Planners Optimum Route: 53km with 3,719m of ascent

Llyndy Isaf Farm Farm > Cnicht > Moelwyn Mawr > Moelwyn Bach > Cwm Bycham Carpark > Rhinog Fawr > Rhinog Fach > Y Llethr > Diffwys > Vanner Farm

After all the talk it was time for action ... but the pre-race briefings were right. This is one of the toughest foot races in the world, and day one is the hardest day, and it had been made harder than it was 20 years ago. As day one progressed, taking runners into Snowdonia and across the highest summits of the week, the true scale of the challenge began to hit home, and despite good weather (much better than in the first race) the retirement rate was high and for the later runners the course was shortened.

In the early hours of the morning race staff and competitors began to prepare and all around Conwy runners carrying dry bags full of kit emerged into the darkness from B&B’s and the Youth Hostel onto the streets to make their way to the castle. Here they put the bags into the race vans, and then made their way inside to the central courtyard to await the start.

Planners Optimum Route: 52km with 4,468m of ascent

Conwy Castle > Sychnant Pass > Tal y Fan > Drum > Foel Fras > Carnedd Gwenllian > Foel Grach > Yr Elen > Carnedd Llewelyn > Carnedd Dafydd > Pen yr Ole Wen > Ogwen Valley >Tryfan > Glyder Fach > Glyder Fawr > Y Garn > Elidir Fawr > Crib Goch > Garnedd Uain >Snowdon > Bwlch Cwm Lian Col > Llyndy Isaf Farm

91 competitors have gathered in the North Wales town of Conwy tonight for the second running of the Dragons’s Back Race – 20 years after the first run. The race that was too good to be forgotten, and until now too tough to put on again, has returned after two decades to challenge the very best mountain and ultra runners in the world.

The day before the 2nd Dragon's Back Race (twenty years after the first!) we have two video clips taken from the course earlier today.

Two days before the race begins Race Director Shane Ohly gives us a quick update on the preparations so far and shares a first look at the amazing Dragon's Back Race winners trophy!

Yesterday was our last office day. Today has been spent collecting hire vehicles, equipment and puzzling over how everything is going to fit in! Tomorrow morning we depart for Wales… via the local bakery to collect nearly 600 very large cakes that will be the desserts for the competitors and support team each night.

Whispered about with a mix of awe and trepidation, the original Dragon’s Back Race™ happened just once in September 1992. Many considered it to be the toughest mountain running event ever organised and now, almost twenty years to the day, this legendary race is returning and the running world is ablaze with expectation.