A runner from Henley Brook has set a world record, completing a 100 mile “ultra race” in under 20 hours.
Australian Ultra Running Association (AURA) runner Margaret Hadley dominated the field at last weekend’s RunningWorks WTF (waterours trail on foot) 50 and 100 mile races, one out of only two AURA-sanctioned 100-mile races in Western Australia.
Now in its fourth year, WTF is held along the Munda Biddi mountain bike trail with the 100 mile entrants starting at Dwellingup, then tracking all the way up to Jarrahdale and back again.
The 50 mile participants begin in Jarrahdale and head south towards Dwellingtup.
Thirteen runners finished the 100 mile event in the early hours of Sunday morning, with 12 men and just one woman completing the arduous 160kms, with Hadley not only crossing the finish line as the only female, but taking second place overall.
There was plenty more to celebrate as she became the first woman to ever complete the WTF 100 mile in under 20 hours with a time of 19:57:14.
The closest a woman has ever come to 20 hours was Fiona Johnson in the inaugural 2013 event with a time of 21:14:00.
AURA president Rob Donkersloot said the association was incredibly proud of Hadley as well as all its members who took on WTF.
“Not only did Margie set a new women’s record for WTF, she was also the second finisher overall,” he said.
“It was inspiring to witness Margie’s exceptional performance, as well as seeing the superb effort put in by other AURA members competing both in the 100 mile and the 50 mile events.”
The winner for this year’s men’s 100 mile event was Perth’s Keith Holt with a time of 19:11:59.
Second was AURA member Andrew Poli (20:44:51) from Ellenbrook and third place went to Beaconsfield’s Logan Vickers (22:00:02).
Other AURA members to finish the 100 mile in fantastic times were Nathan Fawkes (22:32:40), Simon Bonnick (23:31:13) and Glen Smetherham (23:39:03).
Winners in the 50 mile for the men and women were Ben Harris (8:20:45) and Martine Zena (8:55:53).