Cardiff Half Marathon
The Lowdown
The Cardiff Half Marathon is one of the UK's largest and most prestigious half marathons, drawing over 25,000 runners to the Welsh capital every October. Founded by Barnardo's in 2003 with 1,500 runners, the event has grown into a World Athletics Elite Label race and a member of the international SuperHalfs series, and has hosted the World Half Marathon Championships (2016) and Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships (2018). The flat, fast, record-eligible course starts at the historic Cardiff Castle, passes the Cardiff City Stadium and Principality Stadium, heads into the Vale of Glamorgan, crosses the Cardiff Bay Barrage past the Norwegian Church and Wales Millennium Centre, loops around Roath Park Lake, and finishes in the civic centre outside the Temple of Peace on King Edward VII Avenue. The race has carried several title sponsors over the years (including Cardiff University and ASICS in past editions); it is best known by its sponsor-neutral name, Cardiff Half Marathon. For 2026, entry moved to a free ballot system for the first time, with results announced in October alongside charity, Business Challenge, tour operator, and SuperVoucher entry options.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Major marathon
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Legendary crowd support
Cardiff Castle (start)
Cardiff City Stadium
Principality Stadium
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Norwegian Church
Wales Millennium Centre
Roath Park Lake
Temple of Peace, King Edward VII Avenue (finish)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
GB
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 17 on race day
Required Documents
- Photo ID
- Ballot confirmation / race entry confirmation
Entry Methods
- Free public ballot
- Charity guaranteed places
- Business Challenge packages
- Tour operator packages
- SuperVoucher (skip-the-ballot) entries
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official cancellation and deferral policy on cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk before registering
World Athletics Elite Label road race
Member of the international SuperHalfs series
Hosted the IAAF/World Half Marathon Championships in 2016
Hosted the Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships in 2018
Founded in 2003 by Barnardo's with 1,500 runners; now one of the UK's largest half marathons
2026 was the first year entries were run via a free ballot system rather than direct sale
Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.

