Tips on mountain skills
Joe Faulkner and Katie Cole – both Ex-Dragons and Mountain Leaders – share their thoughts and experiences from the Dragon’s Back Race®:
How would you describe the running on the Dragon’s Back Race®?
Joe: Varied, very much so. It's certainly not a trail race. You do need to be competent on rough, rocky terrain, the boggy and tussock bits perhaps aren't as bad as they were, and overall, there is a lot of good running, especially in the latter half of the week.
Katie: The running includes just about every terrain you can find across Wales, except for sand! Expect exposed ridge scrambles, broken rock, loose scree, deep bog, tussocky moorland, muddy trails, narrow sheep trods, hard packed forest roads and tarmac. Try not to overthink your shoe choice, just make sure they are suitably broken in and comfortable for long days/swollen feet! Having a pair that is a half or one whole size larger than your usual foot size is a good idea, to allow for swollen feet towards the end of the event. I had a trusted mountain/trail shoe with plenty of grip and a more cushioned, lighter tread trail shoe for the days with more hardpacked trail/tarmac.
Jim Mann passing over the rocks of Snowdonia on day one ©No Limits Photography
What advice would you give to future Dragons who maybe haven’t spent too much time in the mountains?
Joe: Get into the mountains quickly - or you'll get spat out. Mountain walking experience is just as valuable as running mileage.
Katie: Train in the type of terrain of the event, which means going to more hilly/mountainous areas when you can. One of the most challenging aspects of the race is the ascent, which inevitably involves a similar amount of descent. This requires a significant amount of leg strength and conditioning, which is hard to develop if you don’t do much hill work. In training, condition your body to some regular long mountain days with 2000m+ of ascent, whether walking or running. If you are not confident in going to the mountains alone, perhaps consider joining a Dragon’s Back Race Recce weekend or go with some trusted friends who are more experienced. Practice using the kit you will use for the event and practice eating and drinking on the move with the foods/fluids that you will use. In training get used to checking mountain weather forecasts and be prepared for any weather, including planning escape routes from your intended route, if the weather changes unexpectedly. Be prepared when it comes to kit. There is a reason that there is a mandatory kit list for the race, these items are deemed essential for your safety in mountainous terrain. Get used to training with this kit and practice using it.
What is your most vital piece of kit and why?
Joe: The map! It gives you the overall agenda for the day. Windproof smock or gilet - so versatile, very efficient. Layer it over one or more base or mid-layers and you'll be comfortable and efficient all week. A buff or sun hat is equally important.
Katie: For safety in the mountains – map and compass. For me these automatically go together. When technology fails or human error means you forgot to charge your watch with its downloaded GPX route, a map and compass will always be there to help guide you safely off the hill, providing you know how to use them correctly! For general Dragon’s Back Race kit - personal foot care kit. However tough you think your feet may be, the terrain and distance each day will break down the skin on your feet. Without your feet being functional, you can't finish the event, so learn how to look after them! By Days 4 and 5 I was spending 1.5 hours every morning before breakfast on blister management and protective taping. The queue outside the Medical tent for foot care advice can get pretty long, and as amazing as the Medical team are, they can only see a certain number of runners at a time and will understandably prioritise need. It is much more efficient to do prevention rather than cure and learn how to do your own self-care for this event.
Look after your feet - they need to carry you across Wales! ©Guillem Casanova
“I’m pretty much a beginner when it comes to navigating in the mountains, what should I focus on to improve?”
Joe: It won't take much to learn the basics of map and compass navigation. Good basic use of the compass, to keep the map facing the right way, will really help. Book a day with a good quality navigation tutor, it will be well worth it and an investment for the future. Choose one with real experience of this type of race and quality teaching skills.
Katie: Navigation is a huge subject. It is made immensely easier now with the use of technology, including downloadable GPX routes. However, technology can and does fail! Knowing the following basics will be important for times when you potentially find yourself alone, off route or disorientated in the mountains.
Acquaint yourself with Harvey maps - which is what you will be provided with at race registration. These are a different scale to more commonly used OS maps and use different colours/features to represent what you see on the ground.
Know how to orientate your map to the ground using north on a compass. Know the basic directions north, south, east and west on the compass and how this relates to the map and ground.
Practice using a map (preferably Harveys) by walking/running in an area that you know well, get used to what you see on the ground and how it is presented on the map.
Get to know contour lines on a map and what they represent on the ground. Very narrow contours = very steep ground – if you are looking for easier ground to get off a hillside safely, look for widely spaced contours.
Consider doing a basic navigation course.
It sounds obvious but if you are planning to use a GPX route on your watch for the event, practice using this on your training runs, in conjunction with a paper or digital map, as there is still the potential for user error, especially when you are tired!
What would you say are the most important skills to practise in the months leading up to the Dragon’s Back Race?
Joe: Camping. If you haven't camped before, or for a while, get back out and practise. Simple navigation techniques. Packing your overnight bag. Keep it simple, systematic and refine your kit to essentials only. 30% of your bag will be food.
Katie: Basic navigation in hilly/mountainous areas. Eating and drinking on the go, managing energy levels on long hill days. Personal footcare. Using kit in training such as walking poles and packing your kit in your pack for maximum efficiency.
Navigating in the mist on Cadair Idris on day three ©No Limits Photography
Overall, your top three tips for the Dragon’s Back Race®:
Joe:
Keep it simple. Less kit is More.
Pace it steadily, but don't play the 'Chasing the Cut-offs Game'.
Camp admin is key - don't faff!
Katie:
Train in the type of terrain of the event whenever you can - long hill days walking with a heavy pack is arguably better training than miles of running on the flat.
Look after your feet! You can change your trainers, but you only have one pair of feet. Be efficient at personal admin in camp to reduce time on your feet and get them raised whenever you can whilst resting.
Be prepared for some huge ups and downs, physically, mentally and emotionally - enjoy the times that feel good and have a strategy to keep moving forward when your brain starts telling you that you can't.
Find out more about the mountain skills courses Joe runs at NAV4Adventures.
What’s your strategy when you need to keep moving but your brain says no? ©No Limits Photography