New for 2026, the inaugural Grasmere 24 Ultra brought a fresh challenge to the Lake District Running Festival, inviting runners to see just how far they could go over 24 hours.
For Team OMM, the weekend became a test of resilience, teamwork and adaptability as injuries, fatigue and a long night on the trails threatened to derail their race. Alongside the challenge itself, they experienced the unique atmosphere that makes the festival so special, from the support of fellow runners and volunteers to the buzz of spending a weekend surrounded by like-minded people in the heart of the Lake District.
We caught up with Chloe Lumsdon, Grace Culling and Rich Lazenby to hear their story.
What was the original plan heading into the Grasmere 24 Ultra? Did you have a strategy mapped out beforehand, or were you planning to adapt as the race unfolded?
Chloe: If I’m honest, there was no real plan and it was always going to be about adapting as the race unfolded. One of the beautiful things about endurance racing as a team is heading into the unknown and tackling any issues together. I think we aced it!
Grace: No plan really. We set out with the idea of taking turns running 5km at a time, but we knew we’d probably need to adapt our strategy as the race progressed.
Rich: I’m not so sure we had a plan as such, but the main idea was to run at least two laps per hour for as long as possible.
How did it feel standing on the start line knowing you had 24 hours ahead of you?
Chloe: I just took it one lap at a time! I had no expectations of how far we’d get as a team, but I knew I needed to be sensible and not run too fast on that first lap.
Grace: Excited! Having never done a 24-hour race before, I was blissfully unaware of how difficult the next 24 hours were going to be. There were the usual pre-race nerves, but the weather was good, the atmosphere was exciting and I couldn’t wait to get going.
Rich: I was completely relaxed about the whole thing. In my head, I just thought we aren’t doing anything difficult, just running 5km each time. No point overthinking it, especially when it’s24 hours.
New for 2026, the inaugural Grasmere 24 Ultra brought a fresh challenge to the Lake District Running Festival, inviting runners to see just how far they could go over 24 hours.
For Team OMM, the weekend became a test of resilience, teamwork and adaptability as injuries, fatigue and a long night on the trails threatened to derail their race. Alongside the challenge itself, they experienced the unique atmosphere that makes the festival so special, from the support of fellow runners and volunteers to the buzz of spending a weekend surrounded by like-minded people in the heart of the Lake District.
We caught up with Chloe Lumsdon, Grace Culling and Rich Lazenby to hear their story.
What was the original plan heading into the Grasmere 24 Ultra? Did you have a strategy mapped out beforehand, or were you planning to adapt as the race unfolded?
Chloe: If I’m honest, there was no real plan and it was always going to be about adapting as the race unfolded. One of the beautiful things about endurance racing as a team is heading into the unknown and tackling any issues together. I think we aced it!
Grace: No plan really. We set out with the idea of taking turns running 5km at a time, but we knew we’d probably need to adapt our strategy as the race progressed.
Rich: I’m not so sure we had a plan as such, but the main idea was to run at least two laps per hour for as long as possible.
How did it feel standing on the start line knowing you had 24 hours ahead of you?
Chloe: I just took it one lap at a time! I had no expectations of how far we’d get as a team, but I knew I needed to be sensible and not run too fast on that first lap.
Grace: Excited! Having never done a 24-hour race before, I was blissfully unaware of how difficult the next 24 hours were going to be. There were the usual pre-race nerves, but the weather was good, the atmosphere was exciting and I couldn’t wait to get going.
Rich: I was completely relaxed about the whole thing. In my head, I just thought we aren’t doing anything difficult, just running 5km each time. No point overthinking it, especially when it’s24 hours.
If you have a story to tell, whether it’s from the OMM, another race or challenge or just how you use our kit, get in touch! Just pop an email to marketing@team-ark.com and who knows, you might just earn yourself some free kit!
What is it really like to race for 24 hours? From running through the night to overcoming injuries and fatigue, Team OMM shares their experience from the inaugural Grasmere 24hr Ultra and explains why the event is about far more than simply covering miles.
Dubbed the “goldilocks shoe” by Sportsshoes, the OMM Trail shoe is “just right” for nearly any conditions you’ll find on UK trails. But don’t just take our word for it – discover what the runners think.
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