Yes! Both Dragon’s Fire and Dragon’s Tail are exceptional races in their own right; and they also offer a stepping stone to a full Dragon’s Back Race® completion in a future year, breaking down the route into more manageable chunks. 

Without doubt, the Dragon’s Tail is an incredibly challenging mountain running challenge, so please don’t underestimate it. Whilst we can’t comment on each individual’s fitness, experience, etc., what we can say is that a typical finisher of the whole Dragon’s Back Race is a reasonably experienced ‘mid pack’ runner who comes to the event after a consistent block of regular training, with a determined mindset, and their ‘admin’ absolutely dialled. 

Day Five of the Dragon’s Back Race offers one of the finest mountain running experiences, featuring a vast traverse of the Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) that links most of the iconic South Wales mountain summits. This day presents a constantly undulating and diverse terrain for the runners. However, Day Six marks a complete shift, changing from mountain and trail running to a semi-urban ultra, which includes many excellent trails, tracks, and sections of tarmac. These dramatic terrain changes are what establish the Dragon’s Back Race as a true test of all-around running ability.  

Yes! When you enter the ‘Dragon’s Back Race’, you’ll get a choice between the full course, the Dragon’s Fire and the Dragon’s Tail. Each race has its own specifications and pricing. Anyone on either of these three options can also change to the Hatchling version on the day. 

The two routes are identical. They share the same guidance, cut-off and Course Closure times, the same Support Point and the same Water Point.  

Registration will be in Cardiff, and we will provide bus transport to Llandovery, and then an MPV Shuttle to Overnight Camp 4. The roads are way too tiny to use anything other than MPVs. Dragon’s Tail participants are not allowed to transport themselves or be dropped off at Camp 4. On arrival, Dragon’s Tail participants will be straight into camp life, with an evening meal, and preparing for the epic Day 5 of the Dragon’s Back Race. 

There will be a mass start for Dragon’s Tail participants at 06:30 on Day One. On Day Two, participants can start anytime between 06:00 and 09:00. We reserve the right to mandate specific start times for faster runners. 

Not formally, because the Hatchling is for runners who complete part of the course on all six days. However, any runner who unfortunately needs to drop out or is timed out from the Dragon’s Tail will be transported to the next Overnight Camp or Finish, supported by all the additional logistics we put in place for the Hatchlings each year. 

Yes. Whether you are participating in the full Dragon’s Back Race, the Hatchling, or the Dragon’s Tail, the Start Time, Cut-Offs, and Course Closure Time remain the same. These are based on a 06:00 start and a finish by 22:00. That gives sixteen hours each day to complete the course. 

No. Most of the participants in the Dragon’s Back Race prefer to walk uphill, jog on the flats, and jog downhill. Only a select few, the very best in the event, will be running most of the time. 

No. Dragon’s Tail participants will be transported directly to Camp 4 from Cardiff on Day 4. There are excellent public transport links to Cardiff and many car parking options.  

Yes. These are provisional, but we don’t expect them to change given they are anchored to the overall Dragon’s Back Race schedule: 

Thursday (Day Four)

• 16:00-17:00 Registration, kit check 

• 17:00 Mandatory participant briefing 

• 17:30 Bus and MPV transport to Camp Four 

• 19:00 Welcome meal 

Friday (Day Five)

• 05:00-08:00 Breakfast 

• 06:00-09:00 Staggered starts (NB: fastest ~10 may be allocated start times)

• 15:00-20:00 Afternoon snacks in camp for early finishers

• 18:00-22:00 Evening meal 

• 22:00 Course closure time

Saturday (Day Six)

• 05:00-08:00 Breakfast 

• 06:00-09:00 Staggered (or chasing) starts 

• 09:00 Cardiff Castle opens to members of the public 

• 12:00 Event site (within Cardiff Castle) open to spectators, friends and family 

• 13:00 First finishers expected 

• 15:00-20:00 Afternoon snacks in Cardiff for early finishers

• 17:30 Films being shown 

• 18:00 Castle closed to the public (supporters can collect a wristband from the info point if they wish to remain) 

• 18:30 - 22:00 Celebratory meal served 22:00 Course closure time

• 18:30 Dragon’s Tail Prizegiving ceremony 

• 19:30 Dragon’s Back Race Prizegiving ceremony 

• 21:00-22:00 Last finisher expected 

• 22:00 Course closure time and bar close 

The Overnight Camps are strictly for participants only, and no friends or family are allowed on these sites (the same rule applies to the Support Point and Water Point each day). Therefore, friends and family can watch you finish at Cardiff Castle (and we would encourage this), but they cannot meet you at Camp 4 or 5. 

These requirements are the same for both the Dragon’s Tail participants and the runners on the whole Dragon’s Back Race and Hatchling. This means you must pack all your overnight gear, spare running clothes, hill food, etc., in an Ortlieb 59L PS490 Drybag that can weigh no more than 15kg. 

Yes. Runners on the Dragon’s Tail can have an Ortlieb 10L PD350 Drybag that weighs no more than 2.5kg, which we will transport to the (approximately) mid-way Support Point on days one and two. 

These are identical to the full Dragon’s Back Race requirements. 

Yes, there will be dedicated and separate results for the Dragon’s Tail.

Absolutely! We are still considering what this should be, but please expect a substantial trophy or medal for completing the Dragon’s Tail. 

Of course! After gaining a valuable insight into how the event logistics work and the experience of the Overnight Camp, you’ll be in a great place to come back in the future and either attempt the Dragon’s Fire, the Hatchling or the full Dragon’s Back Race. 

In a word, no. We have very strict rules about gaining any unfair advantage, and this includes deliberate support from another participant. However, the incredible sense of camaraderie at the Overnight Camps and trail friendships that are a hallmark of the event are wonderful and encouraged. Many participants enter as groups of friends, run together, and offer each other moral support, and that is absolutely fine.