ULTRA DAD

Margaret River Ultra 80 km

Saturday 8 May 2027, Hamelin Bay to Wilyabrup. I got in through the ballot. This is the plan.

The race

Date: Saturday 8 May 2027 (the 42 km marathon runs on the Sunday).
Course: point to point along the Cape to Cape coast, from Hamelin Bay to Wilyabrup. Forest, trail, beaches and bluffs.
Distance and climbing: about 80 km. Race listings give roughly 1,660 m of climbing for the 80 km course, but the course has changed between years, so check the current figure.
Start: listed at 06:15 on race-listing sites. Confirm it in the race guide.
Cut-offs: in past years the course closed at 23:45, which is 17 h 30 min after a 06:15 start, and individuals had to leave checkpoint 1 (11.5 km, Boranup Campsite) within 3 h 30 min. Strictly enforced. Confirm the 2027 times.
Points: the 80 km is a UTMB World Series qualifier worth 3 points, and it counts toward the UTMB Index.

Most of this comes from race listings and past years' rules, so confirm every detail on the organiser's site and in the official race guide before you rely on it.

Why this race

Local races build the UTMB Index cheaply, and I save the travel budget for one interstate race a year. Margaret River is a UTMB-points race a few hours from home. It is also a different test from Feral Pig: cooler in May, and flatter.

What I'm fixing from Feral Pig

Feet

A bigger toe box, room to swell, better socks. Shoes and socks tested on long runs well before May, with no new kit on race day.

Heat

May should be milder, but ice, a proper hat and early cooling are packed anyway.

Gut

A lighter breakfast I have tested. Watch what is different at the races where my stomach holds up, and plan around the 35–40 km window.

My tools for this race

Training planSet to start 16 Nov 2026 and finish on 8 May 2027. Check the dates and weekly km. Fuel calculatorUse the Margaret River preset, then put in my real race time. Gear checklistStart from the list, then match it to the official mandatory kit. Race planLoad the Margaret River stations and add each checkpoint from the race guide.

To do

Ticks are saved in this browser.