Cardiff Half Marathon charity places for 2025

Timetable

• 09:15 | Pens open
• 09:50 | Elite Wheelchair race
• 10:00 | Cardiff Half Marathon start - white, green and red waves
• 10:10 | Cardiff Half Marathon start - blue, purple and yellow waves

Event village

Event Village on City Hall Lawns is the perfect place to meet fellow runners, say good luck to loved ones, leave baggage safely stowed in the baggage tents and make your way to the start line before the race. It’s also the perfect place to to relax at the end of the race and reunite with friends and supporters.

Relax, recuperate and celebrate your success with a well deserved post-race massage.

Once you’ve had your soothing massage and you’re feeling a little livelier, you can also enjoy the best of the live music stage and entertainment programme.

Grab a post-race massage, browse official race merchandise or check out accessories from event partners, and for any queries about the race, our Event Information Desk is here to help.

Charity event

Get involved with a number of interactive come and try sports or visit one of the sponsors and charities who will be showcasing their products, services and causes.

Spectators

With the race growing and the elite field improving, provision for spectators has been improved in recent years to give spectators the best chance to watch some of the world’s best athletes take on the iconic route and cheer on family and friends.

Spectator zones give everyone the best possible opportunity to see their loved ones. Head down Castle Street, away from the city centre and towards the River Taff for the best chance to catch your loved ones after they have crossed the start line, away from the congestion of the start pens. Head to Corbett Road for great views of the closing stages of the race on either side of the road, big screens, music and prize giveaways.

Tiered standing terraces give spectators a fantastic view of their loved ones over the finish line on King Edward VII Avenue. You’ll want to head down early to grab yourself the best vantage point. Head down to Corbett Road and King Edward VII Avenue from 10:15am.

Event HQ

Cardiff Castle
Castle Street
Cardiff
South Glamorgan
CF10 3RB
UK

Tuck into some tasty street food or kick back with a well deserved celebratory drink – with a wide choice of vendors to choose from. 

The race starts outside Cardiff Castle on Castle Street and finishes on King Edward VII Avenue. The event village is at City Hall Lawn outside Cardiff’s City Hall.

Entertainment

Your 13.1 mile experience will be as exciting and atmospheric as possible with live groups, steel drums, tune trucks, brass bands, choirs and more. Acts include:

Drum Runners | Batala Bristol | Ukulele Band | Samba Galez | Welsh Air Ambulance Choir | Cardiff Uni Brass Band | Accordia | Tune Trucks | Pride Cymru | Rock Choir | Cathays Brass Band | Rock N Soul

Cut off time

4 hours 30 minutes

Participants should try to complete the course within 4 hour 30 minutes. In order to safely get the city moving again and protect all participants, after this time all roads will be reopened and a sweep bus will collect those at the back of the race unable to keep up with the allotted 20-minute mile pace.

With a socially responsible business model at the core, this event delivers ambitiously green, sustainable and low impact events.

Sustainability overview

• Reduce plastic use including plastic-free goody bags
• Minimise waste
• Avoid unsustainable materials including medals made from recycled materials
• Achieve 90% recycling rate
• Carbon off-setting initiative
• Educational and behavioural change in the office and at the events themselves
• Encourage sustainable travel
• Reduce litter in the local environment

Included

• A posted race pack including a race weekend brochure, spectator guide, running number and timing chip
• A high standard of event organisation, with a fully marshaled, closed road route
• High-quality finishers medal to commemorate your achievement
• Optional technical finishers t-shirt or Climate Action Fund donation
• Access to helpful training advice and support via the event website and e-newsletters
• Access to the event facilities, including toilets
• Course entertainment and live music across the route
• Water and nutritional products available at energy stations along the route
• Use of the Run 4 Wales app to live track your performance
• A finish time SMS at the end of the race (if you have submitted your mobile number)
• Access to Event Village with retailers, street food and live entertainment
• Predicted finish time pacers in every start wave

Not Included

• Runner photo

Every year thousands of runners take part in this event and fundraise for charity. While this is hugely beneficial to the charities it gives the runner advantages too, from supporting a cause that is close to your heart to securing a place in this highly sought-after event and much more.

Benefits of running for charity

Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus all of these extras which will elevate your event experience:

• Fundraising support

  Charities know that raising money is all part of the challenge, which is why they provide advice, branded materials and a personalised online fundraising page to help the donations roll in. Think videos for social media, branded imagery and testimonials from previous runners.

• Training support

  Whether this is your first run or your fifth, you'll need to train for it! You'll receive an in-depth training plan with guidance, plus many charities have access to expert coaches and elite runners too, who can provide exclusive tips for your race preparation. Experts include Runningwithus, Full Potential and Olympic champs.

• Branded running kit

  When you show up on the day, people need to be able to see clearly that you're supporting a charity. Most charities will give you a branded and personalised t-shirt or vest to run in on the big day, and often a training top too.

• Support on the day

  When you're partway through your run and your energy is flagging, what you need is a boost from cheering spectators to keep you moving. Many charities set up a cheer station along the route, keeping an eye out for you to send up a huge cheer as you run past!

• Post-race recovery

  Refreshments and an indulgent post-race sports massage are often provided by charities for their runners. This is the perfect way to recover alongside other people who have run for that cause.

• Exclusive social groups

  You won't be the only person running for that charity, so it's well worth meeting other runners through the charity's invite-only social media pages! You can organise to meet up for training runs, chat with the charity's expert coaches and share tips and stories with each other to keep the motivation levels running high.

This year was the 3rd year in a row for me at the Cardiff Half. The first two years were fundraisers... There is just something about this race. The crowds throughout are incredible, and pretty much 3-deep all the way around... the local choirs, nursing homes, bands, and kids with their jelly babies come out in force. 

The support at mile 12 is like no other half I have experienced and the home straight is full of crowds cheering at full pelt. Every time I cross the finish line here it's a bit emotional and I wouldn't have it any other way. Martin J

My favourite running event! I run the Cardiff Half every year and it never disappoints. Amazing views and tourist attractions. The best support and atmosphere I’ve ever experienced. The medals are insane every time and I love my t shirts. Very well organised. Couldn’t recommend this event enough especially for a PB! Candice M

What a race! Over 20K runners in one place. Amount of supporters - I'd say there was EASILY 100K (!!!) people along true route cheering and supporting us all. Brilliant atmosphere. Will be definitely going back. Waldemar K

I did t know they would sing the anthem at the start, wow! Standing in front of the castle singing the anthem was the perfect start. If you want to run a race where you feel like an athlete this is the one. There’s so much support on the whole course. A couple of cheeky hills but nothing too bad. Definitely one to add to your must do list. Kirstie D

Reviews thanks to RaceCheck