5th Sunday training

After the problems last week and not being able to walk on the Sunday, I made sure that this week I could walk, by not over training and ensuring that my thigh strain had settled down OK, although I did not put in as many KM's as I would have liked to during the week.

That said, I was determined that I would not be dragging behind at any stage, and made sure that when we started out I was 3rd in the team, I didn't want to lead, nor did I want to be at the back. We usually have had 9 out of the 10 for each walk, however this walk we were seven.

This week the distance has been upped to 22.6KM's, commencing at Hornsby Station going via Galston Gorge and Crosslands reserve finishing at Mt Kuringai Station.

The first part 2KM's is pretty easy walking mostly downhill on fire tracks. Then into the real stuff, with a steep and difficult descent into Galston Gorge. A nice rock hopping to cross the creek, I guess it is Galston Creek, which in turn feeds into Berowra Waters. Pretty much follow the stream to Crosslands Reserve, which I always thought that I would be driving into not walking into. And after having seen it, we must take a drive here for a picnic. This was where we had a longer break (10-15 Mins) for a sandwich, and then we were off again.

Once again beautiful countryside, and for the most part the track is not too bad, there are lots if ups and downs and stepping around rocky outcrops and trees, although there are some areas where stepping up and down is about 600mm - 700mm, which gives my left knee a workout. Better here so that I am used to it, than to have this thrust upon me first up on Kokoda.

The last 600 metres is an asphalt fire trail, and why is it sealed? It is sealed as it is so bloody steep! And this is so the firetrucks can traverse the area as needed, not for us bushwalkers. This last 600 really finished me off, so in a way a good way to finish, although tell my legs that.

On this trek I wore pretty much what I will be wearing each day on Kokoda, the boots, socks, compression shorts, lightweight trousers (zip off to shorts) and lightweight shirt, the last two designed to "wick" the sweat away, we shall see. Everything is comfortable which is key.

We completed this distance (22.6KM's)in 5 hours 20 mins, a pretty good time. Oh and my weight after the walk was 74.3Kgs.