Our A-Z of the Cardiff Half
To celebrate the Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon’s 15th year, we’ve put together an A-Z of all things to expect on October 7th.
Here’s what you’ve got to look forward to this year!
A – Atmosphere. Standing next to Cardiff Castle surrounded by tens and thousands of runners and spectators. What a start!
B – Banners. ‘Touch for power’, ‘You think you’re tired? We’ve been holding onto this banner since 9:00am’… lots and lots of motivational (?) banners.
C – Cardiff University. Our Title Partner. We’re expecting to see plenty of #TeamCardiff runners again this year!
D – Deafening noise. As you turn the corner to run down Cathays Terrace, the noise is like no other. Music, yelling crowds and your mind shouting ‘STOP THIS’.
E – Entertainment. And plenty of it banded throughout different parts of the route. At least you’ll have brief moments of fun amidst the ongoing hell. Of course, we’re kidding.
F – Fancy dress. Medieval knights, Elmo, Smurfs, Clowns. What have we got in store this year?
G – Gels. Boy are these handy. Just as you think your body is giving up on you, an energy gel gives you that second wind.
H – Hell. It’s not going to be like you dreamed of unfortunately. There will be moments where you’d rather just stop and crawl the rest of the way.
I – Isotonic drinks. See ‘G’. Vital for just making it to the end.
J – Jelly legs… or babies? Either or, really. Jelly babies will aid in getting your jelly legs over the finish line.
K – Kudos. To our runners, volunteers, officials and everyone who puts in the hard yards to make this happen. We doff our caps to you.
L – Lactic acid. A long distance running classic and inevitability. That deep burn in your legs is your body telling you to take it easy, but that’s not in your nature, is it?
M – Medals. Add another beautiful chunk of glorious goodness to your collection. Wear it for at least a week. You’ve earned this.
N – NSPCC. Expect to see a lot of runners fundraising for our Lead Charity Partner as part of #TeamNSPCC, a team striving to keep children safe.
O – Overwhelming. A mass participation event can be just that, but our best advice is to drink in the atmosphere and absorb the memories!
P – Penarth Marina. Another hotspot for our route, taking in lovely little Penarth around the 4th mile just before heading onto the picturesque Cardiff Bay Barrage.
Q – Queasy. That feeling you get as you come to a halt just after crossing the finish line. It feels weird not to be running anymore. Just play it cool and ride it out.
R – Roath Park. Our most beautiful part of the run. Circling Roath Lake, runners revel in a relaxing setting. Who are we kidding? At this point, their legs and heads have gone – what lake?
S – Spectators. Thousands of strangers coming out to support strangers and tell them how great they are. It makes complete and utter sense.
T – Twelfth mile, Fairoak Road. See ‘H’. This is our mini version of hell. It’s a generally flat course, but that incline on Fairoak Road can really take your legs by surprise.
U – Unconditional support. Throughout pretty much the whole route, you’ll be surrounded by fans, friends and family out in force to help you through the struggles of a half marathon.
V – Volunteers. The day simply would not be possible without our group of dedicated volunteers who give up their time to make your experience an even better one.
W – Water. Thanks to Brecon Carreg, our runners don’t have to worry about becoming dehydrated on their 13.1 mile adventure.
X – X marks the spot. We bet that, post-race, you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly where in your body the aches and pains are. Get yourself a massage.
Y – Yikes. That moment when you’re stood on the start line and think, ‘Wow, just 13.1 miles to go’. Yeah, it’s totally normal. Gulp.
Z – Zzzs. Those precious, precious zzzs. That night’s sleep post-Half will be some of the best winks you’ll ever have. It’s guaranteed.
