Our Adventure at the Infamous Great Pyramid Race in Gordonvale

On Saturday, Julie and I (Sid) took on the challenge of the renowned Pyramid Race in Gordonvale. This event lived up to its reputation with it's great organization and atmosphere. The wet weather made the Pyramid mountain look even more daunting and hostile, which added to the excitement.

The organisers describe this as event as "A NEVER-ENDING UPHILL SCRAMBLE AND A ‘CONTROLLED’ DOWNHILL FREE FALL"

For those unfamiliar with the Great Pyramid Race, it’s a classic North Queensland trail running event. The race kicks off with three relatively flat kilometers on the road, leading to the base of the Walsh's Pyramid. Then comes the real challenge: a grueling, technical, and rocky 3-kilometer climb with a 930-meter elevation gain. After reaching the summit, runners turn around and descend the same way to the finish line.

Julie and I participated in this year's race to experience it firsthand and see if it lived up to it's reputation. And it certainly did! The climb is tough and the descent is extremely technical, this year's wet weather made the descent slippery and more adventurous. While the road sections might seem like an opportunity to speed up, pushing too hard at the start can leave you exhausted before you even begin the climb. The return journey on the road also feels significantly tougher after conquering such a challenging ascent.

Julie finished as the 7th female with a time of 02:06:54

I secured 5th male with a time of 01:39:08.

The pictures say it all – we were completely spent by the end! But what an incredible experience it was.

I’m eager to return in 2025. Julie, on the other hand, is still undecided!