Cardiff Half Marathon: Over 25,000 runners race across the city

This year, the Cardiff Half Marathon is on track to generate its £20 millionth pound in fundraising at the 19th edition of the event.

The Wizz Air Cardiff Half Marathon returns to the Welsh capital today, reclaiming its traditional autumn date for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 25,000 spaces sold.

The race, which started at 10am outside Cardiff Castle, takes runners on a 13-mile route past Principality and Cardiff City Stadiums, then to Penarth Marina, before crossing the barrage and heading to Cardiff Bay past the Norwegian Church and Wales Millennium Centre. A loop of Roath Park lake is completed before the grandstand finish in Cardiff’s beautiful civic centre.

The theme this year is #EinDinas - which translates to 'Our City' - and aims to be a celebration of Wales and Cardiff, giving those taking part from overseas and across the UK a warm, Welsh welcome.

Natasha Cockram was the quickest female Welsh athlete, finishing the race with a time of 1 hour 13 minutes. She said: "It's just so good to be back racing in the capital.

"I didn't aim for today, it was a last minute decision, but I wanted to come back almost as a thank you to the Welsh support from the Welsh games, you know they were the ones that carried me through that race, obviously it was a tough day for me but without their support it would have been even tougher so yeah just happy to be back in front of the Welsh crowd again."

Natasha Cockram recently competed in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, coming 12th in the Marathon. Credit: ITV Wales

She continued: "I'm probably bias but yeah, Wales atmosphere's always great, alway great to return to the capital. Welsh people are always the best supporters."

James Linney ran the half marathon while holding a tennis ball on a tennis racket to raise money for Velindre. He said the race was "so hard, but amazing."

"I made it, I didn't drop the ball once, I was happy with that" James continued.

This is James' fourth time running in the Cardiff Half Marathon. Credit: ITV Wales

He said: "I was allowed to drop it (the tennis ball), I'd just have to go back to the start, but I just, having not dropped it the whole time, I didn't want to. Legs were starting to hurt towards the end so it was pretty tough but yeah, just so happy to have done it."

This year is the 19th edition of the Wizz Air Cardiff Half Marathon and fundraising efforts have comfortably broken the £20 million milestone, supporting more than 100 charities including NSPCC, British Heart Foundation, Mind, Prostate Cancer UK, Shelter Cymru and Alzheimer’s Society.

Race organisers have urged the public to get behind the event to help it reach this milestone. Over £3 million is raised each year via partnerships with over 90 charities.

Road closures are in place across the city today (October 2) for the Half Marathon.

These closures include: Bute Street, Wellington Street, Sloper Road, Windsor Road, Tyndall Street, Richmond Road, Albany Road, Ninian Road, Lake Road East, Lake Road West, Fairoak Road and Cathays Terrace will be fully or partially closed for the race.

North Road is closed between 6am and 10.45am and Castle Street will be closed between 4am and midday. In the Vale of Glamorgan, Penarth Road is closed, streets around Penarth Marina and the routes towards Cardiff Barrage are also closed.

Transport for Wales (TfW) have said that services to Cardiff are expected to be busier than usual today because of the Cardiff Half Marathon, so have advised customers to plan their journey and check before you travel.