Bill Johnson

In 2022 I had made plans to do the Dragon’s Back Race. I joined the support team that year to earn credits to pay for an entry into the race in 2023. Being in the race support team was a wonderful experience in itself! I was part of the hill team — putting out and bringing in controls amongst other tasks. The team I was with were all amazing mountain folk and it gave an insight into the impressive organisation behind the scenes.

My friend and clubmate Dougie Zinis, fresh from success at the Spine and a superb Wainwrights Round, was also entered into this year’s race. It would be good to join Dougie.

Preparations

So after abandoning a Paddy Buckley Round attempt, I spent the next three months focused on the Dragon’s Back, that would take place in the first week of September. I reccied almost all of the route.

It rained on every single one of those recce weekends. A lot!

Two or three weeks before the event I stopped having any caffeine or alcohol.

Over the last couple of years my knees have got progressively more painful if I run more than an hour or two. So I sought help and advice from the excellent Charlotte at Back 2 Fitness (highly recommended!) She showed me how to tape them to reduce the pain. That worked perfectly. I also taped my toes where I know that in the past I have got blisters.

Anne volunteered with the support team this year. It was a wonderful boost to see her at the camp at the end of each day.

We drove to Conwy on Friday 1st September. The race doesn’t start until Monday but Anne needs to be there to get trained in setting up tents! We found an excellent guest house to stay in. Two Belgian runners, Uzi and Pawel were staying there too. They were great company.

The magic of Conwy Castle ©No Limits Photography

Day 1: the big mountains

Relatively short mileage but over the biggest mountains in Wales — Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Carneddau, Glyders, etc.

The start of the Dragon’s Back is very dramatic — in the courtyard of the atmospheric Conwy Castle, in the dark, with a Welsh male-voice choir belting out stirring music.

We start by running along the battlement walls for some considerable distance. Not being one to push to the front I was quite far back and it took nine minutes more for me to finally leave the battlements and start running than for Dougie near the front.

One of the few benefits of getting older is experience at pacing. I pace myself well at the start of things like this and then move past so many people who have gone out hard, too full of adrenaline. If the pace you are going at is not one that you think you’ll be able to do by the end, then you’re going too fast.

I was pretty much exactly halfway in the field (148th out of 298) at the first checkpoint after 38 minutes, and still only in 111th by checkpoint two after 1hr45min. By checkpoint three I was 73rd and by checkpoint four I was 55th.

The race coincided with a heat wave in Wales. That heat was going to be the big problem for pretty much everyone.

At the support point at Ogden I made an efficient pitstop — eating my custard, drinking lots of water, filling my water bottles, dunking my hat in the water butt, taking some more food from my bag and heading out away from the heat of the valley. It was only now that I moved into the leading 10% of the field. By the top of the climb of Tryfan, five hours after the start, I was in 26th.

I passed the cheery Henry Gurney on the way up Tryfan, and the equally cheery Gary Thwaites. Both would be friendly presences all week, along with many other great characters who you end up running with.

I skirted around the first of the Glyders — since it wasn’t a checkpoint and I know how rocky it is along there.

It was when I got down to Pen-y-Pass after 7.5 hours that the heat finally overwhelmed me, and I would only get worse for the next four hours until the finish. There had been no breeze to alleviate the heat wave. At the water point at PyP I dunked my hat, refilled my water bottles, drank one of them straight down and filled it up again. My mistake was not to stay here longer until I was thoroughly hydrated and my body core temperature had lowered a bit. Instead I left too swiftly.

On the trek to Crib Goch I could only move slowly. I was fortunate to find a stream where I did stop for a while, drinking my fill before continuing. I had been in 22nd place at PyP but the 9 runners behind me either overtook or caught me up along here.

My heart felt like it was thumping out of my chest from the heat and exertion. I know that I need to ease back and I had a long sit down in the shade at the start of Crib Goch to get things under control. I found it really difficult to eat on the hill in these conditions, but while sat down recovering I could take on food.

Crib Goch itself was dry, which made the scramble onto the ridge a lot less scary than my recce! This ridge is fun. There were half a dozen mountain rescue crew posted at intervals to help guide runners where to put their feet. The pinnacles section of the ridge had been quite scary on my recce with one very exposed move, but the mountain rescue guy showed me an alternative.

Carnedd Ugain is no longer a checkpoint so I opted to contour below it. I was surprised to hear the marshal at the next checkpoint say that I was only the third person so far to take that route.

At the top of Snowdon, I still needed more fluid and to ease my level of exertion. Surprisingly there wasn’t too much of a queue at the café at the top, so I bought two bottles of fanta.

The next climb is Y Lliwedd, but again there is no checkpoint on the top so I opted to contour around it. I don’t think this gained me much time, but I don’t think I lost time either.

I arrived into camp at about 17:30, dripping with sweat. It was great to see Anne in camp. She told me I must be high up in the results since not many full-course runners had come in yet, but I didn’t believe her!

In camp, first thing I did was to cool down in the stream, to bring my core temperature down. Only then could I do other things like eat.

A third of the 298 starters had either quit or been timed out after this first day (most moving to the Hatchling course).

To my amazement I was in 21st place!.

Getting ‘dragon mail’ was wonderful — seeing messages and knowing people were watching my dot was a real mental boost to keep me going.

I am organised in camp — I have to be because otherwise the time just rushes past. I had a checklist of things to do: eat, wash, charge watch and phone, hang kit to dry, talc feet, have recovery drink, retape knees, clean teeth, replenish food in rucksack for next day, replenish dropbag with food for the support point.

I didn’t sleep very well and had to go to the loo twice in the night after drinking so much to recover from being dehydrated.

Day 2: quieter mountains

Generally a longer day than yesterday, over more remote mountains: Cnicht, Moelwyns, Rhinogs.

Although it was even hotter today, this was the only day with a stiff breeze. So much so that my hat kept blowing off. But the breeze did alleviate the high temperatures and today I didn’t feel so much heat exhaustion.

Rather than queue for breakfast, kit check and the start with all the people wanting to get the earliest possible start, I started after the rush, at about 6:20.

The first half of the day went pretty smoothly. After being 160th to start, I overtook people all the way through to be 14th to the support point some 6.5 hours later.

To mitigate the heat, the organisers had encouraged everyone to take half an hour at the support point, to cool their bodies down and take on water.

I took a direct route, that I had reccied in advance, up to the first Rhinog. It cut out a big corner, though it probably doesn’t gain a huge amount of time. Alyssa Clark the Californian runner saw me take it and asked if she could follow — fine by me. She was good company and very strong, pulling easily away once we neared the top.

On the way down from that first Rhinog, the leader and eventual winner Hugh Chatfield came flying past. He was going at a very impressive rate down the tricky descent.

Then on the way up the second Rhinog, the exhaustion and heat got me. I had to sit down in the shade and concentrate on eating some food. I didn’t mind losing places as others came past — it was more important to make sure I got to the end. My tiredness and slow pace continued for the next couple of hours until we turned to descend from the final peak Diffwys. Once we hit the long track down — 10km from the final checkpoint on descending forest track and road — I started motoring again. I didn’t gain any places amongst those still on the full course, but felt good.

My camp priority all week was first to dunk in cold water to bring my core temperature down (at the end of day 2 is the one time in the race that there are showers — wonderful!), then to eat and do all the prep for the next day.

Day 3: a route of two halves

Busy mountain (Cadair Idris) and quieter hills first, then rolling trails for the second half

The third day starts with the six mile Cadair Idris ridge, the final big mountain in North Wales. It’s a lovely, broad, high-level route and on this beautiful sunny day there were lots of walkers out. Of course I would have preferred cooling rain to the heat.

On the far end of the ridge I deliberately took a lower route that is slightly easier running. I think it gained me a grand total of about a minute.

On the way into the water point, the first two women, Robyn Cassidy and Victoria Thompson came flying past. Like Hugh yesterday it was very impressive the rate they were shifting at.

Down in the valley the heat was getting oppressive. At the water point I drank lots, filled up my bottles again, dunked my hat in the water and was off again.

The sun was shining on day 3 ©Reuben Tabner | Bib Number Photography

I gained a minute on another shortcut on Tarren Hendre. But it was not long later, after six hours of exertion, that the heat got to me today. We were in lower hills and I had run out of water. There was nowhere after Tarren Hendre to fill up until we started the descent into the forest. I remembered a good big stream here, but when I got there to my horror it was completely dried up!

Trudging up Tarren y Gesail was a slow march for me. I was questioning my life choices at that point. I stopped at the top for a break and to get some food down. My descent through the forest was considerably slower than it had been when I had reccied it.

After the descent, we go through the town of Machynlleth, a veritable oasis. In the Spar I bought an ice-cream, some frozen yoghurt and a drink. At the support point shortly afterwards, I took the full allowed 30 minutes and a bit more. Being sprayed with cold water on the way into the support point was heavenly!

After the support point comes a lot of rolling trail, but the initial climb went on far longer than I remembered! Every time I left a support point during the week I was on a go-slow. I couldn’t get any speed up, mostly because I was still digesting the food I had crammed down.

At the end of the day there is one final, smallish climb to Pumlumon Fawr. On the way, the GPX route takes you on a horrible trail on one side of the river, but it is far better to cross and go on a better path on the other. That gained me about 5 minutes.

Finally into the finish camp at a little before 8pm. Day 3 was my longest day at 13 hours. I had slipped a few places in the overall results, now that we are out of the big mountains and after feeling badly affected by the heat today.

With a relatively late finish, time seemed short to do everything needed in camp. But on the plus side, the camp staff had dammed a stream to form a lovely plunge pool to cool down in. And equally welcoming, ice-lollies were handed out at the finish line… what a great idea!

Time to cool down at the support point ©No Limits Photography

Day 4: low-level running

Through the remote Elan Valley (Rhayader) and rarely-walked hills

I knew that today was the fast day. We don’t go above 640m (2100’) and have lots of firm forest trails and quiet roads to run on. But also some lovely grassy hills and some wild country around the hill of Drygarn Fawr. Today was the one slightly overcast day, so that was brilliant! I even felt half a dozen raindrops at one point.

I made a relatively early start for me to maximise the cool morning before the sun came up.

With the slightly overcast day I didn’t feel as bad from the heat as on previous days. Again I took the maximum allowed time at the support point to recover. I’m able to eat better on the hill today, and that would continue for the rest of the week, so that was a real boost.

On the road at the end I ran alongside Andy Richardson. We got a pretty good pace going on the 10km of road to the finish.

Today was a good day for me. I regained a couple of places overall. I find the trudge to Drygarn Fawr takes forever and grinds me down, but apart from that it was good.

I had developed a big blister on the top of one of my toes. I went to the medic tent to get their advice on whether to leave it alone or do anything with it. The medics are so busy — there was a queueing system so I put my number down and waited an hour or so. In the meantime, I fixed a couple of other hotspots.

When Ally the medic saw the blister she said it was full of blood and needed to be drained now, so she skillfully cut into the blister, drained and dressed it.

The day 4 challenge is tackling the tarmac on tired legs ©Reuben Tabner | Bib Number Photography

Day 5: Brecon Beacons

Minor roads first and then lots of hills, including the Brecon Beacons

I prepared for what is, for many, the biggest day. Lulled by flatter routes yesterday and for the first part of today, the steep climbs and descents that come swiftly one after the other on the second part of this day can be make-or-break. Get through this day, though, and there is only one more, shorter, day left.

I made an early start (6:17) but was still in the latter half of those still on the full course.

There is a hill to start with. That’s followed by three hours of mostly road, that I managed to get a decent pace going on. The top runners, forced to start later, came past me on the ascent of the first proper mountain, Fan Brycheiniog, the highest point in the Black Mountains and an impressive, isolated mountain.

The mountains come fast on the second half of this day, after Fan Brycheiniog: Fan Gyhirych, Fan Nedd, Fan Llia, Fan Fawr, then after a water stop at the Storey Arms, it’s the Bannau Brycheiniog: Pen y Fan, Cribyn, Fan y Big followed by a remote cairn in the east and a very steep descent and seemingly never-ending woodland path to the finish.

Because of the continued heat, the organisers had allowed 30 minutes rest at two places — your time at both (up to 30 minutes each) would be taken off your total time. I made the most of that, cooling down, drinking and eating. As before, I am slow to start after each one, but it pays dividends in the end.

Just like the route profile I had a series of ups and downs today — struggling at times, but feeling like I was flowing easily at others. Once I loosened up, I really enjoyed this section. I was on my own for large sections. The heat had been sapping again but now we were up high so it was tolerable. I felt ecstatic that I was going to make it into camp before dark — neither the descent nor the woodland path at the end would have been much fun by headtorch.

I arrived into the camp at 19:40. One more day to go. It would still be a long day, and there could still be a disaster or injury, but hopefully I would make it to the end.

Day 5 returns to the higher mountains ©Reuben Tabner | Bib Number Photography

Day 6: industrial towns to Cardiff

Through Merthyr Tydfil and industrial lands to Cardiff Castle

Much of the final day is fast — trail, cycle path, road. But as was the case with the whole week I am very impressed with how well planned the route is. They could have easily taken us on direct roads but instead there are a lot of interesting little paths on the way, and some hills — like the initial broad one up to old quarries high above Merthyr Tydfil with a lovely long, wild-pony inhabited, gradual grassy run off.

You can understand why in the past it ended before the built up areas of South Wales, but equally it feels much more complete to reach the south coast, and go castle-to-castle.

The roads on this day were never going to suit me. I found it especially painful descending on tarmac. But I maintained a decent pace.

We got to the water point after 7.5 hours. The pub was open and many runners were getting drinks and sandwiches. But it was so busy I didn’t feel like stopping. I only stayed a short while and then set off again, and now I felt great! It was less than two hours but I motored from there to the finish, passing about 30 people.

And so it was I reached Cardiff Castle at 4pm. There were huge crowds lining the finish route and it was a tremendous atmosphere. I could see Anne cheering and I crossed the line… 18th overall, first v55, and with a new v55 record for this 6-day route.

One of the finish line crew told me that they’d had a bet beforehand on who they reckoned was most likely to finish, and he had picked me. He was more confident than I had been!

Anne had booked us into a hotel room for that night. To have a proper shower was absolutely fantastic. Then back to the presentations to get awarded with a dragon memento before crashing out in an actual bed. Tomorrow will be a long bus trip back to our car at Conwy.

A wonderful finish in Cardiff Castle ©Reuben Tabner | Bib Number Photography

Aftermath

My blistered feet are still sore a couple of weeks later. My feet have swelled up, but they returned to normal size after a week.

I am still glowing, not just from the sunburn but from the highs of the event. I had far exceeded my expectations.

Now Anne and I are toying with volunteering to help on the Cape Wrath Ultra in 2023 with a view to me doing it in 2024…