The running community was devastated when Ourea ceased trading in March. The immediate impact was on the Northern Traverse series, but the Dragon’s Back race was also cancelled. It’s difficult to quantify the impact having an event cancel on you has. Although the Dragon’s Back competitors had several months of notice, the planning, dreams and training that would have gone into the decision to enter that race is not undertaken lightly. And that doesn’t cover the financial implications, which would have been considerable.
When Ultra X announced their acquisition of the Northern Traverse and Dragon’s Back off the administrators, there was a collective sigh of relief that two of the UK’s most iconic races had been saved. Ultra X honoured our previous agreement with Ourea to offer RunUltra a place on the inaugural Dragon’s Fire and we were delighted to offer the place to Bryony. We were so sad for her when she became injured last year; there’s nothing more frustrating but excited we could offer her this new chance. This year, Bry has gone from strength to strength; coming 7th lady in the Montane Lakeland 50, then winning the SkyRun Eryri in August, we were excited to follow her journey through Wales. This is her Dragon’s Fire race report.
Photos courtesy Joel Jameson Photography/Ultra X
Dragon’s Fire – Tân y Ddraig
I’ve always been in awe of those who “take on the Dragon’s Back” because it’s so much more than just a race. The idea of travelling on foot from Conwy to Cardiff, crossing the mountains of Wales, feels almost impossible, which is exactly what makes it so exciting.
Having friends who have completed the event/hatchling, as well as working on both the event and safety teams, I can see why it is so special. It’s not just about running; it’s about resilience, adventure, and being part of an incredible community.
The build up….
In May 2025 I had just started to recover from an injury I had picked up whilst training for a spring marathon when I got the unexpected opportunity to become a Dragon by RunUltra. I was beyond excited, incredibly grateful, but overwhelmed by the challenge ahead.
I swapped tarmac for trails and was back out in my local mountains. By June I was on a mission to recce the route as much as possible & in my enthusiasm, and limited time, I managed to overreach, picking up a new injury whilst on a recce of day three. I was devastated and utterly frustrated; it took several months to recover.
Photo courtesy Bryony Shircore
Thanks to the support of wonderful friends (at the time navigating their own injuries!) I came out of it with a fresh approach and a new gravel bike (not a cliché at all!) which, keeping every crossed & touching wood, seems to be working so far.
Then came the news of sad news of Ourea Events going into administration and the concerns that Dragons Back might be no more rumbled through the running community. Gutted, my opportunity was now fully over.
Fast forward to April 2026 & the fantastic news that Ultra X had taken it on, securing the future of Dragons Back & the exciting news that I had now secured a place on the first ever Dragon’s Fire – Tân y Ddraig.
Pre-Race
The lead up to the race went surprisingly smooth. By May/June I was running consistently, and training for Lakeland 50 (my first official 50miler!) in July. The race went well, and I cautiously stepped into the recovery zone, expecting on any given moment or run to get injured again. Surprisingly time passed and I was looking forward to the next race (Eryri Skyrace) which happened to be part of the race route for the Fire. Perfect training and practice for running on technical mountain terrain.
September arrived in the blink of an eye, and I was ready to go. The admin preparation for the Fire was the same as the full Dragon, and I have to say that the information provided was excellent. The website has full information on kit list, bag specifications, and an excellent mandatory kit list check list (although this didn’t stop me packing, & re-packing multiple times!)
There are also multiple resources; video’s, YouTube plus blogs of previous contestants.
Photos courtesy Joel Jameson Photography/Ultra X
Registration
I arrived in Conwy on Sunday evening, feeling the usual anticipation and constant fear of forgetting something in my bags. The UltraX events team were fantastic, and I was met with friendly faces, and gently shuffled through registration, kit check, had my photo, and collected my number and goody bag (stickers, map, T-shirt). There was an option of weighing and leaving the bags that night or dropping them off in the morning, I took the latter allowing for some extra kit faff that night.
My plan/strategy for Fire
In truth I went into the Fire feeling incredibly anxious. It was my first multi-day event, and the furthest I had ever run in two days. The course, whilst being familiar and so close to home, is notoriously tough but brings together the most amazing two days of running in North Wales.
My ultimate goal was to complete it, look after myself both in the mountains & camp, eat well, have a good time, and try not to get lost!
The Route
Day one – Conwy Castle To Nant Gwynant, 50km (31 miles) | 4100m (13,500ft)
Dragons Fire follows the same route as the full-course and the start is the same dramatic and iconic start in Conwy castle. Full of nervous runners’ energy, flags and family waving from the castle walls, it really is as spectacular and overwhelming as I had imagined. The countdown timer, and iconic red flare was a go, we were off.
We started with a gentle climb through Conwy, the route gradually becomes rockier with the more familiar ascent and descent of the Carneddau, down into the “halfway” check point. Up through west gulley of Tryfan, and over the rocky Glyderau, culminating in the atmospheric and exposed ridge scramble across Crib Goch and the traverse of the full Yr Wyddfa horseshoe, finally down the infamous decent of Lliwedd into camp one.
On day one, the plan was to take it steady but move as quickly as I could to maximise my time & recovery at camp, plus get in before the weather broke at 6pm. I’d been up Crib Goch enough times to know I didn’t want to be up there in poor conditions!
Photos courtesy Joel Jameson Photography/Ultra X
Day two – Nant Gwynant To Dolgellau, 60km (37.5 miles) | 3200m (10,500t)
On day two, I was asked to start at 07:08:08 exactly, thanks to the chasing leader start! Breakfast and kit check was easy, and I was packed up and ready to go. The route starts with a short & steep climb over Cnict (and down the other side via a steep, grassy, scree slope) then onto Moelwyn Mawr. The race plunges south, and back up into the remote broken terrain of the Rhinogydd.
This part of the map was more unknown, I knew the first section up to the water point, and the section on the Rhinogs (although the effects of the recent mountain fires was a shock to see) but nothing in between. The terrain was much more varied and much more runnable, the famous bogs featured heavily, lots of greasy grassy rocky trails, and finishing with 4 miles of flat tarmac/forest road (the hardest bit of the day!!)
Camp life
Camp was fantastic! I absolutely loved it, imagine scout camp for adults with lots of running in between. Full kudos to the events team and staff/volunteers involved. The staff were so friendly and helpful, it was an absolute joy to be a part of. There is a tea/coffee tent (of which I visited multiple times), a catering tent (who knew chips & soup would be so delightful) and a large communal tent with tables, bean bags and a live dot watching screen. By 7pm I was full of food and tucked up in my sleeping bag listening to the rain and wind outside.
In the bag… (Kit list)
The kit list for the Fire is the same as the full, which given the difficulty of the first two days makes complete sense. See the full mandatory kit list below.
One 59ltr Ortlieb bag for the camping bits, blister kit etc and food for the 2nd day. One 10ltr Ortlieb bag for the halfway drop point (spare shoes, food for the afternoon) Plus full running mandatory kit (waterproofs, headtorch, spare clothes etc) carried on the day.
Luckily the weight limit of the bags was also the same, which in hindsight I could have made the most of (I heard Tim Patterson, 1st male, popped in a couple of bottles of celebratory beer!)
Personal admin & general advice
Personal admin, both on the hill and in camp can make all the difference to both enjoyment and finishing. Foot/skin care, refuelling, hydrating, sleep/recovery and having dry/wet kit genuinely will make the difference between succeeding or stepping down/retiring. I think the Fire is a brilliant introduction to the importance of this, and an excellent way of learning the logistics and gaining experience on how to do this. It was hard enough doing this for two days, I can’t imagine how difficult this is to continue for six!
Thanks to UltraX/RunUltra
Lastly many thanks to RunUltra and Ultra X for the opportunity to run and review the first ever Dragons Fire! I really did have a fantastic two days, and I can’t recommend the race enough! The Fire is an excellent addition and genuinely a fantastic race in its own entirety. The route is technical, challenging and the views are spectacular. It also offers an ideal opportunity to experience the spirit, magic and logistics of the full Dragon’s Back Race without committing to the entire six days.
I am so grateful that Ultra X has taken on the event, and I wish them every success. My understanding is they are keen to continue the current race format, it’s a unique race and will continue in this way. I’m sure they’ll continue to build on its fantastic reputation and take it from strength to strength.
If you love the sound of being part of this event, find out more here!
Mandatory Kit List:
- Running rucksack/vest of your choice
- Waterproof jacket or smock
- Waterproof trousers
- Survival bag
- Long sleeve base layer
- Spare synthetic warm layer – min. 300g
- Baseplate Compass
- Red Rear Tail Light
- Headtorch
- Whistle
- Sufficient food for on the course each day
- Two pairs of gloves (one for poor weather and one for mild weather)
- You only need to have one of these pairs with you while you are running, but the other pair MUST be in your resupply bag or your overnight drop bag.
- Hat
- Water bottle and / or hydration system (minimum 1.5L capacity)
- Fell, mountain or trail running shoes
- Means of payment
- Mobile phone
- Satellite tracker (supplied)
- Map (supplied)
Photos courtesy Joel Jameson Photography/Ultra X
