Cardiff Half Marathon 2026 Race Report

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Event	Cardiff Half Marathon 2026
Distance	21.1km
Date	04.10.2026
Location	Cardiff
Condition	Cold start, then full sun
Charity	NSPCC
Kit	NSPCC t-shirt

Goal	Target	Result
Fundraising	Make my sponsors proud	137% of target raised for NSPCC
Finish	Get round	Finished
Negative split	Second half faster than first	Did not happen
Coach’s plan	Push after mile 8	Could not find the gear

Finish Time	Gun Time	Gender	Age Group	Overall
1:33:23	1:36:18	1635/12879	92/1102	1755/24038

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I drove to Cardiff in the morning with two clubmates. The train would have been the obvious choice, but no service arrived in time for the start. Now that I have an electric car, the drive doesn’t bother me too much.

My bib arrived a few days before the race, so I didn’t register on the day. Bag drop was simple, with the army volunteers on hand keeping everything moving.

The alarm was set for 5 am to leave at 5:45 am and be in Cardiff by 8 am. We made it on time. We stopped at Costa for coffee and porridge, then I stretched in the pen before we started.

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The professional race started at 10 am sharp. I saw the pros coming down from the castle toward the start while I walked to my pen. We set off a few minutes later.

My coach had told me to start slow and push after mile 8. I thought I had started slow enough, but when the time came to push, I couldn’t find another gear. I ran the first 5K at 4:14/km and held about 4:21/km to 10K. From there, I slowed steadily through 4:30 and 4:36, then finished the final stretch at 4:19/km. No negative split and no push.

Fuelling was the weak point. Sponsorship has been light this year, so I’ve had fewer orders from the plant-based nutrition brands I work with, and I hadn’t restocked. I had one Torq gel left, which I used halfway through. I also took a bottle of Gatorade but only drank half. My nutrition planner would have flagged that one gel wouldn’t be enough.

Training has been lighter too, with a Dubai run, a Paris run, and one in between. Given that preparation, the 1:33 finish fairly reflects where I was.

The crowd has been amazing, making it the second-best running course after the London Marathon. It felt like Wales came out to cheer, sing, and play loud music to support the 24,000 runners and the charities they represented.

I finished tired. The lack of training caught up with me in the final stretch. I did manage to meet a work colleague after the finish, which was a nice surprise.

Chip time: 1:33:23 · Gun time: 1:36:18 · Average pace: 4:25/km

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I stopped by the NSPCC tent after the finish. Those guys do an amazing job. Afterwards, I had a quick drink at a local brewery with my colleague before meeting Jo and Sarah, then drove home.

Later I posted on Instagram: “Medal Monday. But bigger than the medal: 137% of the target raised. Cheers, signs, music, bands, charities. Cardiff absolutely nailed it.”

• 137% of target raised for NSPCC
• Car journey and timing were spot on, with easy parking near the event
• Bib sorted before the day, easy bag drop, and well-run volunteers
• More people showed up than expected, both racing and cheering
• Running with Jo and Sarah, so the day wasn’t done alone

• Fuelling: more gels, and restock earlier regardless of sponsorship
• Training volume: more consistent preparation if I’m going for a time
• Pacing: commit to the push after mile 8 from the start, rather than waiting until I feel fresh enough

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Organisation	10/10
Course	10/10
Atmosphere / Crowd	10/10
My Performance	6/10
Value for Money	10/10
Overall	10/10

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Cardiff is relatively flat, stunning, and full of people who turn up for you. It’s the second-best half or full marathon I’ve done after London, and the reason for going was never really about the time. The fundraising total is what will stay with me.

Haven’t donated yet? Click here. Let’s push that total even higher.

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