Cardiff Half Marathon October 2012

http://www.cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk/route

For those unfamiliar with Cardiff this looks a cracking route and a big improvement on last year in that they've chopped out the soul destroying loop along the dual carriageway flyover!

Takes in the Castle (start), Penarth, the Bay, city centre and the beautiful Roath Park Lake and looks very flat and fast. If you're looking for a PB or you're a first timer (I was last year) then I'd highly recommend it. Bring it on!

 

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Comments

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Another route change??

    Might consider it although I wish they would reinstate the full marathon.

  • Soul-destroying is a good description of the dual carraigeway stretch from mile 6 to nearly 10....image

  • I quite liked the dual carriageway stretch image There's always one right image

    It was nice that supporters could watch you at the turn about point on the carriageway and then head back and see you again at the finish line. I guess this year supporters can see you between miles 8-9 and the finish.

    Looks like another nice route, I think Cardiff just changes it every year to show off how many potential routes are possible.

    Tempting.

  • Hello Andy, are considering this?

    I'm looking to, but the accommodation is so expensive.  Anything around the race srat is almost £100 per night.   There are cheaper places further out but then i'll have the problem of getting to the start on race day.  I'd be coming up from Hampshire by train.

     

     

  • Hi LWJ - great to hear from you.

    No, I've already entered the Tadley 10 for that day.  I ran this event last year and enjoyed it - apart from the dual carraigeway.....

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭

    I'm in....and this looks much better than last year.  Far better to get the rubbish bit of the route out of the way early I reckon.

  • Already signed up for this (again) and I am quite looking for to a different route as it is a lot different than any of the others.  Hopefully this year will be the best one yet.

  • I've just signed up. 

  • I really want to do this but will be my first half marathon. I'm thinking the route will be more interesting and less hilly than Bath which wont be until March anyway. Good to start with??

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭

    It was my first Half - it's almost flat and plenty of support so it's great for a first one

  • Good for you LWJimage - did sort your your accomodation?

  • mrandyyumrandyyu ✭✭✭

    I was sadly very disappointed with the whole event last year, which is a shame because I consider Cardiff my home away from home.

    The route was OK until we hit the 4ish miles of flyover dual carriageway which meant minimal crowd support.

    They were handing out water with screw tops instead of sports lids so people were just dumping the bottle tops all over the place. I was fortunately nearer to the front so only had a few hundred to contend with, rather than the few thousand for the poor folks at the end.

    They also only handed out one bottle of Lucozade and RAN OUT for people towards the back, who arguably need it more than folks at the front.

    They ran out of medium t-shirts after only 90 minutes and the goodie bag had a bargain basement no-name energy drink.

    For such a big city half marathon, I thought it was poor for what we all had to pay.

    I am curious about the new course because it does look improved, but "once bitten, twice shy" as the saying goes.

  • Haven't actually entered yet but have booked travelodge @ £19 in anticipation. did this last year as my last race before an enforced 4 month break from running and am determined to do it again this year as a sort of therapy type reason!

  • I've signed up. First ever half marathon, following on from my first 10k last weekend. Training starts next Monday! image

  • Was looking forward to starting training next week but I have managed to pick up a couple of little niggles recently so plan to delay starting until August and treat myself to a new pair of running daps as I think my marathon training has taken its toll on them and they have given up on me.  I don't think this is going to be a PB year but would like to get round in a reasonable time. 

    I just hope that I can shift my injuries so I can run the Cardiff Half again and make it 10 from 10.

  • Not done Cardiff before and was hoping to do it as a season finale. I thought it was meant to be fast and flat though? The elevation chart on the route looks considerably unflat - in fact uphill from 5to 11 miles!

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭

    Wobster - it's not a massive uphill, more a gentle incline really

  • Ah, ok...so still counts as fast-ish? image

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭

    Yep it's pretty fast.  Unless you're me, of course image

  • I've signed up for this, its my first half. I'm taking August to train for it (and cut down on the wine!) Any ideas on where to park for it? Are they doing buses from any carparks?

  • i've signed up for this...its my first half marathon and i'm so excited/nervous/panicky. I started running in January and can comfortably do nine miles. i'm a little behind with training at the mo due to getting married/going on honeymoon! i've been blogging about my training and each view i'm getting is making me more motivated to run further!

    http://hannaheevans.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/you-can-walk-my-path-you-can-wear-my.html 

  • yer majyer maj ✭✭✭

    Hi Hannah

    Don't panic - "only" 9 miles at this stage will be enough to get you round if you keep building on it. You've got 6 weeks yet and so long as you don't panic yourself int doing too much you have plenty of time - just take it steady image

    Alicatty - there is plenty of parking in the City Centre - around the civic centre/North Road and the Greyfriars NCP are the closest but will no doubt fill up early.  There are also a few park and rides around the city

  • Looking forward to this. 3rd year for me, and 3rd different route! It'll be my 6th HM overall and so far I've got PB's in each one... no pressure then.

    Looks like they might sell out all 20,012 places soon with 15,000 mark being passed a couple of weeks ago. Not sure if it's Olympics influence, but I know at least a dozen people running this year whereas a couple of years ago I didn't know anyone doing it.

    Hannah - you should be fine if your up to 9 miles now. That was about were I was at before the Cardiff HM 2 years ago which was my first. Would be good if you could get one or two 10 milers in just to boost the confidence a bit but not vital if your happy to just get round for your first attempt.

  • I haven't run for 2 years and I'm nearly wetting myself with excitement for this event. I love this run. I remember running through the city centre previously (through The Hayes). It was amazing to see and hear thousands of people running through the pedestrian areas. It was excellent. There were a couple of annoying (and seemingly pointless) bottle necks, but, I liked the flyover bit. I quite like a route change too. I wish they would bring back the marathon and let the finish line be within the stadium again. Wow. It was perfect.

    The best marathon I've done is London, and Cardiff is the best half marathon. The complete worst was Victoria Falls. That's what put me off for two years.

    Anyhoo...woohoooooo. Can't wait.

  • Did anyone else recieve their race pack on the weekend?  It took me a bit by surprise as it seemed very early to send them out but know I should not complain. 

  • Nope, not got mine yet although I know a few others who have

  • Got my race pace on Friday. Was also suprised it was so early although they've closed entries now which is strange as I don't think it's a sell out. Maybe they are going to try and sell the remaining places to Barnado's or something which is the route I had to go down last year as I was caught out by it selling out sooner than I expected

  • Mine's turned up now - delighted that it's starting at 9 am this year - it got too hot last year

  • Received mine on Friday last week. This will be my seventh time of doing this HM in Cardiff. Always enjoyable and seem to change the route quite frequently. Have not done much training though for various reasons, just did 8 miles today for the first time in 6 months so will have to push on with the training now! Travelling from Surrey on the Saturday and back again on the Sunday.

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