Old Great North Road Fatass Run

This convict built trail traverses the beautiful Dharug and Yengo National Parks from Wisemans Ferry to Mogo Creek. After an initial climb up Devine’s Hill for the first 2.2km it levels off but then continues to undulate as it skirts along the ridgeline.
This run was organised by Dave Byrnes (race director of the GNW100) and there were about a dozen Terrigal Trotters and a few mountain bikers taken up the 43km challenge.

The trotters were putting on a BBQ lunch at Mogo Creek campground afterwards but logistics had me doing an out and back. I live about 45 minutes from the start so a return journey made more sense. This turned out to be a good decision with a thick blanket of early morning fog smothering the vistas. However, on my return trip I would get to see just how beautiful this area is, as the sun burned off the fog.

Black Wiggle took off in his racing flats and was using a mountain biker as his camel, carrying supplies. The first 2.2km rises 200mtrs along the well graded Devine’s Hill. I was carrying 3 litres in the camelback with two 750ml bottles in hand. The handhelds would be dropped off at 10km for the return. It was hard work carrying this weight, trying to stay with the group running up the hill.
The trail offers various running surfaces most of which was soft underfoot. Some of the broken up bits reminded me of the trip to Calabash castle during the fatass Black Stump run.
My plan was to turn around at 30km and return giving me 60km for the day.
I ran the first 30km with Paul Every and Miss Gazelle providing great company. At times the pace was fairly honest. There are 3 very old bridges along the trail built around the 1830s by convicts, which remain some of the oldest bridges on mainland Australia. An excellent example is Clare’s Bridge, about 17km in. I couldn’t help but think how damn hard it must have been for the poor buggers to drag the sandstone blocks and timber into place.

When we reached the powerlines at 30km I bid farewell to Paul and Sharon, had a quick feed, turned around and headed back. I was feeling very good; the pace til now was decent without overtaxing the system. Soon enough I started to bump into the tailenders passing through. Then I see The Hermannator and Lawrence Mead in the distance. I had earlier mentioned to Paul that I was surprised not to see Jan at a fatass event.
Apparently they had been waiting on the other side of the ferry crossing before realising the run started at the base of Devine’s Hill. It was good to stop and catch up with them. Lawrence mentioned he would be joining us for the 12FT in 3 weeks time.

I didn’t see anyone else for the next 25km back to Wiseman’s ferry. I retrieved my bottles from the bush at 50km, the electrolytes went down a treat. Had a flat patch during the last 10km where I walked up hill but apart from that felt great the whole day.
The final 2km downhill was welcome albeit tough on aching quads.
6 hours 10 minutes of fantastic trail running, I will definitely be making this a regular training ground, a true pearl of a course!