Pink runner vs blue mountains

My pink runner vs blue mountains Christmas time adventure saw me sweat out the 'too many bottles of festive cheer' & run off all the nut roast. I hope you all had much merriness this Christmas too. & I would also like to add I am the undisputed twice champion of our creative Christmas sporting event. A sport that has left me battered and bruised such was the competitive contact sport that is musical chairs!!! 
So today, to get away from the temptations of more pink bottles of bubbles & hedonistic headaches I came up to the blue mountains, the scene of my first traumatic ton kilometre kicking! I decided to run the 'six foot track' deceptively longer than 6ft! A 43k trail in fact. & I planned to run out for 3 hours & run back to give me a 6 hour training run in the sun. 
I set off this morning at 9am a couple of k's along the highway to the 'explorers rest' - the starting point for the track. The sun was just starting to heat up in the sky but the forest was wide awake with buzzing & chirping. & I was feeling buzzy & chirpy as I spritely & lightly danced down into the bush. Noting the downward descent as I went & thinking of how it would feel several hours later on my return ascent. The track evened out to a flat/easy underfoot trail as the forest turned into countryside I must have been meditative when I missed the turn off (massive sign meh) & ran on for another 3k but ended up on a road. Missing the massive sign again meh! I ended up running up to a property, much navigation practice needed. But on the way back down from my wrong turn I was bouncing down a grassy trail, until.... 
I had my first trail running encounter.... 
With a big black snake!!!!  
I have never ran so fast! But I did turn to witness the beauty of the beast. I did get my iPhone out to capture the critter but a little camera shy, he slithered off. I am a little obsessed with serpents, I once had a beautiful pair of pink snakeskin stilettos! But to meet such a sensual creature was sensational & to have survived to tell the tale. Note to self, carry a compression bandage for snake bite treatment!
I also met some dashing men on the trail, with diminutive details exchanged we ran on but I daydreamed of dalliances as I danced on into another forest. This trail was around 3 hours into the run, the sun high & rays beaming hot heat, I was feeling good, hot but good & another half hour in, was a cool still river, with pools of water perfect for my half way point & for chilling my body. It was divine.
So I started my return leg, a little concerned with my lack of fluids left but still with energy in my tank. The sun started to drain that quite quickly & my thirst thickened. With 2 hours left to go my last drop of endura was drank. But I still had my yummy raw power bars left so I powered up. But then my hydration pack dried out too. I had been on the run for 5 hours! The sun was scorching & I was parched. I reached the first forest again which was welcome respite, cooler & darker. 
But it was also the steep step scenario. I struggled. Stopping to stop my legs from burning 
& my tummy from turning. I made it to the top after an hour of such slow go. I was a mess! & in a dehydration stress. Lessons learned. 
Once the run is finished though it's easy to harmonise the hell! & As I jogged (slowly) into the town all was forgotten & I felt fabulous. The fruit & water that I found in the fruit warehouse heaven was my medicine. I made it back to the hotel at 4pm. Phew. 
WOW what a day. Pink runner won. Blue mountains put up a beautiful fight. & good night xox