Wouter Hamelinck from Belgium as he races down into Ogwen Valley on day one Dragon's Back Race. Photo: Jon Brooke
We’re used to hearing glib snippets of home-spun philosophy from many who should know better.
I would suggest anyone seeking a real insight into the human condition pop this DVD into their player and enjoy an hour’s worth of deep thought from some of the world’s most remarkable athletes.
The Dragon’s Back Race is the video record of last year’s gruelling, five-day endurance run over the length of Wales.
It’s a superb combination of landscape, pained faces, grim injuries and humour.
It’s also a chance to enjoy vicariously the full 294km (183 miles) of this remarkable race without the pain, the anguish, the rain and the mist.
But more than that, it’s an eye-opener into the other-worldly inner space of these ultra-athletes who are able to subjugate the aches, the raw feet, the mental turmoil and still carry on up and over the mountains, navigating their own routes in mist, over exposed edges such as Crib Goch and still carry on.
Then they get up the day after and do it again.
All that time spent on the hills obviously gives these runners time to philosophise and there is much of this, voiced over shots of the glorious Welsh mountains and grimacing athletes.
In an age where some believe they can achieve celebrity on the flimsiest of pretences, these modest yet superhuman runners display real reason for celebration, yet are virtually unknown outside of the ultrarunning and mountain marathon world.
Stars of the video are the Welsh mountain scenery and the main runners featured, including number 61 Wendy Dodds, who also happens to be 61. A veteran of the first Dragon’s Back 20 years ago. “I want to get to Machynlleth before the post office closes to collect my pension,” she tells the cameraman.
Finally coming in to the end of the race in 29th place, she quips: “Sorry to keep you all up.”
Second-place man Rob Baker soon adopts a new catchphrase: “How far ahead is Steve,” referring to eventual race winner Steve Birkinshaw, the Newcastle University research associate who completes the course in 43hrs 25min 30secs.
Helene Whitaker, one of the joint winners of the original race, comes home a remarkable fourth, almost six hours slower than Birkinshaw.
Fellow runner Peter Dewulf is mightily impressed by the frontrunners, saying: “These local people, they have three lungs?” A turbocharger on their heart?”
But perhaps it’s Nicky Spinks, who had breast cancer, who puts it all in perspective: “It is going to be hard, but it’s not as hard as being told you’ve got cancer.”
The Dragon’s Back Race rightly won three awards at the recent Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. Few of us will ever approach the level of fitness, grit and determination displayed by its athletes, but at least we can claim a little more insight into what makes them tick.
As a footnote, the film credits point out that, five months after the race, Steve Birkinshaw and Rob Baker had not yet fully recovered.
The Dragon’s Back Race
By Slackjawfilm
Running time: 67 minutes
Price, including post and packing £19.95 plus post and packing
Release date: 1 April
Available via the Dragon’s Back website
