The Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon returns to the Welsh capital on Sunday 5 October in what will be a celebration of community and connection through running.
General entry into the race sold out within just 12 hours of tickets going on sale and more than 27,500 people have registered to take part – including a record-breaking 4000 internationals.
The event showcases the very best the city has to offer, taking in iconic landmarks including Cardiff Castle, the Principality Stadium and Cardiff Bay.
However, it’s not just its rich history and stunning architecture that makes Cardiff great – it’s also its fantastic people and growing number of run clubs. That’s why the theme for this year’s event is ‘We’re All In’ – a celebration of the community and connection we find through running.
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at Run 4 Wales, event organisers of the Cardiff Half, said: “Across Cardiff – and beyond – running clubs and communities are growing at a remarkable pace, proving that the joy of running doesn’t just lie in the personal achievement but in the shared experience.
“On Sunday 5 October tens of thousands of runners will be coming to share a goal. Whether they are running for their health, for a charity or just for fun, they’ll all be part of something bigger, finding strength in running together to get to the finish.
“We’re so excited to welcome all of this year’s participants to the start line of this year’s Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon, as well as the thousands of spectators and volunteers who come out to support them, proving that together, we can go further.”
Among the runners taking part this year is 23-year-old Jade Driscoll from Treharris. Jade is a strong advocate for proving all people can take part in running events no matter their pace and has gone from running one mile to a marathon in a year. She’s inspiring others to take up the sport through social media and has even set up her own running club catering to slower paced runs.
Jade said: “People think they can’t run races like this because they’re not fast enough, but I’m not a fast runner and I’m proving to them that you can. To go from running a mile to a marathon in a year is crazy – but if I can do it, anyone can.”
This will also be her second time running the Cardiff Half. She added: “Last year it took me 3 hours 47 minutes and my current goal is to run sub three hours. That’s something I really love about the Cardiff Half the cut off times are really inclusive; you get 4 hours to complete the course.
“I’m really excited to look back at my first half and see how far I’ve come. This Cardiff Half will feel like a big victory lap for everything that’s happened in the last year.”
Jade will be joined on the start line by Nicholas Salter, 30, from Cardiff. The secondary school science teacher is running to raise money for the Wales Air Ambulance Service after they saved his life when he was 12.
Nicholas said: “I was mountain biking at Scout camp in the Forest of Dean when I experienced a life-changing accident. We’d gone into the mountains, and I was heading towards the edge of a cliff when my brake cable snapped. I managed to throw myself off he bike but in doing so I hit my head and knocked myself out.”
He woke up a few hours later in hospital and was told if it hadn’t been for the air ambulance rescuing him, he could have died. Since then, he’s dedicated much of his life to raising money for the charity and hopes that by running the Oysho Cardiff Half, he’ll get his fundraising total up to £20,000.
Nicholas added: “It costs a lot for the Wales Air Ambulance to run, which is why fundraising is so important. This will be my first half marathon – I’ve only ever taken part in 5 and 10Ks before – and I’m hoping that my contributions could help save someone else’s life, just as mine was saved 17 years ago.”
Healthcare support worker, Rhiannon Bending, is also taking on this year’s race. The 36-year-old from Bridgend was due to run the half marathon last year but unfortunately had to pull out after a shock MS diagnosis.
She said: “I first started feeling unwell in July 2024. I thought I had bad sinusitis. Then one day, I was at home and I experienced a thunderclap headache and collapsed.” Rhiannon was taken to hospital. She lost her ability to walk and spent months having tests until finally she was diagnosed with MS at the end of September.
Now through her hard work and determination, she’s relearned to walk and will be completing the half marathon she missed.
Rhiannon added: “Going from being in hospital and unable to walk to now doing the Cardiff Half is incredible. Movement really is medicine and the best thing you can do for yourself is to keep moving. When you hear MS you think of the worst but the more I learn about it alongside my treatment, it’s not as scary as I originally thought. You learn to find your new normal.”
This year’s race sees the highest number of internationals taking part, with more than 4,000 runners coming from overseas. The majority of international entrants are travelling from Germany, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, France and the Netherlands.
They will all be joined by elite runners looking to battle it out for a podium spot. This year’s field includes athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Great Britain and Spain among others.
For more information visit www.cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk
