Checking out the Hounslow Classic trail running event

Nestled in the Grose Valley, 2 hours west of Sydney, deep in the world renowned Blue Mountains National Park are the courses for the mountain running icon of the Hounslow Classic. 

This race made its debut back in 2015 and has featured many of the Country’s greatest runners, such as Beth Cardelli, Lucy Bartholomew, Scotty Hawker, Ben Duffus and many more. The trails in the Grose Valley have made headlines for their relentless character and spectacular beauty. Yet while Hounslow Classic has become known as a brutal course there is more to this race than blood, sweat and tears.

SingleTrack Events took over in 2023 to breathe new life into a dormant event since the floods, fires and pandemic that hit the community and landscape in 2020. Last year saw the birth of the new courses – the Hounslow 17k and the Hounslow Marathon. The Hounslow 17k, taking place on Sunday, offers a different product from the past courses, making it more approachable to the average trail runner. The lollipop course sees all the runners pass through the Grand Canyon Trail, a historic hiking trail dating back to 1907.

To get to the Grand Canyon from the start and finish line at Allview Escape, runners pass over the Cliff Top track, which in itself is a trail for pure running joy, with endless views of the sharp sandstone walls and jagged peaks that engulf the striking Grose Valley. While this course encourages runners of all types to test their mettle and dip a toe into the world of mountain running, it does still climb a total of 900m+ over the 17k, which certainly makes the finish line a warm welcoming sight and can bring a tear to the eye of those who have conquered the course and lived every part of the journey. 

The Hounslow Marathon on paper is hard, with 43km and 2500m+ of climbing, but in practice, those numbers don’t add up to the demands of this course, which challenges any Marathon worldwide in its difficulty. Maybe it is the way the course is structured, with the only flat section in the middle and very end of the race and the hardest climbs of the course stacked into the final 20km. Maybe it is the technicality of the climbs and descents, or maybe it’s the breathtaking scenery that all adds up to the course demanding all of one’s energy and focus to succeed.

Taking place on Saturday, the Marathon follows the same route as the Hounslow 17k back to Allview Escape, where there is an aid station and a chance for runners to reset before embarking on the almighty out and back to the Pinnacles Car Park via Perrys Lookdown and Lockleys Pylon. This second half of the course is where it gets real, particularly once runners drop deep into the Grose Valley Wilderness. Heading down to the Blue Gum Forest via Perrys Lookdown is a daunting descent knowing every step will have to be re-tracked on the return journey. The Giant ancient protected blue gums are a sight to behold, as is the craggy peak, soaring high above them in the distance, which happens to be the next climb. This exposed climb is dry, rocky and technical. But the payoff is big, with 360° views of the entire course and surrounds from Lockleys Pylon. The runnable singletrail to the aid station at the Pinnacles Car Park is a welcome respite, and the aid station encourages extended stays as runners tell stories and ready themselves for the true challenge of the Day, the return journey. 

Of course, there is the option to race both Saturday and Sunday for those who long for pain and the title of Hounslow Monster. Another new offering in 2024 will be the Kids Race, a little intro to trail racing for the future of the sport.