Maggie Lennox races her way to the Golden Trail World Series final

Tasmanian Maggie Lennox didn’t originally set out to win a Golden Ticket for a world series race, but as fate would have it, an injury in New Zealand some time ago forced her to drop from an ultra to a 25km race at the kunanyi Mountain Run in Hobart earlier this year. As Catherine Graue discovers, what Maggie didn’t expect after taking out the National Series was that she’d be pregnant when racing in the Swiss Alps at the Golden Trail World Series Final.

Battling horrific morning sickness wasn’t part of Maggie Lennox’s original training plan, but after weeks of nausea and intense fatigue, she discovered she’d be racing against the world’s very best trail runners in the Swiss Alps – at 17 weeks pregnant.

But far from letting that stop her, the Tasmanian is determined to show other women that pregnancy and motherhood doesn’t need to stop them from achieving their goals and desires.

“I have run throughout my life, but it wasn’t until my mid-20s that I got serious about it,” she says. 

“Running became a huge part of my life, especially after having my first child, Peggy, in 2022. During my first pregnancy, I kept running, right up until the day before I gave birth, but listened to my body and scaled back when needed.”

But Maggie’s return to running in late 2022 faced a serious challenge when, at 5 months post-partum, she suffered from two femoral stress fractures. 

“It’s caused by weak bones, which women are more prone to have, and the sudden increase in both intensity and time spent running,” she explains. 

Less than two years later, after rebuilding her strength and endurance, Maggie was back running and racing on trails, enjoying the much-needed release it gave her. And she had big running goals for 2024, including plans to race her very first ultra, the 66km at the kunanyi Mountain Run (kMR) in Hobart, however an injury about two months out put those dreams to bed.

“I injured myself when I was racing in New Zealand in early February and that put a hold on running, especially trying to build the extra endurance you need for ultra races,” she remembers. 

“My sister and physiotherapist, Grace, guided me towards the more achievable goal of the kMR, which is 25km.”

And as fate would have it, the kMR 25km was Leg 2 of the first-ever Golden Trail National Series (GTNS) in Australia. Four epic races in four epic locations – emulating the hugely successful Golden Trail World Series in Europe and the United States. The World Series began in 2018, introducing high-energy and super competitive trail racing action to the masses via livestreams on YouTube, and drawing as many as 30,000 spectators to finish lines in tiny mountain villages, bringing a Tour de France-type vibe.

The World Series was expanded to our neck of the woods in 2024, with races in Japan and China added to the circuit. That, along with the new Australian GTNS, is an indication that there’s appetite to grow the sport, particularly moderate-distance trail running (sub ultras) in this region, giving elites more opportunities to race competitively and to inspire the every-day trail runner.

While Maggie doesn’t see herself as an elite, her results indicate otherwise. She smashed the course record at kMR’s 25km event, finishing it in 2:38.

“Racing kMR was surreal,” Maggie recalls.

“It’s a trail I know so well, which gave me confidence but also made me want to push even harder. When I realised I was on pace to break the course record, I just kept telling myself to stay focused and keep pushing,” she says.

“Crossing the finish line, with my daughter in hand, and hearing that I had smashed the record on my home turf was an incredible feeling – it felt like all the hard work had paid off.”

It was only then that Maggie decided she wanted to have a crack at winning the hotly contested Golden Ticket – a fully-funded trip to Europe to compete amongst the world’s best trail runners, at the Golden Trail World Series Final in the Swiss region of Ascona-Locarno in October. There was just one up for grabs (and one for the Men’s Open winner, as well as the Men and Women’s U23 winners).

“I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment and connection to the community at kMR,” Maggie says.

“The atmosphere, the people, and the challenge of the trails drew me in, and I realised I didn’t want to miss out on this unique experience.”

Having made the decision to have a tilt at the title meant Maggie had to step up her game – all the while trying to balance work and family life, with a busy toddler and with partner, Alex, who is also a competitive athlete. 

“It was definitely a challenge, I had to be really disciplined with my time,” she explains.

“Early mornings are a must, on workdays I am up at 5am to make sure I have my morning training in but also allowing time for Alex to get his in. Alex and I do a lot of communicating and drafting of our schedules, and we worked together, with support of our families, to make it all fit. My training was a mix of long runs, hill work, bike work, and strength training.”

Because of her late decision to join the Series, it meant Maggie had missed out on the first leg of the Series – the Warburton Donna Double, a 22km race at the Warburton Trail Festival in Victoria in early March. 

Maggie says it’s a course that would have played to her strengths, but to be in contention for the title, she needed to compete in a race that wasn’t: Leg 3 of the Series, The Coastal Ascent 22km in Newcastle. 

“The Coastal Ascent was both challenging and beautiful,” she recaps.

“The terrain was tough, with it being relative flat and fast, but the views made it all worth it. It was a mental battle to keep going, especially as I had not been doing a lot of speed work, but I kept reminding myself why I was there.”

She finished fifth, which was enough to keep her in the game going into the final at the Brisbane Trail Ultra, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Katinka von Elsner-Wellsteed was at the top of the GTNS leaderboard going into the final, but their scores were close enough to mean that when Maggie finished in 2nd at BTU, she had an anxious wait to see who would finish behind her.

“Those minutes felt like hours,” Maggie explains.

“During the race, I was focused on my own performance, but I knew the standings were tight. When I crossed the finish line, it was out of my hands, and all I could do was wait. It was nerve-wracking, but when I heard that I had secured the result I needed, it was such a relief. It felt like all the hard work had culminated in that moment.”

With the Golden Ticket in hand in late June, Maggie set about finding herself a coach to help her train for GTWS Final in October but her approach to training quickly changed when she found herself too fatigued and nauseous, thanks to being pregnant. 

“I’m being extra mindful of how my body feels, and my coach and I work together to adjust my training to prioritise health and safety for both me and the baby,” she says. 

“It’s a different kind of challenge, but I’m embracing it and listening to my body every step of the way.”

When she makes it to the Swiss Alps, Maggie will be lining up at the start line with the very best trail runners in the world – 160 professional athletes competing in the 23.5km course with 1400m elevation, including the world’s top 30 trail runners. All the while, broadcast live on EuroSport, which has an audience of around 200 million people.

“Racing in Switzerland is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” she says. 

“It’s important to me because it’s a chance to compete on an international stage, but also because it’s about proving to myself that I can still push my limits, even while pregnant, and also showing women that pregnancy and motherhood doesn’t need to stop you from achieving your personal goals and desires.”

And while she won’t be back in 2025 to defend the Golden Trail National Series title, Maggie does plan to come back for more when she’s ready.

“I see myself continuing to run and compete, but also finding new ways to enjoy the sport, whether that’s through coaching, mentoring, or simply sharing the trails with my kids,” she reveals.

“I want to keep pushing my limits, but also stay connected to the joy that running brings. The future is full of possibilities, and I’m excited to see where the journey takes me.”