The OMM: 57th Edition
Join a 57-year tradition in this unforgettable experience. The OMM is a two-day, self-reliant mountain marathon held annually at the end of October. Teams (normally of two; teams of three are permitted) navigate with map and compass to visit controls, and sleep overnight at an official campsite. Competitors must carry all their kit for two days and comply with a mandatory equipment list.
There are two competition formats: Linear (line) courses require visiting controls in order and are won on fastest combined time. Score courses allow teams to choose which controls to visit within a fixed time and are won on highest points total. Navigation by GPS for route-finding is not permitted; maps are supplied each day on waterproof Harvey map paper.
What's the Challenge?
On the startline, you and your partner will be given a map of your chosen course. You need to plan a route to find your checkpoints, finishing at the halfway overnight campsite. To complete the race, you need to be self-reliant and carry everything you need for the two days, including for the halfway camp. Day 2, you get new checkpoints to find, finishing back at the event centre.
What are all the different courses?
Linear Courses
The fastest team to visit all the checkpoints in a specific order wins. Any route allowed. Choose between 3 distance options:
- Elite Course: Day 1: 47km / 2200m; Day 2: 38km / 1800m
- A Course: Day 1: 36km / 1650m; Day 2: 29km / 1350m
- B Course: Day 1: 25km / 1100m; Day 2: 20km / 900m
Distances are in a straight line.
Score Courses
You’ve got between 4 & 7 hours to find as many checkpoints as you can; the highest score wins. Any order, any route. Choose between 3 length options:
- Long Score: Day 1: 7 hours; Day 2: 6 hours
- Medium Score: Day 1: 6 hours; Day 2: 5 hours
- Short Score: Day 1: 5 hours; Day 2: 4 hours
How hard is the navigation?
The controls are usually placed off paths and out of sight, but each one is provided with a short description (i.e. “stream junction”, “sheepfold”). You will need to be competent with map and compass (no GPS allowed) and able to follow a bearing in low visibility and bad weather, over rough ground.
How much do we have to carry?
Being self-sufficient for two days in the mountain means carrying a lot more kit than many of us are used to. The lightest gear and cutting back on all but the essential will get your pack down to around 4kg, but don’t expect to be comfortable. The average race pack (not including water) is around 6-8kg, but 10kg+ is not unusual.
Entry includes custom maps, live tracking, Friday camping at HQ, the remote overnight camp, weekend parking, race photos and a post-event hot meal. The event is run on a not-for-profit basis with a large volunteer team and ecological measures.