St David's City of Newport Half Marathon

Hi - I'm keen on tunning this next year but after looking on the St David's website am unsure if raising money is compulsory for entry, can you clarify what the situation in on this? Many thanks....

Newport is within easy driving distance of millions of people.  The same is certainly not true of the city of St. David's!

For this event, the name St. David's hits you in the face....  and outside of Gwent, who would think that "St David's" referred to a charity, rather than the much much better known city?

Of course most potential runners will know, or presume, that the race is in Newport, Gwent...  but I think that quite a lot of people who are quickly scanning down lists of races, will skip past "St David's City of Newport Half-Marathon"  - But might have stopped to look if it was called "Newport Half-marathon - in aid of St. David's Hospices"

I'm aware it's in Newport (or at least I hope it is) and the route sounds like it's pretty flat so could be PB potential (if I put the training in). I'm just not sure about the charity aspect though. Think I may struggle to get sponsorship when I've already gone cap in hand in recent years for London marathon and people know I run half marathons regular anyway so won't see this as much of a challenge for me so probably won't want to sponsor...

Sounds good, but it has a lot of competition that day with Llanelli Half Maraton, Bath Half Marathon and 'St Davids Day' 5 and 10K's in Cardiff. I'm already signed up to Llanelli as are quite a few of my club mates.

You're right about the competition.  But I guess that it still has some pull as a spring HM for those with a PB in mind.  I can't believe that Bath isn't hilly (though I really don't know)...  and the Cardiff 5K and 10K are just that... 5K & 10K !

Llanelli sounds interesting,,,  but I might well do this Newport one. 

Is the new Llanelli route out yet? I did it a few years back on the coastal path, and even thought I did my 1:30 PB there I found it a bit lonely out there and also not much fun out and back on the same path and the torture of passing the finish line at around 7 miles was psychological warfare....

No course map as yet for Llanelli although the one on March 3rd is starting from Parc Y Scarlets rugby stadium. They are also doing a half marathon on the day of the Great Welsh Marathon so that one will be the normal coastal path route.

Will definitely consider Newport if the first year goes well and it continues in future years.

Hi

I have just read the link of the charities website and it states the following

We have not specified a minimum amount of sponsorship to raise, but we ask that you endeavour to raise as much as you can – every penny really does count.

Looks like it could be a good HM but no medal!

Would like to do this, for me Cardiff has become too big an event to seriously go for a PB, would love to break 2 hrs just once.

didn't realise this is the same day as the llanelli half.shame............but should hopefully be a great race......

Great PB potential I think - the numbers are limited to 1,000 to make sure that there are no bottlenecks along the course. plus - as it's out and back, everyone supports each other. I did the Pontypridd reverse 10, and seeing the top runners on their way back as I was still headed out to halfway spurred me on.. and then I cheered for those I met on my way back. 

Newport i'll be heading nice tech t-shirt and alot cheaper than llanelli half last time i run llanelli only a medal looked cheap and nasty....

Have stuck with Llanelli Half and entered on 4th March this year. It's a great and proven value for money event ...  fantastic memntos - last year, a hat, and a brilliant golden shoe and the year before a crystal runnners cube with a tech tee-shirt. Have run it every year and it just gets better and better. And if that is not good enough, they have a brand new course for 2013 that starts and finishes at the new Scarlets stadium.

I may try the Newport half if they stop trying to compete by not "crazily" putting it on the same day as an already established "Welsh" event that also raises the awareness and funds for many worthwhile causes. Where is the common sense in this? Or is it a case of a charities greed again trying to cash in on atletics event regardless of all others?

There's no "Charity greed trying to cash in on athletics events" Luke -it's simply that the race calendar is pretty full nearly every weekend- it's not easy trying to fit in a new event around everything that is going on, including the rugby at that time of year. Llanelli is always going to appeal to those who love that area. The City of Newport Half is also only open to 1,000 entrants, so not really serious competition to the mass events.

Also - Bath is so expensive now, the Newport one may appeal to those who don't want to pay that sort of money. 

why is the clash with the rugvby a problem...... out of interest.i would have thought clashing with our halves more important........

but I will try  and do this one year if its successful........I wish it luck.and hopefully it will not get linked to the failed newport marathon

I'm signing up for this one, in preparation for the Stratford upon Avon Marathon in April.  Newport is really easy to get to on the M4.  Desperate to break 2 hrs for a half, and this sounds like good PB potential and a fabulous route.  Can't wait.