# 2017 Dragons Back Race Is Underway!



## Northerner (May 22, 2017)

The world’s toughest five-day mountain race got underway this morning. At 7:00am, 223 competitors from 24 countries set out on the 2017 Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race from Conwy Castle. Over the next five days, our participants will attempt to complete a course of 315 kilometres, including 15,500 metres of ascent (almost twice the height of Everest).

Follow progress live here:

http://event.opentracking.co.uk/dragonsb17/

Looks like they've landed on the hottest week of the year to do it!


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## Copepod (May 22, 2017)

After being in volunteer marshal support team in both 2012 (straight from being a Games Maker at Paralympics) and 2015, I'm looking forward to a more restful week of watching friends' dots, reading reports etc each evening after a full day at work. First day is the toughest, most of Snowdonia 3000ft peaks. Far more runners this year, so I hope the atmosphere will be as good.


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## Northerner (May 22, 2017)

Copepod said:


> After being in volunteer marshal support team in both 2012 (straight from being a Games Maker at Paralympics) and 2015, I'm looking forward to a more restful week of watching friends' dots, reading reports etc each evening after a full day at work. First day is the toughest, most of Snowdonia 3000ft peaks. Far more runners this year, so I hope the atmosphere will be as good.


Hope your friends do well!


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## Copepod (May 30, 2017)

1st and 2nd women and men were all friends. Another friend completed his 4th DBR- the only person to start all 4 races, let alone complete. Another friend completed his second, after volunteering in 2015, raising money for the head injuries charies who helped him before he first ran in 2012.
For explanation, Dragon's Back Race has taken place in 1992 (when runners had to run in pairs), 2012, 2105 and 2017. I volunteered in 2012 & 2015.
@Northerner


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## Northerner (May 30, 2017)

Copepod said:


> 1st and 2nd women and men were all friends. Another friend completed his 4th DBR- the only person to start all 4 races, let alone complete. Another friend completed his second, after volunteering in 2015, raising money for the head injuries charies who helped him before he first ran in 2012.
> For explanation, Dragon's Back Race has taken place in 1992 (when runners had to run in pairs), 2012, 2105 and 2017. I volunteered in 2012 & 2015.
> @Northerner


Wow! Well done to all your friends!  

It's the sort of thing that, in my head, I'd love to be able to do, but I couldn't do the training without getting injured because of the mileage you have to put in  Love to hear of others doing these things though, it really demonstrates what incredible things human beings can achieve!


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## Copepod (May 30, 2017)

For Dragon's Back Race, it's not just running fitness you need, but also navigational ability and sound mountain judgement. Something like Great Lakeland 3 Day or ROC Mountain Marathon is more feasible - you can go as pair or solo, so could partner with someone with better nav / mountain skills. I've done GL3D as a solo, Saunders Lakeland MM with brother in law, KIMM with partner (after BiL got ill week before) etc. I'm trying to line up a partner for ROC MM in Sept, probably a younger relative, so that I can use my nav skills to introduce them to this type of race.


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