The Ultimate Guide to One More Lap
And when we say "The Ultimate Guide", we really mean "the only guide".
One More Lap is a 12-hour ultramarathon that challenges teams to complete as many laps of the OML course as the can before the time runs out. But you knew that bit already, right?
Here’s all the other stuff you need to know before joining us for the big day.
WE GOT YOU
What am I letting myself in for?
Teams
One More Lap’s a team event because shared suffering is so much more enjoyable.
Your crack team can have between 4 & 6 runners, then take it in turns, relay style, to lap the OML course, one runner at a time.
How your team runs One More Lap is completely down to you.
Want to split the effort evenly with everyone running the same amount? That’s fine. Let your team’s Forrest Gump do the lion’s share of running? That’s fine too. Or why not go wild and swap runners after every lap?
Team Captains
Every team needs a captain. To lead, to inspire, to set the example and, more importantly, to do the admin*.
We’ll make whoever registered the team as their “captain”.
This is the one brave runner who’s responsible for gathering runners together, for creating your fundraising page and encouraging the rest of the team to hit their fundraising target.
On the big day, the captain needs to make sure everyone on the team knows the route, understands the “rules” (they’re more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules) and is fit & well enough to run.
* If this doesn't sound like you, let us know and we'll change it.
Registering Your Team
Just like our dancing, registering for One More Lap only has two steps.
Step One — Be the leader you were born to be – click the Register your Team button and book your team's spot at OML. It'll take you less than time than running 400 metres. Promise.
Step Two — Assemble your crack team of runners – ask them to share their details with us (there's a link you can pass on to them for this).
Step Three — 🤔 Listen, we said it was just 2 steps, and it is. There is no Step Three people. No Step Three!
Once we’ve got your team details, you’re in!
The OML Camp
The One More Lap Camp is a special place.
It’s your home for the duration of One More Lap, and where you’ll be spending a fair amount of time.
When you arrive, someone in the OML team will show you where you can set up your team's gazebo. If you want to be next to – or possibly far, far away from – teammates & friends, let us know before the big day and we’ll make sure that happens.
To help make it as joyful as possible, we'd love you to turn your 3m2 corner of the camp into "Your Happy Place" – whatever and wherever that might be. Last year we had a disco, a hula bar, an F1 garage and a lifeguard station.
Also, in the Camp there’ll be food & drink on offer (water will be free but you’ll have to pay for anything else. We’ll try to make it as appetising & affordable as possible).
There’ll be a free physio, plus “entertainment” throughout the day.
And don’t panic, there’ll be loos too.
When you head home, please can you leave the camp as you found it. We know it’ll be dark, we know you’ll be tired and desperate to get home, but take one last look around and put any rubbish in the bins.
Water
There will be water available for your team at OML but we strongly suggest you also bring along whatever water/drinks you think you’ll need to get you through the day.
A heads up to the Lichfield runners - despite being next to a lake, there isn’t a fresh water source on Stowe Field, so we'll give your team 10ltrs of water.
Free ice cream, you say?
One More Lap wouldn't be One More Lap without a FREE ice cream, right? Right.
So there's a free ice cream for every runner. What, with a flake? With sprinkles on? You betcha.
Fundraising? More like rundraising. No? Rundfaising? Oh, forget it.
Last year our runners smashed their trargets by 150%. But if you're worried about hitting your target, we'll help with your fundraising planning – we just need 100% effort from you :)
Running the OML Course
Our routes are pretty straightforward. They’re between ¾ and a mile long loop.
In fact, our routes are so easy to follow, if you do get lost that’s probably a sign it’s time to head back to camp for a sit down and something to eat.
If this happens to you, get help from the nearest marshal – they’ll be the one with two heads, glowing eyes and sounding just like Cher does on “Believe”.
Breaks
You and your team can take a break whenever you want. Although you can only have one runner on the course at once, you don’t always have to have someone running.
So have a break, have a Kit Kat, then get going again when you’re ready.
The "Baton" Handover
The handover point, where one teammate passes the “baton” (it’ll be a slapband) to the next, will be next to the event HQ as you come down the start/finish funnel back into camp.
This is the only place you should swap runners (gosh, that sounds like a rule, doesn’t it?) as it lets the lovely folks in the HQ know that you’re safe & well and back in camp.
The Last Laps
One More Lap finishes at 8pm. The sun sets just before half past 7. So, please bring a head (or other body part) torch for your last runner to use.
Then, for the final 15 minutes, we’ll ask everyone to head out to the course and light the way for our last runners.
If you want to complete the final lap as a team, do it.
Magical.
Prize Giving & Running Totals
The final bit of prize giving, for the most laps completed, and an update on how much we’ve raised as soon as possible after the clock strikes 8pm.
If we do the final lap count as quickly as we can, this should be finished by 8:15pm.
Then it’s high-fives all round and skedaddle home quick sharp.
Still got questions? Get in touch!