This is the second of three events through Run4Wales, the others being Cardiff Bay (last month) and Barry Island (August). Registration was easy and there was plenty of info sent through beforehand.

My number was sent through a few weeks beforehand along with a flyer setting out the course route.

I drove over on the day because there are no trains going between Bristol and South Wales early on Sunday mornings. Considering this is a big event with marathon and 10k I’d have thought liaising with public transport providers would have been sensible, but I guess that didn’t happen.

I parked on the opposite bank of the river  and didn’t experience any traffic at all coming from the Coldre roundabout. The bag drop is the best I’ve seen at any race bar none and there wasn’t a queue at all for the toilets which was another first for such a big race. A massive well done on that front.

Both the marathon and 10k were delayed by 30 minutes due to some park and ride problems getting runners to the start, but hopefully as this was the inaugural event that’ll be sorted by next year.

The start of the 10k was a squeeze. The first km was impossible to get into a stride and it would be great if that’s sorted next year. I didn’t enjoy running up and down verges to overtake.

The route goes down a main road past the passport office and turns left to go over the suspension bridge. From there it’s along a dual carriageway then through an industrial area, a housing estate and then more industrial areas. At the 6km mark the route goes down a long road to the foot of the transporter bridge before doubling back on itself, turning left and left again over the suspension bridge, before the final 1km stretch to the finish line. There was a water station at the 6km mark too.

The medal is very nice, as is the tshirt. We were also given a banana, water and a granola bar.

It’s a fast and relatively flat course so there’s definite PB potential. I’m not a fan of the current route though and it could have gone out into the countryside a bit just to escape the concrete jungle for a few km. Saying that, it was really well organised and I’m sure the park and ride issue will be sorted for next year. It would also help if the organisers got in touch with public transport providers which will ease a lot of the current park and ride issues and give more opportunity to expand the event. The organisers don’t need to touch the bag drop and toilets, they were spot on. 

I’ll be back if they can sort out the congestion after the start line for the first km and change the route so it’s a little less depressing.