What Rat Race does

Rat Race (Events) Ltd. is a UK-based adventure events company founded in 2004 by CEO Jim, operating from Thirsk, Yorkshire. The business designs and delivers 50 events across all seven continents spanning four formats: UK mass-participation events (e.g., The Wall 70-mile ultramarathon, Rat Race 100), bucket-list international adventures, small-group remote expeditions (Antarctica, Greenland), and Test Pilot route development programmes. The core platform is a direct-to-consumer event registration website at ratraceadventure.com, with a separate retail storefront at ratracestore.com for branded merchandise. Participants range from a few dozen on premium polar expeditions to hundreds or thousands on UK flagship events, with entry fees varying from low hundreds of pounds for mass events to £18,950-19,950 for Exped Antarctica.

Revenue derives primarily from one-time event entry fees, supplemented by retail merchandise and recurring interest-free monthly instalment plans processed via Stripe. The go-to-market model is community-driven, leveraging an ambassador programme (minimum 2,500 Instagram followers), a volunteer crew network (yielding £150 event credit), and organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn) to reach adventure-curious consumers without significant paid media spend. JustGiving integration ties event registrations to fundraising for Children with Cancer UK, with nearly £3M raised since the 2021 charity partnership began.

The business is founder-owned with no disclosed external investment, B-Corp certified, and BS8848-accredited for expedition safety. Operations are lean (1-10 employees) with event-specific field staff, and the company is expanding strategically into conservation via Project Jungle (185 acres of Panamanian rainforest, late 2026) and into female participation via the Women in Adventure programme. The core technology stack is conventional - Stripe payments, JustGiving charity integration, RefundProtect cover, and standard e-commerce tooling - with no proprietary AI/ML components.

Name

Rat Race

Legal name

Rat Race (Events) Ltd.

Website

https://ratrace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rat Race is a UK-based adventure events company founded in 2004 that designs and delivers ultramarathons, cycling challenges, multisport adventures, and remote expeditions across all seven continents for individual adventure participants, operating 50 events globally with a lean Yorkshire-based team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Event Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC)

Keywords

• Adventure event services
• Ultramarathon organization
• Endurance sports challenges
• Expedition travel experiences
• Outdoor adventure events

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Entry Fees: Primary revenue from participant registration fees for ultramarathons, cycling challenges, multisport adventures, and expeditions across 50 events on all 7 continents. Entry fees vary by event type and destination.
2. Retail Merchandise: Sales of branded adventure kit, apparel, and gear through Rat Race Store (ratracestore.com), including limited edition items like Project Jungle merchandise.
3. Interest-free Instalment Plans: Recurring monthly payments via Stripe for event entries, allowing customers to spread costs over time interest-free. Automatic payment collection with failure notifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rat Race designs, organizes and delivers fully-supported adventure events worldwide, including ultramarathons, cycling challenges, multisport adventures, and remote expeditions across all seven continents. Each event is sold as a discrete registration via the ratraceadventure.com platform, with professionally staffed operations, medical support and safety crews. The business also operates the Rat Race Store at ratracestore.com selling branded adventure kit, apparel and gear as a complementary retail line.

Product overview

Rat Race is an adventure events company offering extraordinary global adventures for everyday people. The portfolio comprises four distinct event types: Mass Participation Events (UK-based ultramarathons, cycling challenges, and multisport events for hundreds/thousands of participants), Bucket List Adventures (premium international expeditions to iconic destinations), Small Group Expeditions (remote pioneering journeys to wild locations including Antarctica and Greenland), and Test Pilots (development programme for new event concepts). Notable flagship products include the Exped Antarctica (11-day private yacht polar expedition), Exped Greenland (15-day Arctic fjord kayaking and glacier trekking), Rat Race 100 ultramarathon series (castle-to-castle 100-mile events), The Wall Ultra (70-mile UK ultramarathon), Sea to Summit mountain series, Trans Africa Coast to Coast (3,000km cycling across Africa), and various international expedition adventures spanning all 7 continents. The company also operates supporting initiatives including Project Jungle (rainforest conservation), Women in Adventure programme, Ambassador Programme, Volunteer Programme, an Interest-Free Instalment Plan via Stripe, a retail store, and an online adventure portal for participant management. With 50 events across all 7 continents and charity partnership with Children with Cancer UK, the company delivers approximately 500+ events with operations on all continents since 2004.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mass Participation Events UK-based endurance challenges including ultramarathons, cycling events and multisport adventures for hundreds or thousands of participants, fully supported and professionally organised to be achievable for everyday adventurers.
• Bucket List Adventures Premium international adventure travel experiences to iconic destinations worldwide for groups of 20-40 participants, including expeditions to Easter Island, Iceland, Madagascar, Namibia and Croatia with comprehensive logistics handled by the company.
• Small Group Expeditions Remote, pioneering journeys to the world's wildest and least-visited places in small teams, including polar expeditions to Antarctica and Greenland as well as multi-sport adventures requiring self-reliance and exploration spirit.
• Test Pilots Development programme for new event concepts in which adventurous participants join to explore new destinations, test routes and help shape future Rat Race events through small-group, flexible and collaborative adventures often in unexplored locations.
• Exped Antarctica 11-day/10-night Antarctica expedition aboard a private expedition yacht combining sea kayaking (50-60km), snowshoeing, ski touring and glacier trekking with wildlife encounters including penguins and humpback whales; all meals and accommodation included.
• Exped Greenland 15-day/14-night East Greenland expedition combining iceberg-filled fjord kayaking (40 miles/60km) with self-supported glacier trekking (60 miles/100km) through one of the least-visited regions on Earth, including lodge accommodation and wild camping.
• Rat Race 100 Ultramarathon Series The most inclusive 100-mile ultramarathon events in the UK, offering multiple castle-to-castle routes including Edinburgh to Glamis, Glamis to Stirling, and Bamburgh to Edinburgh, designed for runners and walkers with supportive cut-off times and the highest 100-mile completion rates in the UK.
• The Wall Ultra The UK's biggest single-distance ultramarathon at 70 miles from Carlisle to Gateshead, known for its iconic route, beginner-friendly format with a 3mph completion pace, over 90% finisher rate and completely waymarked route.
• Sea to Summit Series Mountain ultramarathon series forming the Rat Race National 3 Peaks Trilogy, including Sea to Summit events at Yr Wyddfa (Snowdonia), Scafell Pike (Lake District) and Ben Nevis (Fort William).
• Scotland Coast to Coast One of the UK's most iconic coast-to-coast endurance challenges across the Scottish Highlands, combining cycling, trekking and kayaking in a multisport format.
• Trans Africa Coast to Coast 3,000km cycling adventure across four African countries (Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa) from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean over 26 days/25 nights.
• Run Britannia The ultimate UK ultramarathon adventure — a fully supported 1,000-mile journey from Land's End to John o' Groats over 37 days/36 nights.
• Ultra Tour of Arran A 2-day off-road ultramarathon adventure across Scotland's Isle of Arran, featuring forest trails, glens, mountain ridgelines, coastal paths and a summit of Goatfell.
• Croatia Multisport An island-hopping adventure along the Adriatic Coast in Croatia, combining running, trekking, kayaking and paddleboarding over 6 days/5 nights.
• Expedition Series A collection of international expedition adventures spanning Madagascar, Guatemala, Svalbard, Socotra, Panama Coast to Coast, Yukon, Exuma, French Polynesia, West Papua, Colombia, Uganda, Dominica, the Balkans and Greenland Winter.
• Rat Race Store E-commerce retail store selling Rat Race branded adventure merchandise including kit, apparel and adventure gear, plus limited-edition items such as the Project Jungle t-shirt and titanium coffee set.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% completion rate at 100-mile Rat Race 100 (highest in UK)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Children with Cancer UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Official charity partner since 2021. Participants can choose to fundraise for Children with Cancer UK and earn refund of their entry fee. Rat Racers have raised nearly £3,000,000 through entry donations and fundraising campaigns. Joint goal of hitting £3,000,000 total fundraising target.
• PatagoniaminorOthersEquipment partner for Greenland expeditions. Partnered with Patagonia for several years with high trust in their outdoor gear after extensive use in wild weather and expeditions.
• NRSminorOthersEquipment partner for paddling kit and water sports equipment for expeditions.
• Rick MoralescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert instructor for Project Jungle. Certified Wilderness Instructor and Certified Specialized Guide with Professional Association of Wilderness Guides and Instructors, and Certified Interpretive Trainer with National Association for Interpretation. Only person to have trekked entire length of Panama.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Challenge: UK-based expedition company organizing school, youth, and adult adventure expeditions worldwide. Directly comparable in business model (package adventure travel), target market (UK consumers seeking international challenges), and product mix (multi-day international itineraries with full logistics support).
• Threshold Sports: UK-based endurance events company organizing mass participation ultramarathons, cycling events, and multi-sport challenges (e.g., Threshold Series). Closest UK direct competitor to Rat Race's mass participation events including The Wall and Rat Race 100.
• Exodus Travels: UK adventure travel company offering guided small-group adventures, trekking, cycling, and expeditions worldwide. Highly comparable in the international bucket-list expedition category, including polar and wilderness experiences similar to Exped Antarctica and Exped Greenland.
• UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc): Global ultramarathon trail running series and event organizer. Directly comparable in the 100-mile mass participation ultramarathon category, where Rat Race's UK events compete for the same participant pool seeking premium ultra-endurance experiences.
• Adventure Alternative: UK and Ireland-based adventure company organizing trekking, climbing, and expedition experiences including charity-linked challenges. Directly comparable in business model combining international expeditions with charity fundraising (similar to Rat Race's Children with Cancer UK partnership).

Broad incumbents

• Intrepid Travel: Large global adventure travel operator offering small-group trips across all continents. Comparable in international adventure expedition offering but operates at significantly larger scale, broader portfolio, and with publicly visible B Corp positioning similar to Rat Race.
• G Adventures: Global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours and expeditions across 100+ countries. Comparable product offering in international adventure itineraries, though at meaningfully larger scale and with broader geographic coverage than Rat Race's niche.
• Tough Mudder: Global mass participation endurance and obstacle event brand. Comparable business model (ticketed mass participation events targeting everyday participants rather than elites), though focused on obstacle courses rather than the ultramarathon/cycling/expedition mix Rat Race runs.
• Ironman: Global endurance event brand organizing mass participation triathlons, marathons, and ultra events. Comparable in scale of mass participation endurance events and premium consumer positioning, though Rat Race focuses more heavily on running/trekking/expeditions rather than triathlon.

Regional players

• Hotfoot Events: UK cycling and adventure events organizer running mass participation sportives and endurance cycling events. Comparable in UK-based cycling event portfolio (e.g., Trans Africa Coast to Coast, Scotland Coast to Coast), though operating at smaller scale in a more regionally focused niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RatRaceAdventure
• Facebookfacebook.com/ratraceadventuresports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rat-race-adventure
• Instagraminstagram.com/ratracehq
• Xx.com/ratracehq

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rat Race