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The Ultra That Anyone Can Do: Inside One More Lap With Ian Covey

Ian Covey is a self-described “terrible runner”. In this podcast he talks about how running became a way to connect, stay healthy, and support charities. It led him to create One More Lap, a fun, team-based ultra event that makes fundraising accessible, social, and impactful, showing that running is about people, purpose, and community.

Ian Covey is a self-described “terrible runner”. In this podcast he talks about how running became a way to connect, stay healthy, and support charities. It led him to create One More Lap, a fun, team-based ultra event that makes fundraising accessible, social, and impactful, showing that running is about people, purpose, and community. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE When we talk about running, it’s easy to focus on times, distances, and personal bests. Faster 5Ks. Sub-60 10Ks. Marathon medals. But for Ian, running means something entirely different. “I am a terrible, terrible runner. I find it incredibly difficult.” And yet, running has become one of the most important parts of his life. Running When It’s Hard Ian lives with exercise-induced asthma, meaning every step can be a challenge. Running doesn’t come naturally to him—and that’s exactly why his story matters. Instead of chasing performance, he runs for something far more meaningful: His health His community His friendships “I just wanted to get out there, meet people, build relationships… find a life outside of family life.” What started as a way to stay active turned into something much bigger. Weekly social runs, 5Ks, 10Ks, midweek meet ups became the foundation of a strong, supportive community. “It’s like any other friend group, except once a week we also go running.” Redefining What Success Looks Like In a world obsessed with performance metrics, Ian took a different path. He’s not aiming for elite times. He’s not chasing podiums. “The value I take from running isn’t completing a marathon or hitting a fast time. It’s the relationships.” And that shift in mindset opened the door to something powerful. While Ian might not see himself as a “great runner,” he found another way to make a huge impact. The Birth of “50 by 50” Approaching his mid-40s, Ian set himself a challenge: Raise £50,000 for charity by the time he turns 50. But instead of doing one big personal challenge, he asked a smarter question: What if I could multiply my impact? Drawing on his background in marketing, Ian realised that fundraising isn’t just about effort—it’s about reach. “I can reach 20 or 30 people. But if I get 10 people involved, suddenly we’re reaching hundreds.”That idea became 50 by 50 CIC, a social enterprise focused on helping small charities run big fundraising events. The Idea: Big Events for Small Charities Rather than relying on one person doing something extreme, Ian created something scalable: Events where many people do something achievable. Experiences that are fun, social, and inclusive. Fundraising that multiplies through participation. And that’s where One More Lap was born. One More Lap: The “Ultra” That Anyone Can Do At first glance, it sounds intimidating: A 12-hour ultra marathon Teams running all day Laps adding up over time But the reality is very different. This is an ultra marathon designed for everyone. Short laps (under a mile) Flat, accessible courses Team relay format (4–6 people) Run when you want, rest when you want “If you can run 5–10K, you’ll be absolutely fine,” Ian explains. The magic is in the format. You might only run a mile at a time—but across the day, those miles quietly add up. “It’s like secret distance running.” People regularly end up running further than they ever have before, without even realising it. More Festival Than Race What truly sets One More Lap apart is the atmosphere. This isn’t about suffering. It’s about enjoyment. Live music throughout the day Food and drink on site Teams setting up decorated gazebos Friends relaxing, chatting, and supporting each other “It’s a running event where you spend most of your time not running.” In other words—it’s a social event first, a running event second. Fundraising Made Accessible It’s completely free to enter. Instead of charging entry fees, participants commit to raising a minimum of £100. No big upfront cost No extreme pressure Just simple, achievable fundraising “Ten people giving £10—that’s all we’re asking.” But when you scale that across dozens (or hundreds) of runners, the impact becomes huge. Real Impact, Real Results The results speak for themselves. The first location was Lichfield Year 1: 78 runners → nearly £20,000 raised Year 2: 178 runners → £38,000 raised Total so far: £55,000 for Kids Village A second event near Warrington: 50 runners £32,000 raised for Warrington Youth Zone Funded 32,000 meals for local children All without costing the charities a penny. Why This Matters Ian’s story challenges the traditional idea of what running should be. It shows that: You don’t have to be fast You don’t have to run far You don’t have to suffer Running can simply be: A way to connect A way to give back A way to be part of something bigger Looking Ahead With multiple events planned and more charities getting involved, the vision is clear: Scale the idea. Multiply the impact. Help more people. “If this ends up raising £500,000… £1 million… just by getting people to run in circles with their mates—that would be incredible.” To find out more about One more Lap head here Final Thought Running doesn’t have to be about chasing perfection. Sometimes, it’s about showing up, doing what you can, and sharing the experience with others. In the end, it’s not about how fast you go. It’s about how many people you bring with you and how much good you can do along the way. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

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