You could run almost all the trail between Hunters Hill and Galston Gorge It is also much easier to bail on the southern half. So perhaps starting at Cowan might be better so you are doing the easiest sections when you are most buggered

Either way, 65 km is a good but achievable challenge if you have done a little training & are willing to put up with some discomfort

[Rob Gosford]

hi Forest,
i hope you do get to do your run.....a good challenge it would be

BTW here is a WWW Link to the story of the 2 girls - Meredith Quinlan & Jess Baker - who did a GNW250 in record time of 54 hours last year - Newcastle to Sydney. I just love the 4th photo from the bottom >>>> leaning against the GNW trackhead signage at Thornleigh Oval, JUST WANTING TO SLEEP lol !

PDF file of 5Mb
http://www.thegreatnorthwalk.com/GNW250_racereport.pdf

both Meredith & Jess are GNW100 Milers

happy trails.......

[forest]

Wow thanks Rob. That's epic.
Makes my little 67km mission seem feable