Schreiner Battles Montane Dragon's Back Race in Wales

Pete Schreiner of Huntsville, known to many local trail runners as “that wild-haired photographer!,” is halfway through one of the most scenic and challenging endurance events in Wales, the Montane Dragon’s Back Race.

As of Thursday morning, Schreiner was amid the afternoon climb in Stage 4 of the 6-day event that spans one of the country’s most rugged spines. Participants start at Conwy Castle, built by King Edward I in 1283 to Cardiff Castle, which has roots dating to 50 AD. The route spans 236 miles and has 57,087 feet of ascent. With Thursday’s death of Queen Elizabeth II, race officials announced they have changed the finishing area to Bute Park outside of Cardiff Castle. Day 5 and 6 stages will be held at scheduled starting times.

Scheiner is known to many in the Southeast, and elsewhere, as one of the top photographers for trail running and action events. A former newspaper photographer, his ebulent personality and keen eye for great photos is appreciated at events locally and on bigger stages. Additionally, runners never know where Schreiner will be stationed on a trail but usually smile when they see him lurking and snapping images with his Canon.

Now, he’s on the other side of the lens.

The race originally was held in 1992, and then again in 2012. The third was in 2015, and it has been staged each year since. The ascents combine to more than the height of Mt. Everest.

Schreiner was in the Top 100 as of midmorning Thursday. His first day time was 14:24 and put him in 199th in the field. The second day’s climb was similar, with a time of 14:25 but a leap to 123rd place. On Day 3 he gained almost 35 minutes with a solid effort, moving into 82nd, with a segment time of 13:52.

What will the rest of the event hold? Follow Schreiner on the live tracking “dot chart” here or by checking the standings each day, and typing in his name. Runners wear GPS trackers for safety, primarily, but also to allow fans to keep up.

About the Race

Today’s Montane Dragon’s Back Race is a riff on the 1992 event in which race organizers say participants tackled the “uniquely wild, trackless, and remote mountainous terrain.”

The route begins in the north at Conwy, which is on the River Conwy that feeds the Irish Sea. Even in September the weather can be harsh, with cold winds whipping off the sea along the Wales coast. The Snowdonia region is gorgeous, and Dragon’s Back participants get their fill as they head south. The route goes through the Coed Gorswen, Coed Cynfal, Rhinog, Ganllwyd and Cerrig Gleisiad a Fan Frynych national nature reserves, eventually ending at Cardiff Castle.

We’ll update with more news as the Dragon’s Back plays out.

UPDATES

King Announced in Cardiff

Update: 9/8/22, 1 p.m. CT — Participants in the Dragon’s Back event will, possibly, be witness to history when the formal announcement of King Charles is made.

Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday at her castle in Balmoral, England, surrounded by family, including her eldest son, Charles. She reigned for 70 years, the longest of any in the monarchy’s history.

Charles immediately became king, as there is no formal swearing-in event. The throne passes immediately upon the death of the British queen or king. Charles’s eldest son, William, now becomes first in line to the throne. The monarchy dates to 1603, when James VI began to rule over England, Scotland and Ireland.

According to the British Broadcasting Company, as part of the ascension protocol the new ruler meets within days with the Ascension and Privy councils. A formal proclamation is publicly made announcing the new ruler. The BBC says that “gun salutes will be fired in Hyde Park, the Tower of London and from naval ships, and the proclamation announcing Charles as the King will be read in in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.”

Those in Cardiff, where the Dragon’s Back event ends, may see a bit of history.

Update: 9/8/22, 2:40 p.m. CT — Schreiner has finished the Day 4 climb, which is 43 miles long and according to the race site “is not for the agoraphobic.” At 7,546 feet, this mid-Wales summit of Drygarn Fawn is considered one of the toughest and most scenic.

Schreiner completed the segment in 13:38:20, clipping 12 minutes from his Day 3 segment. He’s gotten faster in the last two segments, although his overall ranking is 102nd.

Update: 9/9/22, 11 a.m. CT — Schreiner’s race is done. His team posted on Facebook early Friday that he ran out of gas and missed a checkpoint.

“After a valiant effort and 20ish miles in, Pete timed out at checkpoint 5. He needed to be there by 2:45pm, he said he made it around 2:50. He has run close to 200 miles over the last 5 days (around 180) and climbed SO many feet of elevation but his race is done. He is beat up but in good spirits. Tomorrow (Saturday) he can run an abbreviated course and still see all of the sites.”