The Dragon is Back!
Rob Howard / 11.07.2011
The Dragon’s Back Race ... it’s been the stuff of legend for the past 20 years, and now it’s back!Race organiser and mountain runner Shane Ohly is to revive this classic event next September, on the 20th anniversary of a race which began as an informal fund raising challenge and then attracted the best ultra runners in the world to the Welsh mountains. Despite oil company sponsorship, extensive press coverage at the time and the phenomenal success of the original race, it only took place once and has lived on in running legend ever since.
The original race was dreamt up by Ian Waddell, after reading John Gillham’s book ‘Snowdonia to the Gower’. He took the walking route down the mountainous spine of central Wales and turned it into a 5 day stage race for runners, competing in pairs, and Ohly is reviving this iconic route. “The 2012 course will follow the original route very closely; starting at Conwy Castle in the north and tracing the mountainous spine of Wales southwards, over 5 days with approximately 220 miles and 50,000 feet of ascent, to finish at Carreg Cennen Castle. It’s an incredible route,†he explained.
Waddell quickly found his idea had appeal, and by the time the race started he had secured sponsorship from Jet Petrol and an international starting line up of the finest ultra running pedigree. Adrian Crane (running the Himalaya), Rune Larsson (10 times winner of the Spartathlon) and Stefan Schlett (who has run 469 ultras and raced in 73 countries), were all on the start line.
So were some very tough and secretive military types (SAS), but the race developed into a competition between the top UK fell runners of the time, with Martin Stone and Helene Diamantides beating Mark McDermott and Adrian Belton in a winning time of 38 hours 38 minutes. The fact a mixed pair won certainly helped the publicity … and was a bit of a shock to some of the military pairs!
Ever since, the race has been whispered about with a mix of awe and trepidation. With the help of books like Richard Askwith’s ‘Feet In the Clouds’, its reputation has reached almost legendary status with many fell, mountain and ultra runners the world over. Many runners consider the Dragon’s Back Race to be the toughest mountain running event ever organised, and now they have the chance to find out for themselves.
Those wishing to take part next year will be fully supported throughout with tented accommodation, breakfast and evening meals provided, a daily re-supply point and transportation of their overnight kit. On completion of this epic race, all the competitors and support crew will share a celebratory feast before return transport takes everyone back to Conwy in North Wales.
There is new website up at <a href="#" onClick="javascript:newsitewindow('http://www.DragonsBackRace.com')" class="main">www.DragonsBackRace.com</a> with early details and anyone considering entering should register their interest quickly as runners around the world will be keen to face the challenge of the Dragon’s Back.
