Are you considering dabbling in the world of navigational racing? We all love traditional races, but sometimes the hankering for a new kind of adventure can strike. The OMM Lite at the Lake District Running Festival is just that – an answer for your love of the mountains and adventuring off the beaten track.
Designed in the contours of the full OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) event – which takes place in October every year – the OMM Lite is the perfect introductory event to the realm of navigational racing. So how does it work, how do you pick a route and why should you so desperately want to do it? We’ve got all the answers, including from an athlete who too part this year.
Buckle up, get your map and compass ready, and let’s go!
The OMM Lite takes place every year at the Lake District Running Festival in Grasmere, at the heart of the English Lake District. That provides the perfect playground of fells, mountains and rolling green hills for runners to explore.
When, where and what?
It’s up to you whether you take on the challenge by yourself, or as a team of two or three. It’s a great bonding opportunity, as well as opportunity to fight over who has the best route plan.
You won’t know the route or where you’ll be heading beforehand (which is all part of the fun) but instead are given a map once you’ve crossed the start line. The map will show you the various ‘controls’ (think of them like checkpoints) all over the valley and surrounding fells of Grasmere. Each control has a different value in points ranging from 10 to 100 – though, the point value depends on the perceived difficulty of reaching each checkpoint. Generally speaking, the further out the control, the higher the points value.
It’s up to you to pick your route, which checkpoints you prioritise and how you break up your day. The team with the most points wins, however there’s no need to try max out your points if you aren’t feeling competitive- just enjoy your day out on the fells and make sure you make it back for cut-off!
There are point penalties for every minute you arrive back after the cut-off, so though that far away control might seem appealing, it definitely doesn’t pay to be late!
What are the courses all about?
There are a range of course choices you can take to make your journey different. You have the choice of the one- or two-day event, which will make you eligible for different prizes. You also have the choice of competing either on the short course- which has a time limit of 5 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday – or the long course- with a time limit of 7 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday.
Checkpoints are marked on a HARVEY 1:25000 map, with the checkpoint score written next to this. Each checkpoint has an orienteering sign with a control box, which you register as having visited by dibbing with your timing tag.
Is the OMM Lite suitable for beginner navigators?
Absolutely! We believe everyone should be equipped with the skills to navigate themselves out in the mountains. The OMM Lite is the perfect place to put your new orienteering skills into practice out on the fells without having to stray far from Grasmere if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.
We partner with a range of navigational experts who can give you the introductory skills and resources to help you understand how to use a map. If that would be of interest to you, contact [email protected] for more information.
So, the OMM Lite is a mini mountain marathon… what is a mountain marathon?
A mountain marathon combines fell running and orienteering, where you cover a vast distance through difficult terrain as you travel between checkpoints. The OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) is the flagship the mountain marathon, hosted in the last week of October every year to encourage harsh weather conditions and an intense experience.
The OMM event specifically is a challenging event, that should be seen as a true adventure where you likely won’t feel properly comfortable at any point throughout the event. But that’s worth it for the immense sense of achievement you’ll feel at the finish line! The OMM always takes place in a rural location amongst the fells and hills, and prides itself on uniting people who love bogs! You don’t need to be an “elite runner” to take part- you just need to be someone who can be deep in the hills in bog and torrential rain and still be grinning ear to ear.
The OMM Lite was made to give you a taste of the full OMM, in what should be much kinder weather. There’s no camping out on the hills in a pop-up Saturday camp, no dealing with October conditions and no carrying a weekend’s worth of camping and nutrition on your back for the event. But, be warned, the OMM Lite may just whet your appetite for the full thing…
You can read more about the OMM, and register for this year’s October event here.
Curious? Hear from an OMM Lite Competitor!
OMM athlete Annie Garside took on the OMM Lite this year and loved it!
“For me, the event felt more like an adventure, which was exactly what I was looking for.
My partner and I are both competitive fell runners, so I thought we might end up treating it very competitively. Instead, we took a step back and simply enjoyed the day.”
“[It’s] the perfect stepping-stone event for anyone wanting to take part in the OMM.
Set in a beautiful location, with a friendly and helpful team of organisers, it offers a great mix of checkpoints and adventure, making for a brilliant day out on the fells.”
You can read Annie’s full write-up soon on the blog – watch this space!
Give it a go!
The OMM Lite is a great adventure out in the Lake district fells, taking you on a beautiful romp around some of England’s most lovely scenery. It combines the thrill of conventional trail and fell racing with the freedom of self-navigation, allowing you to forge your own unique path against your fellow competitors.
And if you’re just after a good time, there’s nothing quite like it! A day in the hills where you can even stop for a picnic mid-race sounds like a good day out to us.
Registrations for OMM Lite 2027 open soon. Get your place booked in asap for an early-bird discount.
We’ll see you there!