Here are some potential training runs for you to explore – including a Strava map and a basic description of the run.

Blue Mountains

UTA50 Course – QVH – Leura Stairs Loop

A 32-34km loop with 1400m of elevation. Starts at QVH, down Kedumba, up Sublime Point to Sewage works, then straight up the Leura Stairs (instead of heading towards Scenic World) and across the Cliff Top track past Wentworth Falls and back to QVH.

https://www.strava.com/routes/24215297″ target=”_blank

UTA100 – Front Loop

A 42km loop with 1500m of elevation starting and finishing at Scenic World. It is mostly the first 1/2 of the UTA100 course.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2817734912520408570″ target=”_blank

Andersons – Ingar Loop

A different than usual Upper Blue Mountains loop. Different because it isn’t on the UTA course. All firetrail, relatively runnable and “only” 800m of vert!. It has a nasty little steep section in the middle down to Bedford Creek and back out again which is fairly obvious in the middle of the map.

https://www.strava.com/routes/24474938″ target=”_blank

Canberra

Stromlo – 30k Course

A 30km run with 860m of elevation. Pretty much all runnable firetrail. No shelter at all, so if you are doing it on a hot day take a hat and some sunscreen

https://www.strava.com/routes/2819132801537107668″ target=”_blank

Sydney

Berowra – Cowan

A hard and technical 12km run with 600m elevation. Or you can do it out and back and make it a 24km run with 1200m elevation.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3097038108132839558″ target=”_blank

Bobbin Head / Sphinx

A 9.4km loop with 250m of elevation. This is a great loop with a fantastic fast paced downhill with lots of stairs at the start and a really great steady long hill to flat at the end on fire trail. Plenty of spots to park too. Really well maintained. Probably 70% single track the rest fire trail.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3129338094095492540″ target=”_blank

Coastal Classic

Otford – Bundeena – a coastal run in the Royal National Park south of Sydney. 30km with 900m of elevation, up and down the coastal cliffs. This is a truely spectacular course made up of single track, a lot of boardwalk, stairs and a decent amount of sand running as well.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3154525993247757154″ target=”_blank

Hornsby – Lindfield

A 28km run with 630m elevation. You can park your car at the Roseville train station, take the train to Hornsby, then follow the great northern walk all the way back to Roseville.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2812175123897677042″ target=”_blank

Lane Cove Loop

A 10km loop with 200m elevation. This Lane Cove loop can be extended either way up and down the great north walk. It’s a great loop with a bit of everything including single track and river crossings.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3147765675247555852″ target=”_blank

Manly Dam Loop

11km loop with 200m of elevation. Mostly runnable trail with some technical single track and a few stairs thrown in for good measure.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3146911912978946316″ target=”_blank

Pipeline Track (Heathcote to Woronora Dam – South Sydney)

The run starts at Forum Drive, Heathcote and is an overall distance of 32km of rolling hills with 727m elevation on fire trail and some road if running out to Woronora Dam. The run is an out and back so the distance can be tailored to suit your training session.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3149453777105011980″ target=”_blank

Quarry Road to Hornsby Steps (twice) – Out and Back.

A 13.7km run with 710m of elevation. This route has plenty of vert so is a good route if you are training for something like UTMB, Alpine Challenge or GSER. You can start on the Dural side or the Hornsby side. It is a mix of open fire trails, single track technical, 320 steps at the Hornsby Heritage steps – also very suitable for UTA training. The vert profile is 54m per km.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3099652218216196008″ target=”_blank

Quarry Road Track

The start is at the end of Quarry Road, Dural and each lap is a 13km out and back run on fire trail with 381m of elevation. Alternatively, the run can be started at Stewart Ave, Hornsby.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3149455490356099886″ target=”_blank

Spit to Manly (Return)

A spectacularly scenic trail run along the edge of Sydney Harbour. Mostly single track with a few stairs in there as well. The out and back run is 19km with 400m elevation.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3154518285647923924″ target=”_blank