Cardiff Half Marathon 2025: Review
A race with huge crowds and great energy but surprisingly hilly if you're used to running on the flat.
Event village
Where enthusiasm went to die
The Cardiff Half Marathon event village was... quiet. Granted, I arrived at 4pm on Saturday, but even so, I’ve seen more atmosphere in a Lidl car park. Race numbers were posted out (a good idea), but the safety pins weren’t included (a bad one), so my entire trip to the village was to hunt for pins. A noble quest, achieved in 90 seconds.
There was an Oysho tent — the official sponsor — and a Superhalfs stand. It was the first time I’d ever heard of Oysho, and their clothing didn’t make me linger. Superhalfs, on the other hand, had solid merch. I already own one of their jumpers, and once I’ve ticked off a few more of the six events, I’ll probably buy enough branded gear to look like an unpaid ambassador.
The race course
Rolling hills and mild despair
Coming from London, where “elevation” means Vauxhall Bridge’s 2-metre incline, Cardiff felt mountainous. The route is full of short, steep hills — not Alps-level, but enough to make your quads question your life choices. The one at mile 12 was particularly cruel. At least the final stretch was downhill, which was an unexpectedly cinematic way to limp into glory.
The scenery was… fine. My memory is mostly of dual carriageways and industrial estates, but that’s on me — I had a cold, started too fast, and stopped roughly seven times to retie my shoes. My friends, who had better races, swear it was a lovely route that showed off the best of Cardiff. They might be right. I just wasn’t in the mood for sightseeing.
Hydration stations
Every three miles, there were 330ml bottles of water, which is basically luxury service by half marathon standards. I always bring my own fuel, but gels were available at at least one station if you’d rather gamble with your digestive system.
From mile 10 onwards, locals lined the streets with sweets, cheering like their lives depended on your blood sugar. You won’t go hungry at the Cardiff Half.
The start area
Chaos and bladder management
Bag drop was a nightmare. I arrived in Cardiff at 9am for a 10am start, naïvely thinking I’d have time for bag drop, a warm-up, and maybe a calm, reflective pee. Instead, I found myself in a half-mile queue of panicking runners and nowhere near enough toilets.
Eventually I gave up and joined the many men relieving themselves in nearby shrubbery — a moment of communal humility that truly captures the spirit of distance running.
By the time I’d dumped my bag, sprinted to the start, and queued again for a portaloo (because of course), I reached my pen at 9:59. Two minutes to warm up. Perfect. Unfortunately, my shorts were too loose and my shoes too tight, which turned the first few miles into a slapstick performance of mid-race outfit adjustments. Not my finest work.
The finish line
Redemption at last!
If the start was chaos, the finish was redemption. The crowd support in Cardiff was phenomenal — genuinely one of the loudest and most uplifting finish lines I’ve ever run through in a half marathon. The final kilometre felt like being swept forward by pure noise and sugar fumes.
The post-race funnel was surprisingly efficient, too. No overcrowded bottlenecks, no 40-minute death marches to find your bag. I was reunited with my stuff and heading to the pub within 15 minutes. That’s world-class logistics.
Final verdict
Cardiff Half Marathon has the bones of a brilliant race: great atmosphere, committed crowds, and a scenic (if occasionally grim) course. But the organisation around bag drop and toilets needs work. Arrive early, tie everything securely, and accept that you’ll probably pee somewhere inappropriate.
For anyone who loves city races with character — and doesn’t mind a few hills — Cardiff is worth the trip. Just maybe don’t turn up with a cold and a loose waistband.
Were you out there too? Share your Cardiff Half experience below — we love hearing how everyone else survived the hills!
