Dragon’s Back Race 2024 “The World’s Toughest Mountain Race” 380km down the spine of Wales with 16,400m of elevation (twice Everest!)
When I entered Dragon’s Back, I didn’t really know what I’d let myself in for! It gradually dawned on me through the year that this was well beyond anything I’d done before. Day 1 in particular was a biggy – something I realised I needed help with – cue an excellent organised recce in May with @rawadventures . That recce gave me both confidence I could do Crib Goch and also dangerously, knowledge of what was to come! This was not a race for me – this was an extreme challenge and something I was equally determined to enjoy (a “6 day half-board running holiday” as it was billed!). I knew Day 1 was a critical challenge and could only focus on that as I made my way to Conwy Castle on the North coast of Wales.
Day 1
Just after 5:30am I walked into the castle with Michelle and then we parted company as she headed up onto the cross-wall and I lined up at the start line below. After an atmospheric rendition from a Welsh male voice choir and some quiet reflection time, at 06:00am we were off! Apparently the first 2k was “ceremonial” (not timed?) due to the hazards of running around the castle walls. I’m not sure everyone got the message, but in the dark conditions I took it very easy. Best not fall before leaving Conwy!
The weather forecast had swung massively in the week before the race, and in true Welsh style it added to the challenge from the off – torrential rain and visibility down to about 50m for the first half of the first day! After midday the weather cleared up to reveal the big climbs of the day – Tryfan, the Gylders and the eagerly awaited Crib Goch ascent to Snowdon!! Time for scrambling and rock climbing for the last 14miles! Once up onto the ridge and the views across to Snowdon were spectacular, giving me my first (of many during the week) overwhelming feeling of euphoria!! Before and after Snowdon they managed to add in more extreme scrambling and a big climb I’d forgotten about (bringing me back down to earth)! Then a steep descent into camp and “wooohooo” (as per the ‘Gary House’ video!). Into camp and almost immediately the inevitable gremlins were on my back – how on earth am I’m going to do this again tomorrow?! I had got the big day done….but then I realised day 2 was arguably even bigger!
| Kit As you would expect from an adventure like this, the mandatory kit is reassuringly extensive. Spare layers, waterproofs, gloves, hats, first aid kit, survival bag, head torch, compass, map etc. With extra kit in the event of cold and hot weather. The challenge was fitting all the mandatory kit, spare kit for 6 days, sleeping bag & mat, and food for 6 days split across my running pack, day support bag (strict maximum 2.5kg in a defined Ortlieb bag checked with calibrated scales every day) and camp bag (strict maximum 15kg in a defined Ortlieb bag). I realised I had to be much more organised than usual and ended up packing and repacking virtually every day in the week before the event, with constant checking I was within the weight limits. It felt like planning for a Ryanair flight! |
Day 2 was a truly stunning day across unbelievably remote landscapes (with pretty good weather). The first half was a real mix of rocky climbs, very boggy sections and some road sections. I have to say the infamous bum slide on the steep grassy descent from the summit of Cnict was both super scary and exhilarating! The second half over the Rhinogs was absolutely brutal and close to breaking me – the steep climbs were relentless and the technical terrain sapping. During this day I became more alert to the guidance times and cut offs – I usually had more than hour to play with, but they made me think – I needed to keep focused. Especially with my ankle tendonitis starting to slow me down on the more technical terrain. Thankfully the last 10km was on runnable track/road and I was able to get into camp before dark. Could I really do this again for another 4 days…?
| Navigation The Dragon’s Back route is defined on an official map (and a GPX file) as guidance and mandatory sections. The mandatory sections are self-explanatory, along with mandatory checkpoints usually on summits (a transponder picked up the tracker we were wearing on our packs). The guidance sections are usually the best route, but there are other options and this is where I found those with local knowledge or had extensively recced the route had a real advantage. Knowing ‘short-cuts’ could take around 2 miles off the day’s running. All that said, with a good watch with navigation, it’s fairly straightforward to keep on course (or at least going in the right direction)! |
Day 3
With 108km completed in the first 2 days including 6800m of elevation, the Dragon was starting to bite! However I was now starting to get into the routine and thinking maybe this was possible.
On day 3 (65km, 2800m elevation), after climbing Cadair Idris straight out of the blocks (in clag), we left the rugged Snowdonia for the remoteness of the Cambrian mountains. This was at last more runnable. Although dropping into Machynlleth at half way, the buzz of civilisation was a major shock to the senses! This was the first chance to buy some different food although I couldn’t really decide what I wanted, in the end opting for chocolate and orange juice. The rest of the day was fairly runnable trails across beautiful uninhabited landscapes. Towards the end of this day was an example where I stayed on the ‘guidance route’ which was a tough going long grassy trod, but noticed many others had followed a very runnable track on the other side of the valley. I finished this day in possibly my lowest spirits and feeling very empty. It wasn’t all smiles!
| Nutrition With 6 days to cater for, I realised early in my training block I was going to need to mainly go for ‘real’ food versus gels and energy bars (taste boredom not to mention the expense). I was also well aware that my usual ultra-running sickness would equal a DNF at Dragon’s Back! The food would also need to be non-perishable and still be fresh after 6 days. I gradually built up a mix of sweet and savoury snacks: Flapjacks, cereal bars, mini-cheddars, mini-battenburg cakes, salt & vinegar crisps, peanut M&Ms and some top up gels. I am so pleased to report I absolutely nailed this plan – and much to my son’s dismay I brought very little food back with me! As you can imagine the calorie requirements of an event like this and even with big breakfasts, dinners and the food above, whenever I had the opportunity I bought coke and treat foods from shops on the route. All food and water needed to be carried and there was only one support point each day to top up water and pick up your own food from the support bag (no additional food was provided). I was pleased I opted for a 2L bladder in addition to the 2 x 500ml flasks – even though it wasn’t hot this year, this helped me stay hydrated. |
Day 4 was supposed to be the easier day (69km, 2300m elevation) and I’d recced a fair bit of the Elan Valley section. However the reality was this was a really hard day at times – a mixture of bogs, a ‘forest of doom’ (where someone had fallen and dislocated their shoulder in a previous year) and some arduous long sections of road (especially the last 5km in torrential rain).
After a combined 49 hours of running, walking, scrambling and climbing, my body was starting to complain (and I was visibility ageing)! At the end of day 4 it was time to visit the increasingly popular (and impressive) medical tent for treatment to my ankle (pre-existing niggle, now very swollen) and wrist tendonitis (from use of poles), and sore big toes. The medical team were truly amazing, and even though they worked very long hours, apparently it was easier than the NHS!
I had now become more conscious of the harsh cut-offs times. Day 5 is notoriously the toughest (and longest) of day of them all, with the Brecon’s lying ominously in wait. Held together with Rock Tape, Michelle asked me if I was going to make it, I answered “ I don’t know”….
| Camp logistics Camps consisted of 8-person tents, and communal tents for catering, a dining area with chargepoints, kit drying with large (noisy) heaters and fans, medical, and control/safety/crew. An amazing set-up given these were rolling operations following us south across Wales! A lot of people talk about the importance of camp admin, with the more organised ‘dragons’ having a task list written out. In true CM style I thought about this the night before the start and came up a rough idea in my head! In practice after a few days, I think I nailed it! 1. Cross the finish line and ignore the strong desire to collapse on the floor! Collect my day support bag and camp 15kg bag from the volunteer, and find my tent. 2. Empty the camp bag into my pod, find my cup and get some soup from the catering tent. Wash in the river and get some dry clothes on. 3. Blow up my mattress and lay out my bed. Head over to the communal area with my bag of key items for the next tasks… 4. Put my watch and phone on to charge at the charging area (essential in the modern era!); 5. Hang up any wet kit in the ‘drying tent’ (varying effectiveness and very smelly!) 6. Get some (lots of) food – always including chips! The food was excellent and unlimited (always veggie/vegan) e.g. chilli, curry, a lush veg pie. I loved the stodgy puddings, usually seconds were needed. 7. Collect my “Dragon mail” – a print out of messages from the tracker site – these were massively uplifting, really helping to keep the Gremlins at bay. 8. Do my Duolingo – limited wifi just about held up to keep my streak! 9. Wash up my plastic plate, bowl, cup and cutlery 10. Do my teeth, toilet and bed! The additional logistical puzzle was fitting in a trip to the medical tent later in the week. An incredible operation with medics and physios. A bit like a mini-A&E, patients were checked in and triaged. Given the limited hours available, I found the best way was getting my name on the list as soon as I crossed the line, going away to do admin and then coming back (with food on my plate). In the morning it was effectively the reverse of the above waking at 4:15am to be ready for breakfast at 5am. I attempted to get as much food in as I could – porridge, scrambled eggs, beans, sausages, hash browns and a nice cup of tea. Then it was pack up with the aim of getting the mandatory kit check done in time to get across the start line as close to 6am as possible (to maximise time against cut-offs!). {2 camp photos above from the Dragon’s Back website}. |
Day 5
The routine 4:15am wake up alarm and I carefully peeled myself from the blow-up mattress and mobilised myself ready for the 5am breakfast. It was now becoming a real challenge to very slowly limp around camp in Glastonbury style mud (in sliders!), and mentally prepare myself for the big day (longest distance at 71km and with a back-end loaded 3200m of elevation). It was BRECONS day!
In addition to my concerns about my ankle, sleep deprivation and cumulative fatigue is a big part of this event (I think I averaged about 3 hours sleep a night). That all said, as soon as crossed the start line, my legs miraculously were able to run and I felt (relatively) good. The first 20km was very runnable and I decided to take advantage. The air was very humid and we were warned at the first major checkpoint that the route might be changed due to the lightning risk. As much as I would like to avoid the big climbing today, deep down that would have been a major anti-climax. Over the first major climb and down into the support point I was happy to see I was 1hr50 inside the cut-off. The weather had cleared and the next section over to the foot of Pen-y-Fan was really hard going with bogs, steep climbs and the ‘vertical hedge’. But as I climbed Fan Fawr I could see my ‘playground’ where I’d done a lot of my preparation for this race. A quick ‘Dr Pepper’ and ‘Twix’ from the burger van at ‘Storey’s arms’, I passed through the support point and was slightly concerned I was now only 70mins inside the cut-off. Wow that section was tough! Starting the ‘Pen-y-Fan horseshoe’ at 5pm probably seems bonkers in the real world, but I had a mission to complete it by 10pm. Up on the ridge was the most amazing time of Dragon’s Back for me, stunning views – which I had seen many times before – but now it was so peaceful, with just a few dragons for company. Along with the realisation that I was going to complete this which overwhelmed me with emotion. As I started the steep descent into camp, it started to rain and get dark. So for the first time this week the headtorch was needed to finish the day. I negotiated the riverside footpath from hell. After lots of swearing and 3 falls, I was out and into camp after 14hr46 ouch! Broken, but over the moon I’d done it! Sadly some fellow dragons who I’d run with during the week were not so lucky, brutal.
Day 6
I’d never really thought about Day 6, essentially thinking it was a ‘procession’ into Cardiff on the Taff Trail. But oh no this is the DBR, still an ultra (65km, 1200m elevation) to go, and they still managed to find various hills and another vertical hedge to contend with! My main challenge through the day was trying to overcome the massive calorie deficit I’d built up. 2 ‘coke and chocolate stops’, Welsh cakes at the support point and extra gels managed to take me through the final km’s to a truly atmospheric and tremendously emotional finish line at Cardiff Castle, reunited with Michelle and family! Finishing with a total of 74hrs56 of time on the trails (66th overall, 4th in category). 124 finished of the 374 starters tells it’s own story.
| Learnings 1. Hoka Mafate’s are great all-round shoes and were perfect on gravel, grass, rock and tarmac. Very comfortable and no blisters – just 2 very bruised big toes (common for me). However they were lethal in the mud/bog – at times I just couldn’t stay upright! New shoes to be considered for similar terrain! 2. As my son’s would say “It’s a skill issue”! Despite getting across to the Brecons multiple times in training, it’s clear I needed lots more practice at running on this terrain, and scrambling/climbing. The faster runners came gliding past me every day (after starting later). Taking the best lines (trods) and knowing ‘short-cuts’ can make a difference. 3. I also discovered I’m actually quite slow at walking, and I can probably get better at using poles. 4. I hate “tussocks” especially with a dodgy ankle! 5. I felt I made some big strides in nutrition, although it will be interesting to see if I can still eat similarly in ultra’s with more running (at a faster pace). 6. I’m not sure if I’ll ever do anything quite as incredible as this, but I would love to spend more time in the mountains…. |
Dragon’s Back Race 2024 “The World’s Toughest Mountain Race” 380km down the spine of Wales with 16,400m of elevation… ‘Completed it’! What an incredible journey, the toughest and best challenge I’ve ever experienced and maybe ever will. The before & after photos might well show this was a savage challenge, but also epic and truly majestic at times.
Thank you so much to Michelle and my family for all the support as ever. To everyone who sent me Dragon Mail – that was so important in banishing those Gremlins each night! To all the Dragon’s Back team – a truly magical team – from support & safety crew, caterers, medical team, everyone!
The dragon took chunks out of me – but I have him tamed and safely home….
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