The Cardiff Half Marathon is a fantastic race and with the continued growth is building up to be the perfect charity run. A The route takes in Bute Park, runs through the city centre, gives great views of Sophia Gardens and the Taff Trail. Being a fast route allows runners of all abilities to try for a personal best.

About the race

Cardiff is a great place for a running event and this race definitely has the feel of one of the big UK races. With 15,000 runners lining up to pound the streets of the Welsh capital city and plenty of support from locals and charities at the start you will definitely get a few pre race nerves before you take off. A The course is really scenic there is a good mixture of city streets and park lands although some areas become far too crowded, so if you are after a pb you might be in for a shock. There are some great views in the parkland but there is a section of the course along a piece of dual carriageway which unfortunately is a bit of an eye sore. The finish is not quite the spectacle you are hoping for but there is a nice little straight for you to charge down and you will receive a good cheer especially if you are a charity runner. The race finishes where it started and overall this is a good race and an absolute must for the beginner runner!

Fundraising

You are aiming for at least £750 with this capital city half marathon. Think of some suitably Welsh theme nights and start fundraising as early as you can.  Check out the run for charity fundraising A to Z for some great ideas to help you reach your target.

Support on race day

The Welsh people get out in force on the day of the Cardiff half marathon and the route currently allows for big crowds. The charity involvement is still very centred around the official charity but the sheer number of charities is starting to grow. With an event of this size the charities will take it on to the next level.

Training

This is a relatively flat half marathon course and has been designed to be fast. Therefore make sure you have enough time to train for a half marathon, the earlier you start the more likely you are to beat your PB if you have one.

Quality of race organisers

The race is very much in a transition period, the numbers continue to grow and certain areas of the race are not quite adequate enough to deal with it. The information and general organisation is very good but some thought needs to be put in if the race is to grow it any further. Nice medals but the goody bags are not really in keeping with the size and quality of the race.

Run for charity event rating

3 out of 5 stars

To choose a charity to support in this event click here or if you already have a charity in mind click here