Day 6
The final day. I'd heard many times it's all down hill from here.
I'd paid this day no heed in my plans and prep, it was just a day I may or may not make it to.
Somehow it was here Saturday 10th September 2022. The Final day of The Dragon's Back Race.
Quick rewind, Back to day 5 finish. Hooray! Chorus of angels etc. I'm home with about 30 mins to spare. A bee line for the med tent, book in to get my shin looked at.
Quick bite to eat then back into the tent and I'm patched up again. I've now got taped everywhere, both knees, right shin and left IT band/upper leg.
Post the death of the Queen it had looked like the race may be cancelled, Ourea events pulled a rabbit out the hat and secured a new finish location. Cardiff castle closed we are now going to be finishing in Bute Park next to the Castle,
Whoosh back to day 6
0430
Already up, kit done off to breakfast. Into my trail shoes. Ow! bloody hell I cant get my foot in. I have a new pain! Left foot, Big toe. Brilliant!
Hobble over to the medics ' Morning I've got a new thing going on!'
I hadn't spotted this the evening of day 5. Blister under my big toe nail. Scalpel, blood and pus everywhere, cleaned up and taped. Top work. The medical team really are a top bunch.
And so I'm soon ready for day 6 and at the start line for 0600.
Sam and Paul are waiting. Kev absent.
A few minutes before the start Mike James who we had given a lift to on Day 1 appears at the barrier. I haven't seen mike all week. Successfully completing day 1 he had elected to short course the rest of the week.
' Good luck Paul', Handshake, 'See you in Cardiff mate'
Matthias Grieger my silent on and off running companion also comes over and wishes me well.
I dib out 0600 on the dot and grab a quick photo
Sam and Paul are waiting. We are waiting on Kev. '30 miles then men and we are done!'
'No mate it's 40!'
Well it would be wouldn't it! As mentioned I'd paid day 6 no mind at all.
Kev, doesn't appear. 99% certain he hasn't snuck past, a few minutes pass , we decide to get going.
Shortly after the start we are into a climb, not too bad being around 1100ft to the top, a sharp turn and onto a plateau punctuated with old industrial workings. Sam and Paul are soon pulling away, I wont see them again for a good while.
Not looking my Finest.
Now I'm onto a long runnable down hill grass section, it stretches on for a good while, it's here I go live on social media and let everyone know I'm inbound to Cardiff. , of course I watch the video back as I'm running and realise I look pretty awful!
I notice that in fact most of us are looking pretty beat up, even on this runnable section people are struggling, pain is already written across faces, movement unnatural, poles out taking some of the burden from shattered legs. The event has wrung every last drop from folk that are by any measure super fit compared to any yardstick. A sobering thought.
CP 1 in 1:55:20 73rd. I've managed to run all the way since the high point, its been horribly painful, paracetamol taking the edge away.
The route now starts bringing me back into civilisation as I make my way towards Merthyr Tydfil. This part is a blur, at some point I catch Andy Lardner up and we spend some time together.
At the infamous viaduct I take the sharp right turn over the barricade and down the narrow steep path, runners behind shouting I've gone the wrong way.
I'm not stopping and just shout back 'It's this way this way!!' I only know this because Paul Jenkins had mentioned it months before.
Before long I'm in Merthyr. Following runners in front and semi recognising the roads having carried out a google street maps recce prior to the event. This section is plain hard work. The day is warm and sunny. I'm trying to keep the eating and drinking routine up but after 6 days of the same food it's hard hard work.
Andy is in front and I try to keep on him so I don't get lost. Then things get bizarre. I'm suddenly running with Parkrun runners. of course its a saturday and I join them near a turn around and mingle as they are heading back to the finish. Parkrun volunteers are clapping, runners encouraging. I can only imagine the DBR precession must be enough to put anyone new to running off for life!
As I pass the sports centre and their finish line a big cheer from the crowd, then about 200m further on an elderly chap out for a walk says,
'Walking a long way son?'
I smile, 'Yes Cardiff!' if only he knew...
I'm south of the town now and starting to feel a bit odd. Light headed, in fact I notice I can't maintain a straight course, I remember increasingly not being sure exactly what, why or where I am. This is bad.
I'm walking and rummaging in my vest, I've still got my wits enough to know food and drink need to be taken immediately. From the depths of my pocket a full bag of Haribo Tang Tastic emerge (I've had these in my drop bag all week but on a whim packed them earlier this morning into my vest kit), they last about a minute, I drink half a bottle of water and slow to a ambling walk. Turning I cross the road on a suspension bridge that bounces away as I cross it.
'This is bouncing right?' I ask a couple coming the other way. They confirm it is. Phew!
Keep walking for a few minutes and consult my watch map, another climb coming to CP2 on Merthyr Common. Eat some more, drink. Trying to get my thoughts in order, I'm starting to recover from whatever was happening 10 minutes ago, I can walk straight so that's good. Haribo have rescued me it would seem.
Another climb up onto the common and a trig point. Martyn Holman is here ( a fellow DBR 21 runner) and we say hello, ' look Cardiff, it's just over there!'
My first glimpse of our destination. I wonder if Fran is already there, it's a welcome sight, I've never been to Cardiff, now only 20 or so miles away. Its 10:50am. I dib out in 86th maintaining my race position.
On now to the Support point at Trelewis. A few 100m from the trig point Sam and Paul catch me, Sam shouts, it takes me a minute to realise its them, I suppose I'm not as fully recovered as I thought. They are making good speed only having dropped behind having visited a Co-Op. Another shop I've missed!
They are soon gone. I won't see either of them again today. Both have performed amazingly this week and throughly deserve the Baby Dragon that waits in Cardiff.
Another descent towards CP3. I catch a few folk walking backwards down the hill, victims of wrecked shins just making the best of it. I can't be bothered, my right one is murdering me but one leg is good, I just pile down as fast as I can.
Into Treharris. Mike is there and spots me coming in, 'Yes mate come on!'
Once again a little lift that is most welcome. I grab my drop bag and refill bottles. I'm not eating anything in the bag. Sick of it all Mike has confirmed there is a shop in Nelson about 2 miles away. No time to waste here I'll eat at the shop.
I dib out at 12:08pm nearly 2 hours ahead of cutoff. The cutoffs are pretty generous on this final day.
Into Nelson and I spot the Co-Op. Quick dive in, sandwich, chicken dibs and a Coke. A customer kindly let's me jump the queue, bless her!
Back outside I decide a quick break is in order to eat and throw away my rubbish before I set off.
I group of kids come over excited,
'Mister mister have you run all the way from North Wales?!?
We have a chat about the race and they offer me some chips which of course I don't take, against the rules. They are offering chips to everyone coming and cheering away , 'North Wales , unbelievable!!'
Time to go, a short distance away I see Kate Worthington. Kate is managing a diversion that's in place. A spectator is with her, a competitor from a previous year.
Kate tells me to just keep on up the road, follow the signs , ignore the map, more road, another climb , Whoop Whoop!
We part, the last time I see Kate during this crazy week. Ultra Shuffle up the hill I make good time catching Justin who I'd last seen on day 3 and Katrin from day 5.
Soon I break track recognising the masts that mark CP4 at Cefn Eglwysilan. Dib in 8:17:23 race time and away to the next CP, not far away on the next hill. Between the two I pass the event team, a cheery hello to Stuart as I pass who's having picnic in the sun.
Up onto Mynydd Meio, 40 minutes later.
'Hi Jade!'
Jades lucked in here guarding the CP in the sun reading a book 'Hey Paul! Not far to the pub!' I haven't seen Jade since day 1 on the summit of Tryfan.
'See ya !'
Pub ... whoop! Of course that's music to my ears. Food, a beer?! No maybe not but mainly the last cut off point.
I'm miles ahead of time anyway, slowing no doubt but ok. An easy descent to the pub. Mike is here having jumped from the support point. All the Support staff are here. Legends all.
I'm having a bite to eat 100% and pop into the bar , ham and cheese sandwich, crisps, another Coke.
Mike wanders over and gives me a hug.
He tells me it's been an honour to be part of my journey this week, it's honestly the kindest thing imaginable. Mike doesn't realise how much his support has meant all week. I can't really thank him enough.
Same for all the support team who have whisked me through CPs, filled water, patched me up, laughed, joked and kept me going.
Shake hands, Mikes not coming to the finish, 'catch up soon mate.'
Time to leave the pub, it's like a carnival, most everyone having a breather and a bite to eat.
It's 3:30pm, I've got ages to get to the finish.
I'm 86th.
The last bit. I'd thought if I get here an easy run home. It's probably about 10 miles, road, track, the Taff trail and a single climb before hitting the park and the finish.
Ultra Shuffling I head off along the Taff trail making the final frankly unwelcome climb and descent to Castell Coch, crossing CP7 at 5:08.
Here I notice my feet/ankles are really starting to hurt, my shoes and socks are bone dry for the first time all week. As I turn onto the canal path I decide to dip both feet into the water. Maybe that will help. It doesn't.
The routes simple now, mainly in shade following the River Taff into Cardiff. Probably about 10km to go. Normally this would take me maybe 45 minutes easy running. Today there is nothing in the tank, I'm walking not even quickly. All week I've averaged about 15 minutes per mile. This last 6 are done at 20, try as I may I cannot speed up at all.
This gives me time to think about the week, highs, lows and what I'm going to say to Fran, two years of not only my life but also hers into trying to do this event. Ultimately I'm here but have failed crashing out on day two. This is really a hard fact to process.
Into the park, Nicola McNally, passes. She is running in with a mile or so to go, a well earned Dragon soon to be hers.
Still with a mile to go I'm looking around making sure no one else passes, here I manage to go full over on my ankle, (the good right leg naturally!), on the flat, in a park! You couldn't write it!
Shearing pain, face red , involuntary tears, get a grip man!
On to the last bit, I'm waiting to will the legs for a final run, people out for a afternoon in the park are clapping recognising this wave of battered humanity passing by.
800m.
I can't see the finish but it can't be far. Earlier I'd packed my poles away, no way I'm crossing the line with them in my hands.
Time to run, one last effort.
The finish remains hidden until the final few moments, rounding a corner Fran has run up and sees me shouting out.
So glad to see her, indescribable, shamble over and give her a kiss and hug. The finish crowd are clapping and cheering. So tired now but time to end this for 2022...
Across the line dib. Done.
I'm across the line in 12:46:38 91st at 6:48pm.
Shane Ohly greets me, Handshake,
'Congrats!'
'Almost yeah thank you 5 1/2 days only'
'Maybe next year?'
'Maybe, maybe..'
That is it, my race over.
The dragon remains unslain, nose bloodied, running pole shoved firmly in one eye, maybe next time.
Kevin Munt arrives soon after to huge cheers.
In the end I complete 5 full days within the course cutoff at 10pm, placing on each one. Day 2 a DNF after Cym Buchen support point. No Time outs. In all running 95% of the course 224/236 miles.
Kevin Munt and I are the only Non Competitive runners of 2022 to start every day, no half daying.
Tent 21, of 8 starters 4 cross the finish line in Cardiff, 2 earn their Baby Dragon, Sam and Paul. 2 cross non competitive. All of the team were in my opinion amazing start to finish.
Of those I mentioned throughout, Kirsten, Bev, Nicola, Katrin, Matthias, Justin, Neal Saxe and Jane all successfully completed the race.
Congrats to all who finished, 102 earning their Dragon, equally all those who toe'd the line on day 1, an achievement all should be proud of.
Thanks to Ourea, the brilliant staff, volunteers RAW Adventures and those who lined the route cheering us on day after day. Steve Evans thanks for breakfast.
Most of all thank you Fran, none of it would have been achievable without your support, patience and love over two years.