Around the halfway point on day one of the Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race, the runners faced a stiff climb to the 917m summit of Tryfan. The ascent on a rocky path followed a welcome drop bag stop at a manned Support Point.

As the first runners pushed upwards, the sun appeared and chased away the morning’s low clouds.

Perhaps it was the warm rays, or the recent refuelling, but despite the effort of the ascent many participants were smiling and cheerful.

A 120-strong team of race staff and volunteers arrived in Conwy, north Wales, this weekend as final preparations were put into place for the 2019 Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race.

As the momentum towards tomorrow’s start-line grew, race director Shane Ohly said: "I am, of course, as anxious as the competitors at this stage. I want the race to go well and for everyone to enjoy the journey. Now I am putting my trust in the event team. They are a great crew and they are very experienced so it is now over to them."

More than 400 participants, arriving from 32 different countries, formed a long queue at the seaside town of Conwy, north Wales, today as they registered for the world's toughest five-day mountain running race. Each carrying a large bag of kit, they checked in and picked up race numbers, maps, safety briefings and t-shirts. Marshals ensured that their additional race rucksacks contained all the mandatory kit.

Join us in watching the 2019 (5th) edition of the legendary Berghaus Dragon's Back Race® unfold. As of Saturday 18th May, the event team already join us for briefings before participants join us for registration and their pre-race briefing on Sunday 19th May. We'll have some stories to share with you during this time and do keep an eye out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The race begins Monday morning 07:00.

After months of hard training and dedicated preparation, less than three weeks remain until over 400 brave participants set off from Conwy Castle on their challenging journey down the mountainous spine of Wales. This is the Dragon’s Back Race® - the toughest five-day mountain running race in the world.

From Course Planner Gary Tompsett & Event Manager Graham Gristwood

This update represents the final information that enables you to prepare prior to receiving your race map at Registration and the final digital version of the route.

The 2019 edition of the legendary Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race® is set to be the biggest yet with over 400 runners expected on the start line at Conwy Castle come May 20th.

Behind the scenes, the race team are busy working away on preparations, with systems being upgraded accordingly to ensure robust event delivery.

Over the winter we have been busy checking in with our stakeholders and revisiting certain sections of our route on the ground: We are always careful to ensure that we have the best running ‘flow’ and most assured access for every edition of the race. From year to year there can be changes on the ground that cause a route revision, and we learn a great deal from the GPS tracker traces from each race.

We're delighted to share the news that Ar Gefn Y Ddraig (Riding The Dragon) was joint winner of the People's Choice award at Kendal Mountain Festival 2018.