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Cardiff Half-Marathon
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Totally agree with you, Doug. I'm running the Birmingham half a week after Cardiff and my estimated time of sub 2 hours has put me in the second of the four groups with great potential for a PB.
I guess we'll just have to make sure we're near the front of the pack to avoid being caught in bottlenecks. If the marshalling is fairly lax, I may try and sneak into the back of the sub 1:45 group...
Last year I believe they just had signs saying sub 2, sub 2:15, and then over 2:30 but the amount of people who started sub 2 hours that were clearly 2:30 runners was ridiculous.
Anyway - looking forward to it. Did a 6 mile run this morning. Probably just going to do a short run on wed and that'll be it til the race.
I like your style!
I guess I'll just see how it goes. On paper this is a good race for a PB, and I'm in quite good nick, but I don't want to get so PB-focused that I don't enjoy the race. Whatever happens, I get an excuse to see my sister and family who have defected from England to live in Cardiff, and my wife gets a chance to visit her relatives in Blackwood and spend the morning at Ogmore (instead of watching me run).
Plenty of us English crossed the border to Cardiff! The Cardiff half is a very decent course for those looking for a PB, so long as you avoid the crowds. My PB for the half comes from Cardiff.
Good luck, enjoy the day
The last few years they have had starting guide times. This year it says they are having pens.
It is obviously needed and I hope they are well marshalled.
The positive thing for me is that they seem to have learned from the mistakes of last year.
Is anyone else a little concerned about the safety of this new route, What I'm worrying about is running on the dual carriageways. I've got a funny feeling that they are only closing of the one side. I wonder if anyone has actually tried running the course?
I'm a bit nervous about the organisation after they penned us all in cardiff castle at the finish in 2009, I was freezing and stood there for an hour. Now I have visions of traffic travelling at 70mph towards us, even if there is a crash barrier, don't think I'd be happy doing that...
Please tell me I'm worrying about nothing
xxx
Doug - is that Ogmore by sea or Ogmore Vale - just wondering as I'm from Ogmore Vale
Roland - I'm sure there's people on here who've done 10 times as many races as me - but the 5 events I've done - the timing chip has always been attached to laces so this 'on the back of the number' is new to me. As long as it works I don't mind!
Tina - I'm pretty sure they are closing the dual carriageway for both lanes as they are advising people to use junction 32 of M4 rather than j33 as the link road (dual carriageway) will be closed from 8am - I'm not 100% about this though and clarification on whether I'll be alright as long as I get to Bay before 8am would be much appriciated as going off at J33 is much easier for me.
Bigredbus - sounds very similar to me last year. Should be fine if you've done an 11.5 hilly run in that time. You got a time in mind or just aiming for getting round seeing as it's your first HM?
My favourite place from my childhood too!
Just done my penultimate run in the pissing rain and wind....lovely! One more on Wednesday then all I can do is pray...
Hi all,
This is going to be my first race and I'm attempting to run it in under 2:00hrs. I understand that there will be pacers running the race in set times to help judge this.
Does anyone know if the pacers run at a set pace (eg. 13.1x9min miles) or do they aim to get faster as the race goes on?
I know it doesn't really make a difference and also that my question will be answered on the day after the first mile but I just want to know what to expect.
Also there will be a lot of people running so do I have a realistic chance of actually being able to keep an eye on one of these guys?!
Cheers.
Hi Rob,
I suppose it could vary across individual pacers, but I did happen to be running close to one yesterday, and he kept pretty well to an even pace, give or take a bit of catching up after congestion in the first kilometre or so. A word of warning, though - my son and I finished outside the pacer's 'advertised' time by 20 seconds or so, and we finished just ahead of the pacer, so it looks like they don't always get it right. Or maybe '2hrs' in the pacer's board means between 2:00:00 and 2:00:59 rather than sub-2hrs? It would be worth asking on the day, and checking your own watch to be on the safe side.
Good luck with the sub-2hr bid!
Not been on here yet this year. I'm running Cardiff again this year. it will be my 4th Cardiff ( and yes, the 4th different route!)
Looks as thought the weather will be dry and cold - just hope we can get parked and to the start in time (before they close all the roads!)
Hope everyone has a good race - just been out for a steady 4 miles this morning - probably won't do much else before Sunday. Enjoy it!
DM26 - bad luck on the injury - but you are right - its not worth jeopordising London next year (although sub 1:30 pb is impressive!) Hope you recover soon
Earlier this year I entered my first half marathon in Liverpool and finished in 1hr 49mins, which I was chuffed to bits with. On that day my girlfriend came to watch and was a great help throughout the day (driving, carrying stuff etc) and then took it upon herself to enter us both into the Cardiff Half Marathon.
Anyway, without thinking she put me down to finish in 1.45 and herself in 2.15 -but now we find herself in different starting pens. I have not trained at all for this race, but being fairly active I am sure I will be fine. However, and here is my point, I don't want to start in a different pen to her, the whole point of us doing this run is to do it together.
Is it really going to be an issue if I take a step back into the 1.45+ pen (white) opposed to the one I have been allocated? Afterall, for 99% these events are surely about having fun!
What do you think (I am going to do it anyway, but would like to get your opinion too)?
yer_maj - My thoughts too! Cheers!
Hello all
I did Cardiff in 2009 and should be there again this year( if my cold clears up in time)! Last time the start was by city hall and I was there early enough to park on the road side. On Sunday I will be driving from Swansea ...planning on leaving early, could anyone suggest the best car park to aim for?
Afternoon all, looking forward to running Cardiff for the first time this weekend. Got the odd niggle which has slightly hampered training but with a bit of luck might get close to PB on Sunday.
Concerned about peoples comments about congestion during the race, but will hopefully not be as bad as it sounds as there is nothing more frustrating than losing time during the first few miles of a Half!
Does anyone have any toptips for parking? I have seen a few mentioned which I will probably go with. Unfortunately driving on my own from Bristol so going to give myself loads of time to get parked and ready as last thing I want to do is get caught in traffic or stressed at unable to find somewhere to park!
Good luck to all on Sunday!
anyone not using their place sunday?
happy to compensate for the outlay