GET TO KNOW YOUR 100K WORLD TEAM – MARGIE HADLEY

Kate Dzienis • August 23, 2018

WA HAS A SECRET WEAPON IN THE ULTRA WORLD…AND HER NAME’S MARGIE HADLEY. SHE’S BEEN CLAIMING PODIUM AFTER PODIUM AFTER PODIUM…WE COULD GO ON, REALLY.

If there’s anyone out there who has committed themselves 110% to succeed in their chosen sport, and then it take it even further by being more than willing to share her knowledge with colleagues and friends, it’s Hadley.

The 38-year-old from Henley Brook has always been physically active – netball, basketball and rowing complemented her passion for sports as a youngster. Unknowingly, the ultra running seed was planted long before she did her first ultra, when she decided to give triathlons a go in her early 20s.

She was strongest in the bike leg and surprisingly, admits she fell short with the runs.

“I didn’t run a lot back then, and really struggled on the run leg, so I started rowing again in my mid-20s when I moved from Victoria to Western Australia,” she reveals.

“When I was 30, I decided I wanted to run a marathon, and have another go at triathlon, so I started training for the sprint distance races in triathlon and decided to do my first marathon in 2011 – the Perth City to Surf.”

All didn’t go to plan though.

“I thought I’d trained really well for it, but I realised halfway through that I had a lot to learn!” she says.

“I managed a 3:43:26; I was still happy with the time, just disappointed that I overestimated my ability and underestimated the course.

“I ran it again in 2012, much better prepared, and that year I also completed my first Half Ironman, then went even further and decided to do my first Ironman – the Busselton Ironman in 2013.”

However life took an unexpected twist shortly after, when Hadley was diagnosed with cancer and made the choice to take time off in a bid to get better.

“A good friend of mine, Jenny Taplin, helped me get back into running towards the end of 2014, and even ran her first ultra with me at my comeback race, 6 Inch in December, 2014,” she explains.

“Ten months later I took another short break due to surgery for the cancer, but in 2016 I re-focused and truly decided to have a go at these ultras.”

Hadley took the ultra trail scene by storm, completing her first 50 miler – Feral Pig – taking first place for the women in an astonishing 8:27:31, more than 1:26:77 faster than the second place getter.

Next was the Lighthorse Ultra 12hr event (the woman is a machine, again taking top honours with first place and totalling 118.990kms – and it being only her second official ultra after surgery).

“After pacing friend Shaun Kaesler for part of WTF 100 Miler that year, I decided to have a go at it myself for 2017,” Hadley says.

That race resulted in her taking first female again/second overall in a time of 19:57:14 – breaking the women’s record of being the first female to complete the 100 Miler in under 20 hours.

Hadley’s journey to the Australian 100k World Championships was a pleasant surprise, when she used her results from the Australia Day Ultra 100k in early 2017 to apply for the team.

“Running the ADU and about three-quarters of the way through, people were telling me I was on track for a ‘C’ qualifying time (final time was 8:58:17)…I had no idea what they were talking about,” she admits.

Pictured: Margie Hadley at this year’s Bunbury Track Ultra, where she participated in the 24hr Team event. Photograph – Ron McGlinn.

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Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater