Excitement ahead as participants gather in Conwy for the 2023 Montane Dragon’s Back Race®

Today 300 ultra-runners from around the world gathered in Conwy to register ahead of the start of the 2023 Montane Dragon’s Back Race®. This iconic stage race takes participants on a 380km journey from Conwy Castle to Cardiff over the tops of some of the most breath-taking and famous mountains in Wales. 

New for this year, participants are also given the option to complete the shorter Hatchling course. This is a choose-your-own-adventure course, where participants can opt to do either the first half or the second half of each day. This allows runners to enjoy the same incredible mountain journey and experience the camaraderie and support of the overnight camps, without the same time pressure to meet cut offs.

Whether participants are planning to complete the full course or the Hatchling, the days ahead certainly present some challenges, as participants prepare themselves to embark on the journey of a lifetime.

Supporting the runners along their journey is a team of 168 Volunteers and Event Staff. This incredible team of people work together to look after our dragons both on course and in the camp. This team will move South with the event, building and breaking down each overnight camp, providing essential hill safety and medical coverage, and cooking and serving the food that will keep participants fuelled for their adventure.

This team are absolutely integral to the event, and it is often the encouragement and support of the Event Team that boost morale and keep dragons going through the highs and lows of an event as epic as the Dragon’s Back Race.

The Event Team are ready to support our runners on their journey ©No Limits Photography

The sun was shining on participants as they registered

It was a stunning day in Conwy today, with beautifully clear views up to Mynydd y Dref (the first mountain runners will climb tomorrow) as runners queued up for registration. With the weather being so pleasant, many runners hung around afterwards to socialise and soak up the atmosphere before heading to the race briefing and enjoying their welcome meal.

The uncharacteristically hot weather was certainly a big topic of conversation amongst the runners, who had perhaps anticipated the colder and wetter weather seen in more recent months. In 2021, there were more drop-outs than usual due to soaring temperatures, so it is understandable why some participants are anxious. Overall though, the atmosphere was one of excitement.

There was an atmosphere of nervous anticipation ©No Limits Photography

We caught up with some of this year’s participants ahead of their big race.

Magarida has travelled from Portugal to participate, so this warmer weather is perhaps more what she is used to. While she has a lot of experience with continuous races, she is drawn to this new challenge. She said, “This is a stage race. It’s the best one that we have in the world, so I’d like to try it. It’s my first time in Wales and I’m enjoying it!”

Alyssa Clark has also travelled a long way, coming all the way from San Diego to compete. We asked what brought her all the way to Wales. She said, “I used to live in Italy and attempted this in 2019. I had to drop out on Day 4, so I’m back to get the full experience.”

Since dropping out in 2019, Alyssa has gone onto achieve some impressive results, including winning the MOAB 240 (a 240 mile continuous race in Utah) in 2022, so she is a likely frontrunner in the ladies’ field.  

Another runner who is back for a second attempt is Niklas Löfgren from Sweden. Niklas narrowly missed the course closure time on Day 3 last year, but managed to continue on the reduced course (now formalised as the Hatchling course).  

This year he is hoping to complete the full route. He said, “I’m a bit nervous, but it’s cool because you talk to everyone else and they’re also nervous.”

He is hoping to take his experience gained from last year’s race with him this year. He said, “I know what went wrong last year so I’ve practised that. I did some wrong things then you’re here and you meet people who do things differently and you learn from their experience.”

Robyn Cassidy is running this year, having volunteered at last year’s event. After coming second in the Arc of Attrition earlier this year, she is looking to be competitive at the Dragon’s Back Race®.

She said, “I am feeling every emotion that I think is possible to feel. I’m really excited. I can’t wait to get on the hill. At the moment it’s waves of all the good stuff – all the bad stuff.”

For Robyn, the training has been an important part of her experience. She said, “I’ve had a really good year. I’ve met a lot of people. It feels like the Dragon’s Back has been a journey – not just this week, so I’m just looking forward to celebrating the end of it hopefully.” 

Robyn Cassidy prepares for the race ahead ©No Limits Photography

While there were certainly a lot of nerves, every participant we spoke to seemed absolutely determined and driven to make it to that finish in Cardiff, 6 days away. Many participants have been training for months, if not years to get to this moment. Tomorrow they will finally find themselves on the start line that they have been dreaming about for all this time.

Tomorrow - the adventure begins

It will be an atmospheric start to the race tomorrow morning, as the Dragons will set off at 6am from inside the walls of the stunning Conwy Castle.

It is set to be another scorching day, so our Dragons will need to look after themselves as they tackle the rugged landscape that awaits them. Day One is an epic route in its own right, as runners must cross the famous landscapes of the Carneddau, Tryfan and the Glyderrau and the heart-stopping scramble of Crib Goch.

With such a competitive field in the mix, it will be certainly interesting to see who emerges on top at the end of Day One.

You can track them on their journey here:

Our participants are ready and raring to go ©No Limits Photography

Inspired to follow in the footsteps of our awesome 2023 participants?

Entries are already open for the 2024 event which will take place 2nd-7th September 2024.

Sign up before 16th September and save £100 plus get a free Dragon in Training T-shirt.

Each day of the 2023 event we will be running a different promotion for those who sign up for the 2024 race – make sure you don’t miss out on these excellent incentives to help you on your way to slaying the dragon in 2024!

Join us and slay the dragon in 2024 ©No Limits Photography