Cardiff University Festival of Running Preview
The Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon weekend is finally upon us. Before Commonwealth athletes from all four corners of the globe grace the streets of Cardiff on the Sunday, it’s the popular Cardiff University Festival of Running on Saturday.
Over 1000 runners have already registered to secure their spots in a jam-packed day of family entertainment, including Wales’ largest Family Fun Run, the SOLD OUT Toddler Dash and the all-new 3K club races.
The 2.4KM Family Fun Run starting at 12:00pm is designed for runners of all abilities and ages, looping around Cardiff’s Civic Centre and taking in plenty of the city’s iconic landmarks, including Cardiff City Hall, The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff University’s main building and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
We want runners to enjoy the experience, so dig out your best fancy dress, bring the family along and embrace being part of one of Wales’ biggest sporting weekends. Each finisher will receive a commemorative medal, finishers t-shirt and the opportunity to win gifts and prizes!
The festival starts with the unmissable Toddler Dash at 11:30am, a 50m sprint that offers toddlers and young children the experience of a thrilling photo finish in front of a roaring crowd. The race, which sets out to give toddlers their first steps into racing, is an important part of the festival’s theme to promote health and wellbeing in Wales.
A series of all-new 3K club races for will also take place from 13:00 – 14:00pm, replacing the Welsh Mile Championships offered in recent years. These competitive races will cater for club runners from U13 through to U20 and gives up and coming young runners the chance to take on a fresh challenge as part of the big weekend.
Come and support your favourite mascot as they compete for the weekend’s most esteemed prize in the 100m Mascot Race. Competition will be fierce as ever as some of last year’s favourites return to make up a strong field.
Run Wales, the social running programme from Welsh Athletics, will be there encouraging runners and spectators to share their stories of #WhyIRun. The campaign sets out to show how running can be for everyone and can improve lives. They want to hear what inspires you now, and what encouraged you to run for the first time!
Alongside the pulse raising race schedule, the Event Village will host a range of ‘come and try’ activities, giving families the opportunity to try their hand at an array of different sports including snooker football, athletics and a climbing wall. There’ll also be live entertainment and a whole host of street food!
Come along, soak up the atmosphere and kick off a weekend of running in style.
A limited number of Family Fun Run and 3K club race entries will be made available on the day.
