Race starts on Monday morning. Now 6 days, finishing at Cardiff Castle on Saturday.
Tracker here: https://live.opentracking.co.uk/dragonsbackrace2021/
I'm number 418 if at all interested.
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Race starts on Monday morning. Now 6 days, finishing at Cardiff Castle on Saturday.
Tracker here: https://live.opentracking.co.uk/dragonsbackrace2021/
I'm number 418 if at all interested.
Good luck. Should be decent weather for it. We'll be watching with interest.
All the best have fun.
Good luck ba-ba
Good luck, first year we haven't marshalled but plan to be out on the bike Thursday on the approaches to Rhandirmwyn and will look out for your number. Unfortunately the pub is closed that day so can't buy you a pint - or have one myself!
Well ba-ba has gone hurtling off!
Also interested to see what Matt O Keefe (MDC) does. He's gone off even quicker than ba-ba.... I had a good race with him on a medium race in the summer, but he confided that he was training for much longer stuff (although he didn't mention the DBR!)
Always places very near the front in the South Wales races, and pretty sure was top 10 at the Welsh 1000m in July.
I've been dot watching today following an old friend from Llanidloes, Lenny Hughes.
I'm new to this dot watching and would like a couple of things, which are probably obvious but I can't work out, explained.
Firstly the time in the top right corner. I am assuming that the clock started at midnight but the majority of runners have taken around 12 to 13 hours to get to Ogwen! Am I right in thinking they actually started at a more sociable time this morning?
Secondly the "live" feed in the bottom left sees runners going through the arch in in both directions. Again I assume it is a checkpoint presumably at Ogwen due to the tarmac.
ba-ba still going well (6th, I think), although he may be having trouble fighting his way through all the "Technical Safety" and "Media Team" people crowding along Crib Goch.
Edit: I think he is 8th. I have just noticed that there are two leaders way out ahead, already down from Snowdon.
The time is just the time of day, not related to start times. I think they started at 0700, so the leaders were done in about 7h30m.
The feed is now the finish, but yeah, I guess it was Ogwen earlier.
A couple of big names (Kim Collison and Marcus Scotney) dropped already.
The ba-ba doing well, lying 4th at end of day1. A few names missing from the leaderboard - looks like Scotney is out for one? Might have been a hot day up there?
If I'm reading the results correctly it appears that of the 90 that have either retired or been timed out only one, Steve Birkinshaw, made it beyond Crib Goch.
I reckon Moley will be spot on re the heat.
The first year of the new Dragons Back 2012, was a very hot first day and it was carnage even by Ogwen, a lot of runners setting off with little water bottles not appreciating there was nowhere to fill up on the tops.
No excuse for that now but even so heat will have been a factor. Set off too fast and all keen to race on first day, pay the price later. Wouldn't expect that from top runners though.
My understanding now is that for the Dragon's Back, entries are no longer vetted... you just sign a disclaimer to say you're experienced on the fells and understand this isn't just another "ultra".
That, the apparent upscaling of the event capacity, and the huge media profile it has.... it's hardly surprising that so many ill-prepared people turn up.
That said, it's still a fantastic race and route.
I think it is very hard to suitably vet people, especially with so many overseas runners. But there is no excuse not to be prepared, the figures are blatantly obvious to anyone and so much info on the race is out there on internet (any idiot can do google earth or whatever to have a vague look). The organiser goes on the basis you pay your money and enter and we shall look after you to the best of our ability - due care etc. and try to give you an event to remember. Unfortunately there will always be those that fall by the wayside, for whatever reason.
I see old Llani Lenny is out sadly, but Ba Ba is tucked in the middle pack today. You start whatever time you like in the morning (within parameters) so running position is not necessarily where you are on the leaderboard.
Could be an intriguing day with more casualties in the heat of the Rhinogs - I loved the Rhinogs but not for everyone!
Yes he is unfortunately. I don't know why but he did finish the Cape Wrath Ultra last month so perhaps a combination of that still in his legs and yesterdays heat took its toll. I'll ask him when I next see him. Oh, and he is 65!
Oh well, if he finished cape wrath he's had a good summer, take a while to recover for us oldies. I know I've met him but don't know him well. Paul Beeson from llani was in it till last week when his back went so never made it to the start.
Looks like more carnage out there with runners being taken back to base. Good to see many of yesterdays retirements are back running the 1/2 day (started at Cwm Bechan) as non competetive runners - gives them some days out in the scenery (welcome to the Rhinogs!!) which is good, not an entirely wasted trip.
Good to see Ba-ba taking some proper fell racing lines through the Rhinogs this afternoon. I hope this gains him some time. It's so much more interesting than the majority who follow the recommended track.
Ba-ba still in 4th overall.
Well over half the field out now... getting on for 2/3rds in fact.
I make it aprox 125 starters today and 245 out.
The tent crew will be happy not having to put up all the tents!
For those who have dropped out after 2 days a very expensive do at £599.50 per day!
At least they had some views!
Wonder what people think about the addition of a 6th day?
For me, it removes it too far from the original race. I appreciate that they've modified the 5th day so they can go over the Pen Y Fan range. But in that case surely they could have finished somewhere like Llanthony Abbey and then had a good 6th day on the Black Mountains range. Not being Welsh i can't really appreciate what it might mean to finish at Cardiff Castle, except for the fact they now go coast-to-coast, but like most "changes for the better", i'm not feeling it.
None of this detracts from what a tough and no doubt superb event it still is, of course.
Its probably the marketing/media men taking over and trying to make more money. The coast to coast and Castle to Castle thing is right up their street but as you say Trav's it detracts from the original concept.
The only problem that they might have this year is that the way things are going there will be more marketing and media men at Cardiff Castle than finishers!
Or maybe that is what they want so more people throw their money at them next year.
Most years it follows a similar theme... huge huge dropout in days 1 & 2, a few more on day 3, and only a handful on days 4 & 5. I'd predict 90-100 finishers this year.
Regards the extra day and possible routes, it isn't so much about the ideal route and finish as having a suitable venue for a finish.Logistics.
At the finish there may be up to 400 runners (in a good year), 100+ helpers and family friends to cheer them in. Need to have a venue to give them a buffet, bar, prize giving, showers, toilets, overnight camping and parking. Plus nearby public transport to get some away in the morning.
The area around carreg cennan castle (llandeilo) has little, last 2 races used a disused secondary school - pretty scabby and wouldn't be surprised if it was bulldozed soon for redevelopment. Few years back I spent 2 days searching the large surrounding area for them and came up with nothing. So they have to go east and add another day. Black mountains would be great last day, but you still have to end somewhere (schools are the only likely big enough places) and gain usage out of term time?
So Cardiff it is, and yes it is a better finish for sponsors with a history and backdrop. It is removed from the original, but doesn't seem to deter entrants who will mostly have no idea of that historic first race.
Plenty of the dnf runners are still out there every day doing 1/2 course, so not wasted. I hope to visit water point tomorrow and cheer the ba ba on when he comes through. Sure he will have some stories to tell when he arrives back.
Ba-ba still in 4th, consistent 4th each day... very impressive.
I'd be surprised if he caught Matt O'Keefe who is running into home territory and will surely know the best lines, but ba-ba is a very good navigator, and of course any of the current top three could drop.
And i'd be surprised if anyone outside the top 4 has the consistency to catch him...
It's not really a race, is it? It's an executive running holiday. It's an event which allows execs an opportunity to say "When I was on the Dragon's Back race" at dinner parties. The complete lack of vetting for the so-called toughest blah blah is a bit of an indicator - the entry requirement is that you are well-off/stupid enough to pay that much. It's obviously tough and there will be a high drop-out rate,but the number of drop-outs on day one is a testament to how stupid, vain, underprepared, unqualified many of the field are.
The rest of the running community needs to gave Dragon's back name-droppers the kudos they deserve. For most of them little, if any.
Lots of road in the later section of today's route. I notice the guy in second, Russell Bentley, has a marathon time of 2h20m(!) according to his profile, be interesting to see if he gains back some time.
Ba ba is looking fine and relaxed. Bentley looked on a mission with quite a bit of road ahead of him!
I obviously put the kiss of death on him, now down as dnf. No idea but he will most likely be in the pub later......
Hoping it is an electronic glitch maybe, no tracking last section and mobile signal not good. Others down as dnf that we saw going fine just 5k from finish.
Possibly a timing fault, as the Day 4 results show no splits for him, but a finish time of 8hrs48. The other dnf's seem to show split times.
Back in rightful 4th place this morning!!
Going to be interesting day and a long hard one, think we could see more timed out, now they have been softened up by 4 days in the hills!
A lot of very low cloud here, they will need to have their wits about them in the Beacons.
Caught up with old friends on site last night and talked to plenty of runners, all of whom were loving the event and saying what a wonderful place Wales is for running, without the crowds of more popular areas of UK.
[QUOTE=molehill;675587]... they will need to have their wits about them in the Beacons.
They'll also have to have their wits about them in Merthyr Tydfil tomorrow ;)