Cardiff Half Marathon race organisers, Run 4 Wales, have confirmed that two male participants died after Sunday’s (October 7) event in the Welsh capital.

The two runners, aged 25 and 32, suffered cardiac arrests after crossing the finishing line.

Both runners were immediately attended to by the medical emergency team, before being taken to University Hospital Wales, Heath, Cardiff where they later died.

“This is a terrible tragedy for the families,” said Run 4 Wales Chief Executive Matt Newman. “Our deepest sympathies go out to their family and friends.

“The emergency services reacted to this terrible situation with great speed and professionalism. Everyone connected with the race is devastated.”

They unfortunately become the first fatalities in the 15 year history of the race. Since Run 4 Wales took over managing the event in 2012, there have been 116,049 finishers in what has grown to become the second biggest half marathon in the UK.

About 20,000 people took part this year, which incorporated the inaugural Commonwealth Half Marathon. Australian Jack Rayner won the men’s race, while Uganda’s Juliet Chekwel won the women’s race.

RELATED: Jack Rayner and Juliet Chekwel win Commonwealth half marathon

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The inaugural Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships will bring a stellar lineup of the world’s best endurance athletes to Cardiff this weekend.

International runners from 18 nations will battle it out on the streets of the Welsh capital at the first Commonwealth event over 13.1 miles. The Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon will prove a familiar stage for Kenyan athlete John Lotiang, who broke the course record at last year’s event in a time of 60:43 to take the 2017 title.

Kenyan athletes have dominated the male and female races over the last decade, with 14 of the last 16 winners coming from the East African nation. Lotiang will be joined by teammates Joseph Nzioki (60:23) and Daniel Muteti (60:54) as the Kenyans eye up a second successive 1-2-3. Flomena Daniel will lead a strong female contingent and arrives with serious pedigree four years after winning marathon gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Uganda could prove to be the biggest threat to Kenya after they named a former mountain running world champion in their men’s team. Fred Musobu won on the mountains of Betws-Y-Coed in North Wales back in 2015. He will be out to improve on his half marathon best of 61:38 alongside the 2017 Ugandan 10,000m champion Timothy Toroitich, Felix Chemonges and Vitalis Kwemoi.

Tanzania’s Failuna Abdi Matanga is the third fastest woman in the race and will attempt to seal her spot on the podium after finishing fifth at the Barcelona half marathon. The Tanzanian men will be led by Gabriel Gerald Geay, who ran an impressive 61:13 over the distance in the UAE last year.

Wales

There will be a strong home nations presence hoping to gatecrash the podium places. Dewi Griffiths leads Team Wales in his home race after smashing his personal best to finish fourth in a time of 61:33 last year. The Swansea Harrier missed the Commonwealth Games through injury but has a shot at redemption alongside teammates Josh Griffiths, who finished as the top Brit at the 2017 London Marathon, and the in-form Kris Jones.

North Walian Andy Davies was meant to compete after an 11th placed finish at the Commonwealth Marathon, but will be replaced by Jon Hopkins.

Jenny Nesbitt spearheads the Welsh women alongside Rosie Edwards and Clara Evans.

Caryl Jones has withdrawn from the event and will be replaced by Alaw Beynon-Thomas, who ran a half marathon lifetime best of 76:48 in the mass race at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia back in March.

England

Team England have a wealth of inside information on what awaits in the Welsh capital. Cardiff AAC’s Matt Clowes will be aiming to gain revenge on Dewi Griffiths having finished second to the Welsh runner ver 10K at Barry Island and Cardiff.

Clowes was due to line up alongside Ben Connor, who clocked a personal best of 61:11 back in February on the streets of Barcelona, but Connor and Bristol & West AC’s Daniel Study have withdrawn due to injury. Thames Valley Harrier Mohamud Aadan and Southampton AC’s Alex Teuten make up the men’s team.

They are joined by an experienced women’s squad of Tracy Barlow, Gemma Steel, Rebecca Murrayand Dani Nimmock. Marathon specialist Barlow set her half-marathon personal best in Valencia in March where she clocked 72:35 while Steel boasts a best of 68:13 set back in 2013.

Scotland

Scotland will send a team of six athletes to Cardiff next month, headlined by 2010 Commonwealth 1,500m bronze medalist Stephanie Twell. Having finished 14th over 5,000m on the Gold Coast, Twell will step up in distance to run 13.1 miles in Cardiff. She is joined by Fiona Brian of Metro Aberdeen and Annabel Simpson of Fife AC. In the men’s team Kenny Wilson of Moray Road Runners and John Newsom of Inverness Harriers will be joined by Mike Crawley – the Corstorphine AAC athlete who has raced for GB and NI over 50K.

Northern Ireland

Paul Pollock is the standout name in the Northern Ireland team having already competed at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games this year. Pollock will be joined by Andrew Annett, who recently won the Northern Ireland & Ulster Half Marathon Championships, along with Eoghan Totten, who ran 66:14 in Barcelona this year and Conor Bradley who ran 51:48 for 10 miles last month.

Australia

The challenge from Down Under will be fronted by a strong Aussie team, who are led by Commonwealth Games 5,000m and 10,000m finalist Celia Sullohern. The 26-year-old earned fifth and sixth placed finishes on her international track debut at the Gold Coast and will be aiming to produce another shock on the streets of the Welsh capital next month.

She is joined in a three-woman team by Marnie Ponton and Casey Wood, who finished second and third respectively at the Australian Half Marathon Championships.

DeJen Gebreselassie will don the green and gold vest after a remarkable journey to the start line outside Cardiff Castle. Gebreselassie, 25, was born to Ethiopian parents in a Sudan refugee camp, and aged 10 his family moved to Tasmania for a new life in Australia.

He went on to represent his adopted country at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships where he ran a personal best time of 63:47. He will be joined by Australian Half Marathon Champion Jack Rayner who earned a new PB of 63:17 in July, and Nic Harman and Ed Goddard.

New Zealand

New Zealand will send a team of four athletes to the Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon on October 7. Belgrave Harrier Daniel Wallis will be familiar with British conditions having spent his whole junior career racing in the United Kingdom.

He will be joined in the men’s team by Cameron Graves, while Rochelle Sceats and Esther Keown will compete in the Women’s race.

Botswana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Sierra Leone and the Isle of Man will also send teams to compete.

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The new road racing competition has been officially sanctioned by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and will mark the 60th anniversary of the 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth (Empire) Games.

Representatives from more than 50 nations were in attendance at Team Wales house on the Gold Coast for the official unveiling of the Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships by Run 4 Wales and Welsh Athletics Chief Executive Matt Newman and Race Director Steve Brace.

Set to take place in the Welsh capital on October 7 the competition is expected to attract top athletes from across the Commonwealth, including Australia, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Kenya and Wales.

The Welsh city is no stranger to global half marathons, having successfully hosted the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2016, with Kenyan stars Geoffrey Kamworor and Peres Jepchirchir taking the top honours.

To-date 20 Commonwealth nations have expressed an interest in competing in new road event.

“It is an honour to bring the Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships to Cardiff on October 7 and I’m certain it will prove to be another major addition to the rich sporting history of the city,” said Newman. “The event will break new ground at the front-end of the well-established Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year.

“The race will also take place 60 years on from the 1958 Empire and Commonwealth Games, which paved the way for Cardiff to become a hub for world-class sporting events.

“The real beauty of this event is that ordinary runners get the chance to line-up on the same start line as the best athletes in the world once again. That simply doesn’t happen in many other sports or cities.

“With its iconic route around the city, the race will be broadcast live on the BBC UK-wide, and beamed around the Commonwealth, a perfect way to showcase our Capital City. This is a major coup for British and Welsh athletics and should give our home grown talent the chance to shine on their own doorstep.”

The Cardiff Half Marathon, which regularly attracts 25,000 runners in the mass race now has an IAAF Road Race silver label.

The post Cardiff to host first ever Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships appeared first on Fast Running.

For someone still in their earlier twenties, Nesbitt has already experienced a whole career’s worth of setbacks and admits “there have been times that she could have easily packed it in.” But despite the challenges, including illness and injury, the 22-year-old has battled through, and now after winning a first Welsh title, she hopes it will springboard her back onto the international stage.

The Worcester athlete ran an impressive 1:13:23 for fifth in the Welsh capital to finish as the first British athlete and won a first national title.

“My goal was to be the first British runner over the line. After just coming off my break from the track season I wasn’t in the best shape, so I was cautious not to go out too hard and just ran as well as I could,” she says. “I got to about 10km and thought that I was the leading Brit and pushed on from there. I lost a group of male runners at about 11km and ended up running the last 10km on my own, that was hard work, but I just kept going to that finish line and surprised myself with my time. That was really pleasing along with my first Welsh title.”

Injuries, illness and success
Prior to her success in Cardiff, Nesbitt has had five years of highs and lows in running and life. The first serious challenge she faced and overcame was being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2012, she says, “I remember watching the Olympics from the hospital. The disease that had a massive effect on my body, liver and kidney function. I was left really weak and ill and it took me some time to get over it. I missed over two years of running, but thankfully I was able to build myself back up. I am very fortunate that apart from a yearly checkup it hasn’t left any ill effects, although I do have to be careful with sore throats as they can be a trigger.”

After making a fantastic recovery, the determined Nesbitt, then 19, returned in 2014 and achieved a memorable career highlight beating Paula Radcliffe in the Worcester 10K. Nesbitt won the race in her home city, in 34:22, with Radcliffe third.

The following year she represented Great Britain for the first time winning a team gold at the European U23 Cross Country Championships. She was the third-fastest British athlete, behind Laura Muir and Madelaine Murray. Then in June of 2016, she won a European Cup 10,000m bronze medal, and just when things were going so well she was presented with another hurdle to overcome.

“It was a bad knee injury and it required an operation, it was a tough time. I had the operation in August 2016 and started running again in November, but about three weeks in I was struck down by another injury. As a result, it wasn’t until February of this year that started back running,” she explains. “I feel like I am back on track and this year I have managed some performances that I didn’t think were possible so soon the injury, so I am very pleased with that.”

Following five weeks of training in Font Romeu, Nesbitt went on to clock a personal best 32:59.52 over 10,000m at the famed Highgate Night of PB’s in May, before heading to the European U23 Championships in July, where she finished sixth in the 10,000m.

“I have mixed emotions about that European U23 Champs. After Highgate, I had a bit of a niggle and was forced to reduce my normal training, so I didn’t go into that race as fit as I could have been. I was ranked in the top three, so I did approach the race hoping to medal which I didn’t manage, but at the same time I was just really pleased that I managed to be competitive in the race after another setback,” she says.

“At the time I was a little frustrated with the outcome but reflecting now it’s another lesson and the experience is important because I am still learning how to race the 10,000m on the track. It was extra motivation to take forward to the World University Games,” she adds.

With little over a month in-between the European U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz Poland and the World University Games in Taipei, the Bath University student was happy to follow up her sixth place with fifth on the world university stage. Although Taipei itself had its own challenges. “I’ve never experienced anything like the heat and humidity at the World University Games. And on the day of our race, there was also a massive thunderstorm meaning the whole event was delayed. The disruption wasn’t ideal, but the heat and humidity was something you couldn’t prepare for. ” she explains.

After the delay and despite the conditions the 10,000m final finally got underway and Nesbitt was more than happy with her performance, saying “I was really pleased with how I raced because I ranked eighth and finished fifth. I tried different tactics in the race than what I’ve done before, I sat at the back and worked my way up and it paid off.”

Running solo
Nesbitt is not a sponsored athlete, but hopes after her “recent performances will help with that”. Coming from a small athletics club has challenges in itself and she admits she lacks competition, so trains on her own, but she has a strong relationship with her coach of a lifetime Dave Walker.

“Dave has been my coach from when I started running. We have a strong bond and I trust his advice and input. I come from a really small club and have ended up training mostly on my own, but to have Dave for his advice and support has been invaluable. Also, I am really lucky to have the support of Welsh Athletics. People like Chris Jones are always willing to give their suggestions and ideas and that complements my training,” she explains.

Having experienced many highs and lows by 22, she has learnt that there is an immense strength to be found in overcoming challenges.

“I have had a lot of setbacks and there have been multiple times that I could have easily packed it in and no one would have thought any worse of me. I was in a position where I couldn’t physically do any activity. I think the right mental attitude can help you achieve a lot more than you think it possibly can if you push through the problems you have,” she says.

“You have to enjoy what you do, there is no point aspiring to be an athlete if you don’t. You have to take each day as it comes, approach it with a positive attitude, and enjoy it. But you have to give it as much effort as you can, you can’t approach it half-hearted, whatever your goals are,” adds Nesbitt.

Looking to the future
Next up for Nesbitt is getting back to some cross country. “I will be running the Cardiff Cross Challenge, which is this month, and then a couple of races abroad and then come back and race in Liverpool at the end of November. This year is also my last year as an under-23 so I hope to make it to the European Cross Country Championships in Slovakia at the end of the year,” she says.

The 10,000m at Commonwealth Games is also a major goal and currently having achieved a B-standard time, she hopes to be selected for Wales. If it’s not to be, she will target the World Half Marathon Championships next March, and after that, like all ambitious young athletes after she has her sights on Tokyo 2020.

The post Jenny Nesbitt is ready for more golden moments appeared first on Fast Running.

Just a week after running a personal best at the Berlin Marathon, Laura Graham of Mourne Runners was back on the Northern Ireland roads winning the Bangor 10km in a time of 34 mins 47 secs. Graham also won this race last year.

Finishing second was Jessica Craig of host club North Down in 36 mins 9 secs. Many times world masters champion Cathy McCourt finished third in just over 38 minutes.

The overall winner of the race was Gideon Kipsang who came agonisingly close to breaking the half hour when he finished in 30 mins 3 secs. In a race with long gaps up front, Paddy Hamilton of Slieve Gullion Runners, who is on the comeback trail after injury, finished second in 31 mins 30 secs.

Best of the Irish at the Cardiff Half Marathon was Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock who ran at a steady five minute per mile pace to finish 14th of the men in 65 mins 33 secs. Although it is less than two months since the World Championships marathon where he finished 22nd in 2:16.21, his time wasn’t far off his personal best of 64 mins 25 secs run last year.

Tallaght’s Tomas Fitzpatrick finished 24th and third M35 in 69 mins 13 secs while Sean Hehir of Rathfarnham WSAF was one place behind in 69 mins 52 secs. Fitzpatrick, who is returning from injury, has a best of 66 mins 05 for the distance from Bath in 2016.

Hehir’s best of 65.39 dates from Berlin this year. All three men are listed for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon at the end of the month. For both Clohisey and Hehir, it would be the third marathon this year if they do indeed run.

Cork to Cobh 15-Mile
Colin Merritt and Clare Gibbons McCarthy were the winners of the annual Cork to Cobh 15-Mile.

Merritt finished almost two minutes clear of the field in 83 mins 13 secs. Second was Mark Smith in 85:10, with Michael Corbett a close third in 85:18. McCarthy, who ran the marathon at the World Championships last August, finished ninth overall in 90 mins 9 secs.

Andrew Connick and Niall Tuohy made it a Ferrybank one-two an the annual West Waterford Open Cross-Country in Dungarvan.

Connick led the men’s 8km in the grounds of St Augustine’s from the start chased by Tuohy and Frank Quinlan of Waterford AC. He won in 25 mins 55 secs, with Tuohy sprinting home for second in 26:14 and Quinlan third in 26:45.

First of the women who started off with the men and ran two 2km laps was Orla Quelly of Ferrybank AC who finished comfortably clear of her team mate Louise Morgan. Natalie Sheehan of West Waterford was third. Ferrybank won both team categories.

Midweek Preview
Coming up on Tuesday (7pm) in Longford is an Irish Runner Magazine-organised Paced Mile to celebrate the 35th anniversary of local man Ray Flynn’s Irish mile record of 3 mins 49 7 secs st at the Bislett Games, Oslo in July 1982.

Flynn, who turned 60 earlier this year, also holds the current Irish 1500m record of 3:33.5, set in the same Oslo race. In a distinguished career, he ran 89 sub-4-minute miles and competed at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games.

There will be experienced pacers for miles of 12, 11,10,89,8,6 and 5 minutes. Late entries at €5 will be taken on the night until 6.15pm.

The Paced Mile will be followed by a social evening in the Longford Arms including an on-stage chat with Ray Flynn, who is on a visit home from his base in Tennessee, USA. See www.irishrunner.com

The post Laura Graham Wins Bangor 10km & Mick Clohisey Best of Irish in Cardiff appeared first on Fast Running.

Great Scottish run, Glasgow, Sunday, October 1
Back racing on home soil it was Callum Hawkins who was expected to take the win at the Great Scottish run. However, under grey skies, it was Chris Thompson who broke away a few miles into the race and held on to take the victory in Glasgow in a time of 1:02:44.

Thompson, who had a below-par performance at the recent Great North Run looked back to his best. He said afterwards, “It was a privilege to beat Callum on his turf .”

Even though Hawkins couldn’t close the gap on Thompson, there was still the Scottish half-marathon championships to contest and with a great sprint finish, he just pipped Tsegai Tewelde for second place, with both runners posting 1:03:18.

Hawkins, who was back racing after a post World Championships break, where he finished fourth in the marathon, said,“my legs just haven’t recovered properly from the World Champs but this race was a good kick-start the season.”

Top 3 Elite Men #GreatScottishRun

Chris Thompson GBR 01:02:44
Callum Hawkins GBR 01:03:18
Tsegai Tewelde GBR 01:03:18 pic.twitter.com/Ey7HXu6XZO

— Great Scottish Run (@GreatScotRun) October 1, 2017

All of the top eight finishers in the men’s elite race were from Great Britain.

Flomena Cheyech Daniel led the women’s race from the start and the race continued in that fashion with the Kenyan clocking 1:10:07 for the win. Daniel said after the race that she loves the crowds in Glasgow but isn’t as keen on the Scottish weather.

After finishing the top Briton at the World Championships in London, Charlotte Purdue showed no signs of fatigue posting 1:12:18 for second place. Just over two minutes behind for third was Shettleston Harriers Fionnuala Ross running a personal best 1:14:26.

It was third time lucky for Ross as she picked up her first Scottish half marathon title, after finished runner-up in the last two editions of the race. The Northern Irish born athlete, who recently spoke to Fast Running about her plans this year, now turns her focus to the Frankfurt marathon at the end this month.

Cardiff Half Marathon, Cardiff, Sunday, October 1
John Lotiang took the win at the Cardiff Half Marathon in a new course record of 1:00:47 ahead of last year’s winner Shadrack Kimining, who also finished inside last year’s course record.

The pace was very quick in the first half with the leaders passing 10k in 28:32 a time fast enough to win most 10k road races in the UK. At 10 miles Kimining surged but it wasn’t enough to shake off the competition, and Lotiang soon regained ground, before taking the lead, before opening a gap of around 25 metres which he held to the finish.

Dewi Griffiths was in the second group passing 10k in 28:52, and from that point, he ran most of the race solo in tremendous fashion picking off some of the earlier race leaders one by one. Griffiths was rewarded with a personal best of 1:01:31 for fourth. Over the last few weeks, the 26-year-old has notched up a series of PB’s from 10k and half-marathon including his run at the Great North Run. Griffiths recently spoke to Fast Running and his interview can be found here.

A clearly ecstatic @dewigriff10k talks me through his extraordinary run at the @CardiffHalf today. @WelshAthletics @BBCSportWales pic.twitter.com/C6799nu7kX

— Tom Brown (@tombrownsport) October 1, 2017

Charlie Hulson, the national cross country champion in 2015, ran a promising half-marathon debut of 1:05:31 followed by World Championships marathoner Josh Griffiths just outside his PB with 1:05:37.

A few of the top Irish distance runners made the trip to the Welsh capital lead by Mick Clohisy running 1:05:33. Tomas Fitzpatrick followed in 1:09:13 and Sean Hehir 1:09:52.

The first 3 Briton’s in the race also took the honours in the Welsh Half Marathon Championships showing great depth and class of the current Welsh distance runners.

Edith Chelimo won the women’s race almost five minutes clear of second. The race panned out perfectly for Chelimo with a great group of top male athletes almost acting as pacemakers before she was rewarded with a big personal best and a course record of 1:05:50. Behind Chelimo was Dorcas Kimeli in 1:10:49 and Beatrice Mutai in 1:10:56.

Jenny Nesbitt was the first British athlete to cross the line taking top honours in the Welsh Half Marathon title in 1:13:22. The second placed Welsh athlete was Caryl Jones in 1:15:24 followed by Elinor Kirk 1:19:22.

Cheltenham Half Marathon, Cheltenham, Sunday, October 1
At the Cheltenham Half Marathon, the top three men all dipped under 1:11:00. The victory went to Ben Price of Cheltenham & County Harriers in 1:10:33 from Oliver Matt also of Cheltenham in 1:10:52 and Phillip Bridge took third in 1:10:59.

Rachel Felton of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers clinched the win in the women’s race 1:18:54. Taking the win by over 3 minutes.

Redcar Half Marathon, Redcar, Sunday, October 1
Half marathon debutant Dean Newton of New Marske Harriers won the Redcar Half Marathon in a time of 1:11:10. Second position went to Michael Joyeux of Quackers Running club followed by Lewis Gamble also of New Marske Harriers.

Olympian marathon runner Aly Dixon enjoyed the win in the women’s race, with second going to Sharron Bulman of New Marske Harriers and Bev Wright of Blackpool took third.

Jersey Marathon, Jersey, Sunday, October 1
Kenyan Hilary Chirchir won the men’s race at the Jersey Marathon in 2:22:31, with Ulrike Maisch of Germany winning the women’s race in 2:57:27.

The post Chris Thompson Wins Great Scottish Run, and Dewi Griffiths Smashes PB in Cardiff appeared first on Fast Running.

Great Scottish Run, Sunday, October 1
Callum Hawkins looks to defend his Great Scottish Run title on Sunday. The 25-year-old, who finished fourth in the marathon at the World Championships, takes to the streets of Glasgow aiming to run close to last year’s 60:24, although the time was later annulled after the course was found to be 150m short.

His win last year saw him become the first Scottish winner of the half-marathon race in 34 years. After last year’s race, Hawkins followed up his win a new Scottish record of 60:00. at the Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon.

Andrew Butchart, the Scottish 3000m and 5000m record holder, makes a first appearance over the half marathon distance. The 25-year-old will use the race to start his winter season and it will also give him a taste of road racing for next year.

Jo Pavey, who finished fourth two years ago makes a return to Glasgow. The race also incorporates the Scottish Half Marathon Championships and recent Scottish 10K champion Fionnuala Ross, who recently spoke with Fast Running, will be among the favourites for the title.

Cardiff Half Marathon, Sunday, October 1
The Cardiff Half Marathon returns for the 16th edition of the race on Sunday. The course which has had slight changes over the years now takes in most of the Welsh capital’s iconic landmarks.

Last year’s champion Shadrack Kimining who won in 60:53 last year, returns to defend his title but will face a tough challenger in fellow Kenyan Wilfred Murgor.

Dewi Griffiths, who finished eighth last year in Cardiff, will be joined by on the start line by Welsh World Championship marathoners Andrew Davies and Josh Griffiths and Charlie Hulson, the English National Cross Country champion.

Griffiths recently ran 62:53 at the Great North Run and 28:27 at the Swansea Bay 10K and will aim to further improve his time on the fast Cardiff course. Following his PB at the Great North Run in an interview with Fast Running Griffiths’s said: “If I can compete like that in future races, hopefully, the faster times will continue,” and that’s

Jersey Marathon, Sunday, October 1
Around 3000 participants will make their way to Jersey’s capital St Helier for the Jersey Marathon on Sunday.

Last year’s elite race was won by Chris Zablocki in a quick 2:19:55. The American Olympic Marathon qualifier recently ran 211 laps of an indoor track to break the indoor marathon record in a time of 2:21:48.

Redcar Half Marathon, Sunday, October 1
Also taking place on Sunday is the Redcar Half marathon and the course offers personal best potential given the right conditions. The organiser also offers a healthy £500 Bonus to the 1st male under 66 minutes and female under 78 minutes.

Cheltenham Half Marathon, Sunday, October 1
Around 6000 runners will take the streets of Cheltenham on Sunday for the 5th edition of the Cheltenham Half Marathon. The race starts and finishes at the Cheltenham racecourse as always, but this year it takes on a new route.

Toby Spencer took the honours last year, crossing the line in 67:13. The women’s race was won by Annabel Granger in 1:20:51.

The post Great Scottish Run and Cardiff Half Marathon Take Centre Stage – Weekend Preview appeared first on Fast Running.