Essential Event Information 2026

Thursday: Arrival & Ferry Embarkation 

Our gateway to the Shetland Isles is Aberdeen. To ease logistics, we will be meeting at Union Square Car Park, 148 Market St. Aberdeen, AB11 5PP.  

This location is just a short walk away from the Train Station, Bus Station and Ferry Terminal. There is ample parking for anyone being dropped off by friends, family or taxi, as well as quick and easy walk routes from public transport connections. We will nominate a base (likely Starbucks!) and greet you to load your bags up into the event vehicles. The area is well serviced by shops and cafes. Once everyone is accounted for and all kit is loaded, we will head to the ferry terminal together.  

Please arrive at Union Square car park from1400, no later than 1530. This ensures we have ample time to check everyone in, complete a visual kit check, and load all heavy overnight baggage into the event vehicles before boarding. 

Departure: The NorthLink ferry departs promptly at 17:00. Late arrivals cannot be accommodated as the ferry schedule is completely rigid. 

The ferry journey to Lerwick is a 12-hour overnight crossing. We will establish a small registration station in a designated communal space on board. During this time, we will: 

• Issue your Adventure Pack and event stash. 
• Securely fit your satellite tracking device to your running pack. 
• Conduct a brief 1-to-1 medical screening with our event medic.

Event Briefing - A comprehensive event briefing will take place on Wednesday evening on board the ferry (weather and noise levels permitting). If conditions are too loud, the briefing will be held at our first morning drop-off point. 

Crucial Packing Reminder: When arriving at Aberdeen, please keep your Race Day Bag/Running Pack fully packed (as if you were stepping onto the trail) and separate from your hold luggage. You must bring this pack onto the ferry with you. We cannot issue your tracking device if your pack is packed away in the event vehicles.

Catering Schedule 

The first meal provided by Rat Race will be the evening meal on registration day. Thereafter, all breakfasts, Pit Stop lunches, and evening meals will be provided by Rat Race, with the exception of the final day in Lerwick, where everyone will be off exploring at their own leisure. 

Breakfasts: A hearty mix of hot cooked items and continental selections designed to fuel long endurance days. On early-departure mornings, high-energy "grab-and-go" options will be provided. 

Evening Meals: A substantial dinner served at our overnight accommodation. Additional courses and drinks are to be covered individually. 

Pit Stops  

Pit Stops will be held roughly every 15km to 20km along the daily route (typically 3 locations per day depending on road access). 

Stocking: All stops will be fully loaded with water and a mixture of sweet and salty snack options. Some Pit Stops will have hot water for tea/coffee provision. 

Mid-Day Stop: The designated mid-day Pit Stop will feature more substantial food items such as wraps, sandwiches, or rolls as an ‘on-the-go’ lunch offering. 

Dietary Requirements 

You will have the opportunity to formally log all allergies, medical dietary restrictions, and lifestyle choices (e.g., Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free) via your digital Participant Information Form prior to the event. As long as we are informed of requirements in advance, we will do our best to cater for everyone. 

Personal Nutrition Tip: While our stops are fully stocked, if your stomach relies on specific sports gels, powders, or bars, please bring them with you. Everybody should have a personal stash including a few of their favourite go-to’s. You can carry your daily supply in your race vest and store bulk spares in your Pit Stop bag. If you have strict requirements due to severe allergy or niche preferences, we always recommend bringing a good backup supply of your own.

There will be many road running sections. Shetland's roads are scenic but remain fully live public highways. You must remain highly vigilant at all times, even if it feels like roads are quiet, they are used and we must all use good road safety and courtesy etiquette at all times.  

Visibility: We encourage everyone to wear something high-vis on days involving road running. This may be high-vis clothing, or simply a high-vis strap / bib to wear over your clothing and/or running pack. 

Positioning: Run on the right-hand side facing oncoming traffic unless approaching a blind bend. Use passing places to step completely off the tarmac and allow local vehicles to pass safely. 

Headphone Policy: Bone-conduction headphones are permitted at low volumes on trails. However, all music players MUST be turned off completely when running on or alongside any public roads. If a marshal instructs you to remove headphones, comply immediately. 

In any medical or safety emergency, always call the Rat Race Event Director/Safety Line FIRST. Do not immediately dial 999 unless you cannot establish communications with the event crew. 

Why? We have dedicated support vehicles, specialized medics, an excellent understanding of the event route (including access points), and live satellite tracking. In almost all scenarios, our internal safety matrix can reach you significantly faster than standard public emergency services. This is not to say that we cannot or should not engage with 999, however, the first port of call should always be the event team. 

Serious / Life-Threatening Incident: Call the Event Director immediately. If you cannot get a signal on that specific network but have "Emergency Calls Only" capability, dial 999 and state your location using your GPS watch coordinates or a What3Words address. 

Minor Injuries / Dropping Out: If you experience a minor issue (e.g., minor sprains, severe blisters) or simply wish to retire, please continue moving safely to the next official Pit Stop if possible. Inform the staff there, and they will arrange transport to the evening accommodation. If movement is not possible or is causing you discomfort, call the Event Director and they will intercept you with an event vehicle at the earliest opportunity. 

Contact Information: All vital crew phone numbers will be pinned in the event's dedicated WhatsApp group, which will be launched in the weeks leading up to departure. Save these numbers directly to your contacts before arriving at the Aberdeen terminal. 

Rat Race utilizes top-tier satellite tracking units attached directly to your running pack. There are two main purposes for this.  

The primary function is safety and Race Management. It allows our event team to ensure everyone is following the correct event route, and will aid us in advising you if you have wandered off course. Further, in the instance that you or someone near you comes into difficulty, it helps us to find you and get help to you more quickly.  

The secondary function is spectator tracking. There will be a public tracking map link generated for family and friends to view your progress from home. 

Crucial Note for Friends & Family: Satellite tracking technology is not entirely infallible. Signal drops can occur in deep valleys, or units can temporarily freeze if blocked by heavy gear inside a pack. Please explicitly warn your friends and family not to panic or contact local emergency services if your tracker stops moving on the map. Our dedicated event safety team monitors the tracking matrix constantly. If an anomaly occurs, we have internal protocols to verify your safety. Third-party interference can severely disrupt active event management and waste emergency services’ time. 

While Rat Race maintains comprehensive public liability insurance, we strongly insist that all participants secure individual Personal Accident and Travel Insurance that explicitly covers multi-sport endurance events, remote wilderness medical extraction, and trip cancellation. This ensures you are fully protected financially should an injury or unexpected circumstance prevent you from starting or finishing the expedition. 

This event is a group adventure, not a race. We expect an exemplary level of camaraderie. Look out for your fellow runners. If you encounter someone in distress, you are required to stop, assist, and communicate the situation to the next available crew member or via the emergency channels.