THE BLOG is where you will find all the latest articles,
news and stories from the world of OMM.
From our How To Guides in OMM EXPLAINED,
to Race Reports and Your Stories in COMMUNITY,
it’s all here.
Your one-stop shop for all our gear and race knowledge distilled into one place.
From map reading to packing a bag to what to wear on winter runs, you’ll find it here.

Welcome To Our World
Step into the world of Original Mountain Marathon (OMM). Discover technical running gear tested in real mountain conditions since 1968.

Aether Jacket
Introducing the world's toughest running jacket...probably! Dyneema reinforced nylon shell with mountaineering features

REDUCING OUR IMPACT
Our latest step towards reducing the impact of our clothing & equipment with a switch to PFC/PFAS-free DWR & membranes.

FAST & LIGHT PROTECTION
We have taken our cutting-edge fabrics and technology and applied them to new ways of thinking about how we use our kit in the mountains.

INFINIOMM

Core Technology
Core Technology, a new concept in active insulation, made entirely from PrimaLoft® ACTIVE ultra-light insulating fabric.

Kamleika Technology
Learn more about our unique stretch waterproofs and the technology behind our best-selling Kamleika Jackets.

OMM Glossary
Don't know your tussock from your trod or your membrane from your insulation? Never fear, the OMM Glossary is your guide to all things OMM.

MOVING THROUGH A CHECKPOINT
Efficiently moving through a checkpoint to keep you ahead of the competition in your next mountain marathon.

SWITCHING NAVIGATION
When to collect features or use a handrail if the clag rolls in. Switching Navigation Techniques will give you the edge in your next race

SLEEP TIGHT // SLEEP RIGHT
Learn a few tricks to make your time at the overnight camp that bit more pleasant. Sleep Tight: Sleep Right!

HOW TO PACK A MOUNTAIN MARATHON BAG
Forget lumpy backs and lost chocolate bars, with our guide to How To Pack A Mountain Marathon Bag you'll never lose your jelly babies again.

Ultimate Guide to Winter Running
With the first bite of winter on the summits, we thought it was worth taking a look at how to get out safely in the mountains through the coming months.

THUMBING THE MAP
Thumbing the map is an essential skill needed to navigate safely in Mountain Marathons
Here you will find tails from the trails and race reports from the latest events. Catch up with record attempts and homegrown adventures.
Recent Posts

OMM releases its first shoe: The Fell Shoe

Introducing the Chapman Trophy: A Challenge for the Next Generation
Hear all about the brand new Chapman Trophy, a celebration of the next generation of OMM competitors.

SKYE TRAIL
What's it like Fastpacking 80mi along the length of the (not so) Misty Isle on the Skye Trail? Bog dodging & midge wrangling galore!

Bound For Success
Sports Therapist and Hybrid Athlete, Katie Barber takes the plunge into long-distance mountain running with Beat The Bounds, a 28mi round of Patterdale the perfect introduction to what running a long way in the high fells is all about.

Triumph, Torture & Torta: Trofeo Nasego Classic
Oscar pulls on the England vest for a taste of the dolce vita at the Trofeo Nasego Classic in Italy.

55th OMM Planners’ Report
OMM aficionados Mike & Richard give us their 10-Step Guide to putting together Mountain Marathon courses in their 55th OMM Planners' Report
Events & Training

Introducing the Chapman Trophy: A Challenge for the Next Generation
Hear all about the brand new Chapman Trophy, a celebration of the next generation of OMM competitors.

55th OMM Planners’ Report
OMM aficionados Mike & Richard give us their 10-Step Guide to putting together Mountain Marathon courses in their 55th OMM Planners' Report

55th OMM: Race Director’s Report
Race Director Dave Chapman talks us through the lead up to the 55th OMM in Glen Artney

THREE LESSONS THE DRAGON’S BACK RACE TAUGHT ME
Author Alexander takes on the Dragon's Back Race and shares the four lessons about running and life that he learnt along the way.

54th OMM, Eryri: Race Director’s Report
Dave Chapman delivers his 54th OMM Eryri Race Director's Report, covering just some of the ins and outs of getting the OMM to North Wales

54th OMM, Eryri: Event Director’s Report
54th OMM Eryri Director's Report: Stuart Hamilton gives his thoughts on the challenges of triumphs faced at this year's event.

54th OMM, Eryri: Course Planner’s Report
Course Planner Graham Atkinson gives us the low down in this 54th OMM, Eryri blow-by-blow report. Great insight from an expert!

54th OMM, Eryri: Read All About It!
54th OMM, Eryri: Read All About It - The legendary 2-day event returned to Eryri for the first time since 1987 & Hannah Mitchell gives us the low down.

Guide To Ultrarunning: Getting Prepared
In the second of her Guide To Ultrarunning series, ultra-runner Emily Cartigny takes us through the basics of going long; having chosen the right format for you, it’s now time to prepare for your race!

Finished Business & New Beginnings
Self-described 'not-a-runner', Emily Woodhouse takes on her first OMM and helps a good friend set a DNF right after 5 years of waiting.

Mountain Marathons & Me
I aim to give you a bit of a grin and some tales of the not-normal from my times on Mountain Marathons these past 30 years. Though I haven’t completed every one I have started, there’s always a brilliant excuse as to why not.

Uphill Speed: Power For The Fells
OMM's Workout Wednesday heads out for some speedwork with a difference. A 20 x 40sec hill rep session on a 4 - 8% incline just down the road from OMM towers should do the trick!

Guide to Ultrarunning: Finding Your Format
The world of Ultra-running is a truly wonderful one, but as a newcomer, it can also be daunting, confusing, and overwhelming. Luckily for you, I’ve made all the mistakes you can think of so that you don’t have to.

Track Workout for Mountain Running
Workout Wednesday - James and Sam tackle unfamiliar territory with a interval track workout, how useful is a track workout for mountain running

OMM Lite Report 2023
Another cracking weekend in Grasmere blessed with wonderful weather wrapped up, read our report of how the OMM Lite 2023 went.

Decisions, decisions
OMM Competitor and OMM Lite Course Planner, Sam Atkinson, takes a look at the decisions faced by OMM competitors when moving between CPs

OMM 2021 Report
Find out what happened to the 53rd OMM; an unprecedented year in our history. Beset by storms and pestilence but unbowed. Our Report.

Original Everest Marathon
Fell Running Royalty Wendy Dodds provides us with an insight into the Original Everest Marathon, a unique event in the shadow of Sagarmatha.
Stories

SKYE TRAIL
What's it like Fastpacking 80mi along the length of the (not so) Misty Isle on the Skye Trail? Bog dodging & midge wrangling galore!

Bound For Success
Sports Therapist and Hybrid Athlete, Katie Barber takes the plunge into long-distance mountain running with Beat The Bounds, a 28mi round of Patterdale the perfect introduction to what running a long way in the high fells is all about.

Triumph, Torture & Torta: Trofeo Nasego Classic
Oscar pulls on the England vest for a taste of the dolce vita at the Trofeo Nasego Classic in Italy.

Ramsay Round 1
We catch up with Alvaro de la Camara on his Big 3 Project after a successful Paddy Buckley Round in Eryri, he heads north to the Highlands to take on the Charlie Ramsay Round.

So You Wanna Be A Race Director?
Wind, rain, cold, sleepless nights, access issues, costly insurance...Seth had it all and asks, so you still wanna be a race director?

HOW (NOT) TO RUN INTO AUTUMN
Ahhh… autumn.
-umn as in ‘umm… can we just have a bit more summer, please?’, ‘umm… I’m not sure I want to go outside in that pouring rain’ and ‘umm… can’t we just skip to the snowy bit now?’.
-umn as in ‘umm… can we just have a bit more summer, please?’, ‘umm… I’m not sure I want to go outside in that pouring rain’ and ‘umm… can’t we just skip to the snowy bit now?’.

THREE LESSONS THE DRAGON’S BACK RACE TAUGHT ME
Author Alexander takes on the Dragon's Back Race and shares the four lessons about running and life that he learnt along the way.

So You Think You Might Be Injured
Picture this: You leap down from a boulder, your foot races towards a perfectly placed rock, and then BANG!

TRIPLE CROWN
Alvaro de la Camara takes on the Big Three UK Rounds and finds a love of going long in the mountains whilst balancing training with family life

5 Top UK Hill Runs
Emily Woodhouse tries to find the 5 best hill runs in the UK and what better place to start than with some of our competitors and athletes?

What Running Taught Me About Being a Woman
In many ways, the world of running can feel like a man’s world. So, on International Women’s Day, what better way to commemorate the day than celebrating the uniquely female experience of running in the mountains?

Cold Turkey
Cate Matthew goes Cold Turkey, taking us inside the LOC Turkey Race Series & gives us an insight into just what an orienteering race entails!

RED NEEDLE
Ultra-runner Sarah lost an ovary to cancer at 15 and the second to a cyst at 36. Red Needle maps her road to recovery through surgical menopause, asking what she's running from - and where she's running to.

A Fellish Idea
How to tackle the UK´s premiere 66mile off-road running challenge in the English Lake District on a 54-hour weekend round trip from London Euston

Fit To Parent: Finding Balance in Family Life
Chris Sansom is back with a look at the importance of staying fit as a parent and finding balance in family life

Guide To Ultrarunning: Getting Prepared
In the second of her Guide To Ultrarunning series, ultra-runner Emily Cartigny takes us through the basics of going long; having chosen the right format for you, it’s now time to prepare for your race!

Finished Business & New Beginnings
Self-described 'not-a-runner', Emily Woodhouse takes on her first OMM and helps a good friend set a DNF right after 5 years of waiting.

7 Valleys Ultra
Tattoo artist and occasional ultrarunner, Rich Lazenby, takes us inside the inaugural 7 Valleys Ultra, part of the new 13 Valleys Ultra Series in the Lake District

Tromsø, a long way to travel to run a long long way
OMM Competitor, Lova Chechik heads to the Arctic Circle to take on the mighty Tromsø Skyrace and takes us inside this unique event

Secrets of the Pros
When you work with professional athletes for a living you can’t help but pick up a few tips of the trade here and there. Let’s face it, whether we run purely for enjoyment, to best our own PBs or if we’re running for a podium, it’s hard not to put professional athletes on a pedestal.

Mountain Marathons & Me
I aim to give you a bit of a grin and some tales of the not-normal from my times on Mountain Marathons these past 30 years. Though I haven’t completed every one I have started, there’s always a brilliant excuse as to why not.

World’s Fastest Man To Take On The Bob Graham
We catch up with the World's Fastest Man as he prepares to take on the Bob Graham. Will the Chubby Chimney Botherer beat the record!?

The Only Way Is Lancashire
The Lancashire Way – Northern Loop is 110mi of Lancashire’s (mostly) finest tracks, trails, fields, fells and coast. Ellis Bland takes it on.

The Long Road to Recovery & How To Enjoy The View
“Cyclist vs Bus: bullseyed windscreen” it says on a whiteboard under my name... Lova Chechik explores the long road to recovery.

Bogged Down: The Bowland 1500
Get bogged down in the best round you've never heard of. Bowland 1500 delivers the kind of sense-of-humour-testing ground OMM is known for.

Classic Rock
James & Steve take on the Classic Rock Round: 40 miles of running to link 15 stunning Lakeland Rock Routes. A challenge with a difference.

Original Everest Marathon
Fell Running Royalty Wendy Dodds provides us with an insight into the Original Everest Marathon, a unique event in the shadow of Sagarmatha.

Equality In the Fells
We take an honest look at issues surrounding equality in the fells and what we as a company can do to improve.
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 james@team-ark.com and who knows, you might just earn yourself some free kit!
All Posts
Equality In the Fells
But first… Equality in the Fells “Last night I saw an events company had posted about the weekend’s FRA relays on Facebook. They were congratulating the winning teams, but only the men’s. Somebody pulled them up on this in quite a light-hearted way, so they then...
