The Rasselbock 545 – 2027

The Rasselbock 545 - 2027 - Image 2

The Rasselbock 545 – 2027

We’re back again at the wonderful Horspath Athletics with a tough track record to beat and even more time to run around in circles in! The incredible Alex Marshal absolutely demolished our record of 505 back at the 2025 event so if you want to claim the cash prize, you will have to now break 545 laps! This years event will be open for a whopping 48 hours! with a selection of different time slots to take part it.

How far can you manage in your chosen time frame? Can you beat our record? A mental challenge even more so than a physical one this summer. 400 Meters isn’t far, but those laps start to add up pretty quickly.

(The £100 cash prize is eligable for the first person to pass 545 laps of the track within the 24 hour race or the first half of the 48 hour race).

We are currently investigating getting the event officiated with the IAU, this is not a promise, but something that we are currently working towards.

*Header Photo Credit to OCAC (https://oxfordcityac.com/track/)

**body photos by Derrick (www.instagram.com/therunningphotoguy/?hl=en)

From: £39.50







Event Information

Horspath Athletics Track is located just East of Oxford city center. Horspath Rd, Oxford OX4 2RR.


You’ll be able to pick up your race number on the morning of the event at the Race HQ which will be located at the running track. The track will be open from 7.15 in the morning and you’ll be able to register and settle in from that point onwards. Please allow yourself enough time to grab your number before the race briefing which will begin 10 minutes before the start of each event.


The 48 hour event will start at 10am on Saturday

The other Saturday starts will be 9am – 6/12/24 hours

All Sunday events will start at 10am – 6/12/24 hours

Race briefing will happen 5-10 minutes before each race and regestration will open one hour before each.


 

Depending on which event you sign up for you will have either 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours to complete as many laps as possible. This means that you need to have completed your final lap before the end of the time limit for it to be counted towards your final distance. Each lap is counted as exactly 400 meters long and it doesn’t matter if you run on the inside or the outside of the track, your final distance will be counted by how many laps you complete.

This means that you’ll need to have completed 106 laps for a marathon, 53 laps will be classed as a half marathon and 113 laps will be classed as an ultra. You can finish your event at any time within your chosen time span., and as long as you have completed one lap then you will be classed as a finisher.


Timing Monkey will be around for the full day to record everyone’s progress. You will be supplied with a timing chip at registration that will track the number of laps that you complete along with the time of each lap. The results will be available online throughout and after the event.


  • A fully unique and bespoke medal design just for this event.
  • All the food, drink, and nibbles that you could imagine at the aid station.
  • Evening Pizza for runners competing during the Saturday evening.
  • Unplanned food during the Sunday evening, likely batch cooked pasta
  • Dedicated first aiders on site for the full event.
  • Amazing support from the Rasselbock Family!


We will have a fully stocked aid station at base camp full of all your favorite items, although if you are expecting energy tablets, gels, and supplements, you may need to bring your own as our aid station tends to lean towards the more “enjoyable fuel”. Imagine Fudge, cakes, cookies, and jelly babies along with all the savory alternatives. We will have separate tables available for you to leave your own fuel and snacks.


You are more than welcome to bring your own food and drink to the aid station. We will have a separate table for these so please make sure that your bottles or items are clearly labeled so that no one takes them by accident!


The route is pretty easy but I still expect someone might get lost. It’s a 400-meter long loop around a running track and you can see exactly where you need to be going at all times. We like to call it human Nascar, but at a twist we will spin you around every few hours so you’re turning right.


We will have access to an inside hall where we will do registration and there will be a private space for you to leave any bags or clothes that you may wish. We do recommend that you leave any valuables at home, in your car or on your person.


 

We would recommend road shoes for this route. Please make sure that you wear and bring with you adequate layers to keep yourself warm throughout the day but mainly if you’re there early and planning on finishing late. Like all of our events going forward, we will be operating a bring your own bottle policy. We will not be supplying plastic cups or drink receptacles at this event so that we can cut down on waste and do our part to help the environment. You will be required to bring your own water bottle, collapsible cup, or similar to the event. We will still have an array of liquids available for you to top up your bottles with at our well-stocked aid station!


We will have full private access to the track on the days of the event.


We will have full access to the sports center which has changing rooms, and toilets. You are welcome to use these facilities only whilst the sports center is open. There are toilets located in the grandstand although they are as old as the grandstand itself, a pre-warning!

All other questions that you may have are most probably answered on the events FAQ page.


All other questions that you may have are most probably answered on the events FAQ page.


The current loop record is 545, the first person that gets that record up to 546 wins the £100. If the new record is set above 545 then next years event will be renamed suitibly.

The 2025 event was called the Rasselbock 505
The 2026 event was called the Rasselbock 545
And the 2027 event is also called the Rasselbock 545, can you change the name?