Cardiff Half Marathon Athletics

It has been a busy few months on the streets of Cardiff, starting back in

March when we witnessed one of the all-time great World Half Marathon

Championships. And the Cardiff crown is returned en masse when Wales

returned home after defeat by Portugal in the Euro 2016 semifinal.

And then the world's most popular story teller, celebrating the

birthday of Roald Dahl the two days in September. And finally the return

of Wales' Rio Olympics and Paralympic stars following success

in Brazil. Hello, good morning to you, welcome

to the Cardiff Half Marathon. What did year it has been for Welsh

sport, what a year for the capital city of Wales, and today a

record-breaking 22,000 runners are about to take part once again in the

Cardiff Half Marathon. Today's 13.1 mile run sets off here in the shadow

of the castle and finishes in the glorious Civic Centre, and when the

final runner crosses the line close to 30,000 will have taken part in

the weekend's activities, including Alfie's Angels who won the took up

the half marathon challenge and, like everyone here today, have a

story to tell. I think doing the run will help more children be able to

have wishes when they go through life threatening illnesses. We are

aiming to break the world record for the half marathon dressed as

superheroes. It is 75 minutes at the moment, we want to break that and

get as close to 70 as we can. I will be running barefoot. I did not start

running at all, I never even ran for a bus, before I was I think 52. I

suppose what I am saying is it is never too late. As always, the elite

runners get things under way. Look for the Commonwealth Games marathon

champion of 2014, Flomena Daniel. In the men's race, last year's Cardiff

Half Marathon winner, Ugandan Ben Siwa.

That elite race was really special last year and the wonderful thing

about the Cardiff Half Marathon is you get all shapes and sizes running

in the main race, especially people like Sir Runalot, who is with Jodie.

Sir Runalot is not your average marathon runner. What is your quest

today? Not to die is probably the main thing on the agenda! We are

trying to do it in under 3.5 hours to set a world record and raise some

money. Can I ask why the suit? I had the suit, thought I would take up

running, I had some free time! What is the biggest challenge? You are

carrying 30 kilos? Close, I have trained in a suit weighing up to 30

kilos but this one is a little lighter to shake a few then it's

off, this is 26. It is not so much the weight but the padding, you have

some pretty thick padding underneath and I will be sweating not! I will

probably bring about four or five times as much water as the others.

No dehydration on this course? Mass dehydration but I will try to stave

it off as long as possible! What time are you aiming for? Just under

3.5 hours, we are trying to get a new Guinness World Record but a few

of the parts we needed only arrived a few days ago. This will be my

first half marathon, if we can set the time today it means I can set it

against and take the world record next time. Raising money for?

Mencap, please check us out on Facebook or YouTube. Best of luck.

It is a gorgeous morning here in the capital city of Wales, Sir Runalot

is going to be very, very hot this morning! The other great thing about

the Cardiff Half Marathon is people travel from all over the United

Kingdom to run in this marathon, raising money for good causes right

across the country. Last year one of the highlights of our coverage of

the Cardiff Half Marathon was seeing Christian Malcolm get his trainers

on running alongside some of those runners and getting some wonderful

stories. We are delighted to say Christian is back

with us. Yes, I am back again this year. It

is all quiet here at the moment but later on I will grab as many of the

runners as possible as they run by. I will not be speaking to the elite

athletes because they will be far too quick for me but after that I

will be speaking with plenty of the masses. The other great thing about

the Cardiff Half Marathon is you get to see celebrities as well #FULLST

OP Gethin Jones joins me, bore da. Are you running here in an official

capacitymuch grief on the start line that I decided to run it this year I

am running today, I was here in an official capacity last year and had

so much grief on the start line that I decided to run it this yeardo it

together, getting through to the end line, raise a lot of money. But you

walk around Cardiff I am running with my best friend Sean, we have

set up a charity, both of our nephews are autistic, this is the

furthest he has ever run, so we will do it together, getting through to

the end line, raise a lot of money. But you walk you see all your

friends from school all raising money for brilliant charities, so I

wish everyone the best this morning. I know how proud you are being a

Welshman, but how proud many reasons to love it, but mainly on half

marathon day. I love Cardiff for many reasons but the biggest today

is that it is flat! 13.1 miles with no hills being from Cardiff? This

city looks magnificent this morning, doesn't it? It does, the weather is

perfect, Chile with a bit of fun, but you are right, so many reasons

to love it, but mainly on half marathon day. I love Cardiff for

many reasons but the biggest today is that it is flat! 13.1 miles with

no hillsten Cate, but this is a bit further, a tough challenge, we will

do it together and look forward to a nice Sunday lunch what about the

fitness? De Gea do much runner in Copacabana when you were in Brazil?

I did more than you! Enjoying yourself in a nice warm studio in

your shirt and tie! It was great being out there, I love to keep fit.

This is a challenge, lots of people go out and do a ten Cate, but this

is a bit further, a tough challenge, we will do it together and look

forward to a nice Sunday lunch if I can ask about work as well, I see

you on the television screens, radio, social media, it is all going

well for you? I am trying to keep up with you! I am doing Strictly Come

Dancing at the moment, and it is always weird going back there after

appearing on the show, everything is the same, they use the so that is

one way of keeping fit, but today it is about the the side football

player. When they said he was turning up for our match I thought,

OK, I fancy a crunching tackle early on, but I could not get near him!

You faked injury at the last minute! Got a bit scared, this one! Good

luck today, good man the other things you don't know about Gethin

Jones, he is a great buy the side football player.

When they said he was turning up for our match I thought, OK, I fancy a

crunching tackle early on, but I could not get near him! You faked

injury at the last minute! Got a bit scared, this one! Good luck today,

good this is a remarkable story, Rory Coleman, ultramarathon runner,

just a few months ago could not even walk after being struck down by a

really serious illness. Today, incredibly, he is on the

start yes, I am with Rory Coleman, ultramarathon runner who has had an

incredible journey to even get here today. Tell us all about itI was

well on my way to doing my 1000th marathon but back in April I came

back from a marathon and neck down. Your body's Stephen Parry syndrome,

which is a really rare disease that affects about 600 people a year and

I was paralysed from the neck down. Your body's immune system, nobody

knows why, and it has been a frightening journey. Even to be

walking again is remarkable. To be running two months on from there is

incredible, really it must have been an incredibly emotional time for it

must have been an incredibly emotional time for youit has been an

interesting journey my wife has been a rock through the whole thing. It

has been an interesting journey, psychologically, it is called it is

better slowly. I have seen life GBS, getting better slowly. I have seen

life from you must be very perspective. Inspirational for you

to even be here today, you must be very very proud, it is my hometown,

it looks fantastic. I am a coach, if I a spoonful of my own medicine...

Good luck today, will be slower than my marathon personal best today, but

it is a day out! Go for it I will be slower than my

marathon personal best today, but it is a day out! Go for itwe wish him

and his family the legend Gareth Thomas got involved with 16 women,

trying to get them you will remember last year Welsh rugby legend Gareth

Thomas got involved with 16 women, trying to get, and got them ready

for the Cardiff Half Marathon. They loved it so much, he is back

for ball months ago, Welsh sporting legend Gareth Thomas took on his

biggest challenge training 100 on the Cardiff Half Marathon to take on

the Cardiff Half after a long hot summer of blisters blood, and blood,

and are, we are about to find out how many, if any, of this year's

Alfie 's Angels will cross the finish line. Alfie's Angels!

If you were watching BBC One Wales earlier, you would have seen some of

the angels and the main man himself, Gareth Thomas. Bore da, how are you?

Can I just say, I love this. I was born with my hard on my sleeve, a

fire in my soul, and a map I can't control! Brilliant! Very proud to be

Welsh! How proud of you of the angels? Unbelievably proud. This

year we tried to match what we did last year and somehow managed to

excel at, we have got 100 women who have come from some difficult lives,

difficult professions, and they have managed to cram in training in 16

weeks to run the half marathon and that, in my eyes, is legendary. I

remember talking to you last year and you saying how tough it was

because some of these women were really unzipped. Is it the same this

year? Do you know what, the whole process is that they have to do

inspire other people who watch things like the half marathon and

think, I could never do that, but I would

love to one is pushing them do it. All of these women watched the girls

last year and thought, I would love to try that, so they applied for it,

this time last year all these women did not think they could do it and I

am sure there are people now thinking, I could never do that, but

this time next year they could be on the start line. Do you advise them

on everything from technique to nutrition to just general

well-being? It is all about well-being, having a healthy

lifestyle. The half marathon is like a carrot to dangle in front of them

but the reality is today is like the beginning so it is all their own

works, we give them a guideline, but these are the people who have the

determination to get up every morning, go to work, run a house,

look after their children and also fit in the training for the half

marathon. These are the people who have done it, we have just guided

them. A remarkable achievement. Luckily they have got their names on

their best here so I can remember them! JoAnn, good morning to you,

are you nervous? I am petrified if, -- if I am honest. I have got a bit

of an injury, so I am nervous about that. I have been advised to take it

easy and not do anything stupid, but I am going to try my best. As long

as I make it to the end, it is an achievement. What is the injury? As

stress fracture to mighty big about two months ago, let it heal, started

running again and developed ligament damage which was more painful than

the fracture. It is getting better but still quite painful. I saw the

physio and she's brilliant, strapped it up, painkillers, I am ready to

go. That is the spirit! She is a nurse, 12 hour shifts on her feet

constantly, so come on! How has the training worked for you? It has been

amazing, the best 16 weeks of my life, I will grieve when it ends, it

has been amazing, loved it. Wonderful spirit, you have an injury

but you are still here. We have some of the others here, Betts, how are

you feeling about the Cardiff Half Marathon, any nerves? Raring to go,

I just want to get it done, get it started, let loose! Really? Yes, let

me free! Fighting talk! I have done a lot of training, listened to

James, listened to Alfie, great advice, and I think I am ready. What

distances have you been running? Up to 11 miles so far in Pembrokeshire,

which is hilly, lots of sheep and cows! They get in the way, don't

they?! I have to jump over them and everything, obstacles in

Pembrokeshire! No injuries? No, I am fine. Wonderful. Nicola, nice to see

you, where are you from? I am from Cardiff. Were you fit before you

started with Alfie? Not at all, very own fit. Going from nothing to this

now, yes. How inspirational, I know what he is like as a rugby player,

what has he been like for you? Really good, very motivational, a

great sport, and more importantly really down-to-earth and lovely with

it. He has really got us going. Is he a tough coach, though? Yes, at

times! I get here, yes, I am, in the background! You need to be strict!

If running was easy, everyone would be doing it. Something that is hard,

you need somebody to push you sometimes. What these women didn't

realise is in their everyday lives they have more detained minute --

more determination than I ever had, so I just had to channel that into

something they didn't like, running. Once they were determined to run,

these women can take on the world. Absolutely brilliant, Alfie, thank

you very much indeed. I wish you all the very best. Of course, this

course has already been used earlier in March this year when the World

Half Marathon Championship came to Cardiff.

The elite women under way, these are a fast women. The world Cross

country champion will test Mo Farah completely and utterly today. Fall

at the start, I think it was one of the favourites, horrible way for him

to start the defence of his title. Down to just Kenyans and Ethiopians

at the front. This exciting new talent from Kenya. Back to the men's

race, taking on the job of trying to work together at the front, and

straightaway Mo Farah has reacted. This will come down to a sprint

finish and look at her go. She wins the world half marathon. There is Mo

Farah and there you can see the leaders, I would estimate about 100

metres ahead of him at this point. Do not underestimate Mo Farah and

how well he can stay focused. This may well be one of his best

performances ever, to win the world half Marathon title. Mo Farah takes

one more look behind and checks, he gets the bronze medal for Great

Britain. Well done to him, that was hard.

It was a very wet day in the capital city but we have very fond memories

of the world half Marathon championship coming to the capital

city of Wales, so does this man, marathon legend Steve Jones. We have

spoken so much about the build-up to the world half Marathon championship

and it was a massive success. It was fantastic, the only bad thing was

the weather and we can do anything about that. But to see the Kenyans

going as fast as they did, close to a world record, under an hour, and

Mo coming back from being dropped early in the race to finish third

was fantastic. What did it do for Cardiff, having that event in the

city but also Welsh athletics? I think it did a lot, it elevated the

race to a world-class level, not that it wasn't before but we took

another step forward. We have an opportunity to apply for the World

Championships again, I think it's done great. We had good British

performances as well, so hopefully we can feed off that and move to the

next level again and become one of the best in the world. You have also

been part of the Organisation for the Cardiff half marathon, have you

been surprised at the speed in which this event has grown? It's like a

Rolling Stone, it's like a snowball rolling down a hill, getting bigger

and bigger. This race and the World Championships, almost 50,000, 45,000

people running and we have had three races in a calendar year, over

60,000 people running, it is getting better and better. Do you have your

trainers? I do not! On purpose! Thank you. The elite race was

special last year, Ben Siwa was the winner and he expects another fast

race this year. It will be faster than last year, because last year

after 12 kilometres, I think this year is more faster. I've done quite

a few races now, and I think every race which hasn't been a major

championship I have won so far, hopefully keep that going but I

think it will be tough. I am looking forward to running a good time in

Cardiff, or is not running making someone run a good time because I

need to make Cardiff a big race, that is my ambition. I ran a quick

kinky here a couple of weeks ago won that, I was only a few seconds off

my PB. My training has been good, when I was preparing so I have to

try tomorrow. From a UK point of view I would be disappointed to be

out of the top three. I am a proud Welshman, I want to win a Welsh

title and win as many as I can whilst I can. Two more sportsmen

from Wales who enjoy winning, early start lads, are you running? Yeah,

clearly, 18 stone marathon runner, that is me! But no, we are pleased

to be invited down. People travelling from all over the UK to

be here. Its outstanding, it's touch a prestigious event now, amazing to

see how much it's grown, it's great for the capital. Have you ever taken

part? No, unfortunately not, I cannot imagine myself running in

general. It's just lovely to be part of the event to be honest. A really

nice atmosphere isn't it? Yes, and a nice day fortunately. Someone said

earlier it feels like an international rugby match. It's

nice. What about you, do you ever run half marathon or marathon, do

you like a long-running? No! I am good at one thing and I have that

thing. My family are taking part will and they are better runners

than me. Lots of people raising money for wonderful causes across

the UK. That's what it's all about. A lot of people out here having fun

and pushing themselves and doing it for a good cause. Look at that, I

know you are a proud Welsh man, we have just been talking to Gethin

Jones who is a proud Cardiff boy as well, look how beautiful it is.

Incredible scenes, so many people on the streets, like we were saying, it

is like a match day. Great to see. You can see the masses they are to

the left of your picture looking absolutely wonderful, Cardiff Castle

resplendent this morning in the autumn sunshine. How did you enjoy

the homecoming, Paralympic and Rio homecoming on Thursday evening, nice

to be welcomed home? Definitely, with all Success Wales has had its

nice to see people coming out and celebrating with us. Another amazing

year for Wales sport. Yes, we are punching above our weight. It's been

some year with incredible Welsh success and we have excelled. It's

an honour to be part of that. What is next for you? I am racing with

sky now, my first race with them a week today, I will be getting on the

bike for a few hours, back to work. Here we go, time for the anthem.

Thousands of people not just taking part in today's Cardiff half

marathon but thousands of spectators lining the streets of the capital

city of Wales, the principality stadium will be full as well in

November for the autumn internationals. And for the six

Nations which gets underway in February and March but today is very

much all about the Cardiff half marathon. The first race of the day

about to get underway as we see the wheelchair athletes getting ready

for the starters gun. Names to watch out for in this include the

favourite Richie Powell, three-time winner of the Dublin Marathon. Also

with the half marathon personal best of 49 17. Also watch out for Gary

Cooper. Also represented Wales in coarse

fishing, but today it is about the Cardiff half marathon.

Let's say good morning to Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson who is part of the

commentary here. Good morning, a wonderful day. It's fantastic,

perfect conditions for running and for the wheelchair race but I think

her Cardiff it's huge. This is the second-largest half marathon in the

UK, two and a half million pounds raised for charity, 22,000 runners

and it helps put Cardiff Wales on the map of athletics. We were

hearing from Ben Siwa who won last year and is expecting another quick

race largely because of the course being so flat. It's a beautiful

course, for most of my career I trained on about everything apart

from the barrage. The road quality is good, it's protected for a lot of

it and there are only a few ups and downs. It's quite a fast finish into

the last half a mile but I think the support of the crowd also helps, and

the support around Roath Park. Do you get the feeling one of the

reasons that people are so excited not only watching at home but also

coming here today is simply because they have loved this summer of sport

with the Paralympics and Olympic Games? It's been amazing, if you

asked the four months out of the Olympic and Palin pick teams would

do so well I would not have thought so but it inspires people to get up

off the couch. You look at Alfie's Angels. It's important to have

events on the back of these major sporting events to give something

for people to aim for. It's great Cardiff have done it, especially on

the back of the World Championships as well. Plenty more to come from

having events like this. Chatting to Steve Jones about the rapid growth

of this event, has that surprised you? It has, you look at other half

marathons and it's slower growth. I think there was a time people

thought maybe marathons were dying off, people did not want to run half

marathons, but anybody can do it ten K, a lot of people want the next

step up, I think when you see the quality of the course it is one that

anybody can do on a few months training and you can be OK on the

back of it. I think the quality of the course makes a huge difference.

The mass race is huge, I never would have expected to have 22,000 people

coming to Cardiff to do that. Thank you very much indeed for the moment,

part of our commentary team and she is absolutely right, if you want to

get involved go to the BBC Sport website to get inspired. We are

almost ready, 22,000 runners getting ready for the Cardiff University

Cardiff Half Marathon, let's hand you over to our commentary team,

Tanni Grey-Thompson and Stewart story.

Good morning everyone, a talented field and a quality course. And the

elite will now be introduced, some of them. It really is a good field

and they could challenge the race record. Griffiths of Great Britain

and Wales. The defending champion, Ben Siwa of tenure, he will probably

need a little more than his best today as the opposition is buried

tough today. Went to Rio and represented Kenya.

And this man is a winner of the Paris Marathon, he will be a real

threat, Kotut. And of course Rachel Felton, it's a mixed race, for times

winner of the Cardiff ten K, won that race recently. The Cardiff Half

Marathon defending champion, both defenders are here. Flomena Daniel,

the reigning champion is here. And here you have talent emerging

rapidly, so close to the world record this year, one. Sixth fastest

marathon runner of all time. The race record held by a Kenyan, 61.5

one. And Susan Partridge 71.10. We are not using the World Championship

times because the course is slightly different, there was a slight

deviation on that course so they have opted for the race record set

on the normal Cardiff Half Marathon. 13.1 kilometres ahead of them. And

the race will be a challenge for all.

The race will be tough for all of them. It will be. They like to set

their own watch as they go across the finish line and what is great

about this race is having the elite men and women in together, I think

it will produce some very fast Times for the women. Loyola, who we are

expecting to go off early fast, she could get a nice protected run, it

will be interesting to see how close she can get to that world record

pace. The conditions are fine, the sun is shining, there is a slight

breeze at the finish, where we are, but I must say that the talent up

front is quite considerable, and they will spread quickly on this

course, and the Millennium Stadium, the wonderful array of facilities,

there it is, bottom right, all of those wonderful moments in there. As

a Welsh rugby supporter, many memories there. It is important for

the runners, you want a fast course, decent road quality, but having nice

things to see along the way, not for the elite Runners, but those a

little further back who are maybe taking two or three hours, who start

to war, it it does help to have those I can make -- iconic things to

see. I saw a few people heading to the start line today, it is good.

Look at this, already the elite athletes are out Allah, as one would

expect. We mentioned Kotut, what a season he has had so far. World Half

Marathon Championship 2003 was his brother, a former winner of the

London Marathon, twice the great North champion, so he has a real

pedigree and he has taken the early lead here. Dewi Griffiths is right

on the back of that group of Africans there, along with Taguchi.

But the elite field, as we expected, already making their way forward,

and I would expect, we are looking around about the hour, possibly 61

minutes for this race, and it would mean they're running well worth an

average of four minutes and 39, said that is a tough ask. But it

certainly is possible here today. I think the race best performance will

certainly go. I think Dewi Griffiths is our best hope from a British

point of view. But he needs to run his own race, he needs to pace

himself. We saw at the World Championships when Mo Farah

struggled with some of the early pace and came back strong, but he

wants to hang onto the back as much as he possibly can. I'd tell you

what, Jepchumba is already flying and some of the men already finding

it difficult to stay with her. When you look at this woman, the sixth

fastest of all time, absolutely magnificent. As a competitor, second

on the all-time over ten kilometres, incidentally. She did not realise

she was doing that, 30 minutes 24, and they wondered why she was not

trying the 10,000 metres in Rio, she did not try for that. Meanwhile, the

second phase will be getting underway and of course these phases

are determined by the times they have performed in the past or are

likely to perform, so that it becomes a nice flowing race, and

there will be point at which the five kilometre, ten kilometre, 15

kilometre, 20 kilometre time is come up, but in all it is a 13.1 mile

race and we hope to DVD pace as the elite go on but all of these people

will have their own stories, they will report back to their offices

the following day, tomorrow morning, either boasting about a personal

best or how much money they have raised for the numerous charities

that are being serviced here on this very fine day in Cardiff. I think

800 charities are represented here, hoping to raise ?2.5 million. That

is the other great thing about running, which you have in this

country more than others around the world, is that people dress up and

try to raise money, it is not purely about covering the distance, and

with 22,000 people running on the streets, it can be quite hard to run

your own race, to have the pace that you want. I was chatting to some

people this morning, this was their first half marathon, they were so

excited about being here, and my advice was, don't go off too hard,

don't get caught up in the atmosphere because you want to be

finishing in good shape as well. I tell you what, many friendships

emerge from events like this, don't they? They do, athletics is a great

sport for pulling people together. When you look at the course, it is a

beautiful course to be going through, past Cardiff City Stadium,

onto Penarth Road, absolutely perfect runners. It is, down the

marina, the barrage coming up there and then around Cardiff Bay, up

through the heart of the bay, the Norwegian Church, the Wales

millennium Centre, and then of course heading right up north to the

beautiful Roath Park, coming around that park and back again, there it

is, then they will turn back towards the finish at 13.1 miles. It is a

marvellous course, you are quite right, Tanni, and it takes in the

very best that Cardiff can offer. It does, and for the athletes who are

running, it is beautiful to know there are things along the way that

you can take off. If you look at Roath Park, that is the point where

the brothers will be able to mark where they are, and for the back

runners it will be inspirational. This is the leading gates now, Dewi

Griffiths on the back, as you can see, along with the Japanese

absolute right in the middle in the blue strip, but certainly the main

part of this race, they are looking very comfortable indeed. Dewi

Griffiths is still in the pack, getting protected. There can be a

little bit of wind around here and it is more likely to be in their

face at this point so he is running smart, he is making sure he gets as

much protection as he can. We would expect to see him there for a long

time. The leader at the moment was 11th in the Paris half marathon this

year, and we saw him this year, he paced the race this year. He has got

a 28: 48 14 barometers on the road as well. We will give you some

update on the pace once we get the miners coming through, but they are

heading towards the second mile now, beyond my old one, heading to mile

two. It is interesting they have chosen not to have pace runners in

this race, because we are used to seeing it in the big-city marathons,

London, Berlin. It is quite different from the athletes running

where they have to set their own market when they are just running

behind somebody, following the back of someone's shirt. It will be

interesting to see how the athletes who are used to having the pace

runners look at this in a different way. You have to make so many more

choices as an athlete if you are not just following someone. They are

just going around the corner there. And another start, which is fabulous

to see. So many stopwatches clicked as they go beyond the start line and

head out. Your advice earlier on, start off slowly and go slower,

always the best policy for those that are not used to running a race

of this kind. But there will be club athletes who will have gone behind

the elites, they will be looking for personal bests. You can see there

are so many people here that some of them are having to walk, they will

take time to get over the line. 22,000 trying to get over the line,

look at that, mobile phones being clicked, not much breath left to

talk on the phone by the time they get into this race. The advantage

these days is they all have chips in their shoes which gives everyone

their mile times, which they need. Violah Jepchumba is still reading,

looking very, very comfortable at the moment. She is a class act. I

tell you what, six over all time is just unbelievable. Towards the end

of this race, they are in Penarth Road in Cardiff at the moment, two

miles, around about that mark. She has got no plans for a marathon yet,

she might well run the marathon in 2018, 2019, but she looks so free

running, doesn't she, this is a real talent. This is Daniel, the second

of the athletes in there. Flomena Daniel. Incidentally we saw her in

1999 in Dublin running as a junior in the world Cross country

Championships, she was tenth, 118 silver in the Olympic 5000 metre and

10,000 metre in Rio. In 2009 she won another medal. This young woman is

absolutely flying, destroying some of the men in this field. Once you

discover she has not run just under 66 minutes, this is world class in

every sense, I think we might be seeing something special here. I

think we could, and I would have maybe expected a few more of the

slower meant to be with her and offer a bit of protection, but you

have to admire, she just wants to go out and run her own race, lovely

seeing this sea of people, they will be a lot of the charity fundraisers.

You will be able to spot within the crowd, there will be people running

with flags on their back which are tapping the pace, so the

inexperienced runners will have the two-hour, 2.5 hour, three hour mark

to know how careful they have to be not to run off to hard because an

important part of the Cardiff Half Marathon, and all half marathons, is

they want people to come back, they want people to think about joining

clubs and participating. What is interesting, there are quite a few

athletics clubs shirt here but also lots of people running for the first

time. No break in that leading group of men, I must say, but one would

not expect that at this stage. I have to say, the pace at which they

are running, in marathons now, remember the Berlin Marathon last

weekend, they ran the first half in 61 minutes 11, they are getting

ridiculously fast. Just outside the world record. This group of

athletes, very capable of a rant about the hour, certainly three or

four of them are, and I am sure the personal-best will be broken here on

this Perfect Day. You can see the trees in the background, very little

breeze at all. Here at the finish, there is not a waiver of a leaf on

the trees surrounding Tanni and I in the commentary box. Kotut just

asserting himself, and I have to say, actually, he began running road

races back in 2012. He has tried to develop his marathon running in

2013, but he did not quite make it, he failed to finish. This is a nice

part of the course, and very gentle climb. When you see people who say

it is a flat, fast course, you don't always believe it until you run on

something like Cardiff. There are very few undulations, which means

you can just keep running at a very nice pace, and now they will be

heading towards Penarth, there will be a bit more protection, and this

may be where we start to see the crowds coming out as well. Although

the athletes know what they are doing, having a little bit of

support along the side really spurs them on. It doesn't matter who you

are, front or back, you want that support. Well, there is the man

himself, along with his flock. Alfie's Angels! 100 Alfie's Angels,

moving on from 16 last year. I was listening to the interview earlier,

Alfie has put them to the test and it will be great to see them come

through. So successful last year, increased it tenfold in every sense.

Brilliant to see their enthusiasm, I hope they feel like that at the

halfway point and as they come towards the finish line. Having

someone like Alfie supporting, encouraging, being a mentor or do

these young women, it is great because it does not matter what gets

people off the sofa, at the moment we know we need to get more people

being fit and healthy and active. I love the fact they are all wearing

bright pink so you can spot them. I hope they are able to stay together

as well because that camaraderie, when the time is tough, ten miles,

11 miles, it starts to hurt and you think you should have bought

something else to eat or thinking about your hydration, that is what

will keep you going, that people will keep nudging each other on

together. I tell you what, the hydration point is very important,

you don't necessarily feel you need a drink but you should take on-board

fluid, particularly in these longer races. Absolutely. For the elite

athletes, they will have been through huge amount of support to

know at what point they have to have their special drinks, at what point

do have water. The elite athletes won't be eating. For a lot of the

fun runners, my advice to them is, take a snack with you, take some

sweets, the advice is strong, don't use the gels if you are not used to

them, don't drink the drinks. It is important that you get through to

the finish in one piece. It was great to see a lot of people at the

start this morning with bananas, making sure they were taking the as

-- taking the advice to make sure It is quick, they are running about

the hour mark, Kotut beginning to push it. The last time I was talking

about him I said he tried to move to the marathon in 2013, he failed to

finish, but he ran in September of that year, he was beaten by Stanley

Biwott in the half marathon, broke 60 minutes. Dewi Griffiths

struggling a little with the pace. When the pace was picked up it got

challenging for Dewi but the thing is for him don't panic, run your own

race and don't try to close the gap too quickly. When people go from

running a half marathon to a full marathon they think it's just twice

the distance but it's so much more than that, even in marathon running

there is so many tactics involved, how you get the first mile right or

wrong. If you start at a point in the middle where you are struggling,

you start losing touch, even a small gap can collect a long way. At this

point there is maybe 40, 50 metres tops, so for Dewi he just needs to

keep thinking about how he can pull it back in. But the guys are looking

very strong, this is the bottom half of Penarth, into the newer area of

Penarth, there will be flats and other things around which will offer

the more protection before they start heading out onto the barrage.

In previous races that's been one of the toughest parts of the course

especially for some of the small women with the wind coming off the

sea but today could not ask for better running conditions. They will

be coming up to the mile soon. Be in Penarth Marina and into Cardiff Bay,

they go around the skirt of Cardiff Bay as they start to head up north

through the city itself. We will try to keep you in touch with where they

are on the course as we go along, they are settling in, it would be

interesting if the Japanese could link onto Dewi Griffiths because the

two of them together would be very much to their advantage, to stick

together. The Marina looks beautiful, absolutely beautiful,

wonderful scenes. Paralympian, T 36 406I understand --

T 406I anyone who is an arm amputee, he has

an issue with his right hand, it's easy to make the crossover, so it is

good to see there is less separation than there needs to be. He was a

Paralympian in London. But these masses, look at this, if you think

about running 13.1 miles, wearing that sort of get up... It is

incredible. There are some wonderful things, when I was doing interviews

for the London Marathon walked up to me and I interviewed it, then a

dragon walked up to me the following year and said you don't recognise me

do you? I was the parrot last year! I wonder what makes people think I

am going to do the Cardiff Half Marathon that dressed up? You think

about all the planning and thought that has gone into it, I wonder how

you would train dressed up in an amazing costume? I don't imagine you

can run around the streets doing that. But we are back to the Marina,

lovely shots. It's a lovely part of the course to be running on. This is

a nice little break we have got, free breaking away. On the right

with the yellow vest, he is a T46. Isn't that fantastic? Having grown

up in Cardiff and seen the huge changes over the years within the

city, it's absolutely stunning to see this. There were times when

people would say that was the area you wanted to be in and it was

incredible for the city, this is another thing which puts the city on

the map. They have really picked up the pace, deciding they want to

start splitting up the pack, an injection of speed which is quite

interesting. It certainly is, I think they are about 61 minutes.

Halfway between four and five miles around the Marina. They are coming

up to the barrage which will be right in the middle is five miles.

It was a subtle increase in pace but it was enough to take away, it looks

as though four or five got away from the rest now. Familiar side of

Africa are leading a major race. Moving very quickly indeed, this is

going to be some race at the end. We will bring you date with the

fortunes of Jepchumba as soon as we can, she is on a long run on this

circuit and running against the clock, totally alone we understand.

Really putting down the pedal and looking very quick indeed. Susan

Partridge's fastest time for this course will definitely be broken, no

question about that. Just outside 71 minutes, that's going to go, no

question, 71.10 it is. Looking over at the right shoulder, potentially

having a discussion with some of the athletes about what they are doing,

that is quite normal, a lot of these athletes train and compete together

all the time, it's interesting how much of a conversation can happen in

the pack. They have decided they wanted to get rid of a few of the

people hanging on the back. At the back in the bright yellow

vest, finished third in a half marathon in tenure two weeks ago, it

is held at 2500 metres altitude -- in Kenya. All the physiology behind

altitude, when you are born and live there of course the advantage is

always with you. Here we go with the young women totally on her own. This

is Jepchumba. We reckon she is a roundabout four and a half miles

out. She is running about 4.40 pace. Good running, she will be looking at

her watch and working out the times. It is good running, just a bit of a

surprise that some of the other men have not tried to stay with her but

that this kind of pace, she is looking comfortable. It's a long,

hard slog at this point, not having any protection, not having anyone in

front of her to try and chase down. But you have to admire her for not

wanting to settle into a women's race, just deciding I am going to

get the fastest time. I wonder if she is now thinking maybe she should

have tried for Rio, Tokyo, in marathon running? Maybe she wanted

to go out and prove a point. I think she must be running between 5.02 and

5.07 for each mile. Exactly five miles in 25.10. That's going to give

our exactly 66 minute pace, which is very quick, very very quick indeed.

The mile marker gave us the absolute, she is actually running at

5.02 pace per mile. That's very fast. Certainly going to see

something that will stand as a record here for some time. This is a

newcomer, but she is something very special, began competing

internationally in 2014, won several base races in Germany. Her

breakthrough came when she won the half marathon in 69.29 last season.

This year she won the discovery Kenya cross-country. She beat the

world's steeplechase champion. She beat the Olympic marathon champion

from Rio. She has come through, not quite from nowhere but really

pushing the boundaries. Back with the men's race, looks like they have

settled down a little bit. They are using the road surface, using the

terrain, they have obviously decided they will just settle in for a

little bit now and not push on too much. Have certainly made the surge.

Richie Powell. He was on the 92 Paralympic team, competing for Wales

at the Cromwell games as well. This is more of a time trial for him, the

other wheelchair athletes are more developmental. He's pushing well,

good technique. He's hoping for about 59 minutes, part of it depends

on this part of the course, there are a few twists and turns. But at

the moment looking strong. Out on his own as well which is difficult.

But the men, they are all there. This promised and it is delivering.

good crowds on a bright morning like this. Seeing a very classy race. I

think having a whole weekend of events has encouraged people to

think about I think the two of them running

together, I said it would help and so it will. I think psychologically

it helps if you have someone running on your shoulder, once you know the

gap will be hard to close, having somebody run alongside you will push

you on. Halfway is a tough point psychologically for anybody

especially if you are between the leading pack and you have people

chasing you down, the next group behind will be looking to close some

of the gaps. Running between six and seven miles now.

10K in a roundabout 29 minutes to give you some sort of clue.

At this kind of pace they should be running about 4.4 one. It's

interesting pacing they have got at the minute, they have gone through

10K in 29 minutes. They are running about 62 minutes at the minute,

probably quicker than that. It is tough to tell, you want to try to

predict it but they are somewhere between 1.01 and 1.02 but still a

lot can happen. If somebody put in a couple more bursts they could get

closer to an hour. We might get an negative split on this, often that

is the case. There we are, Dewi Griffiths and Matsui. He has a best

of 63.1 two. Did that in February this year, 21st in the Yamaguchi

have marathon. Taguchi was the other Japanese, but

this is Matsui, there are two Japanese in the race -- Takeuchi was

the other. This is Jepchumba. Still moving so very, very strongly. About

halfway now on this race, this 13.1 mile journey. When Violah Jepchumba

came here, well, they were saying that she is the future. Once she

turns to marathon running, and I began by saying earlier that she

won't run marathons yet, she says not yet, just gradually building and

building, and so often the half marathon is used as the pathway to

running a marathon, and of course it gives them some sort of clue as to

what they can do a top weight before they set off on the second half of a

marathon, but it is a new skill when you run that 26 mile race, it really

is, it has different demands, but she is gradually, slowly but surely,

beginning to develop her talent, and when you consider 65.51, the sixth

fastest female of all time at half marathon, not bad at all. A couple

of sub 70s. I tell you what, just hesitating for a moment, I think

Batman and Robin... Here they are, the superheroes. There is a world

superhero record, apparently! There is a world record for just about

every kind of cartoon character! Somebody with a pancake, I don't...

They are actually running pretty quick! To be running in the costume,

it is not one of the biggest we have seen, but that is not bad running at

all. I do actually hope they break the world record, especially here in

Cardiff. I am wondering whether that was Flomena Daniel we saw in that

shot as well. Nevertheless, look at this, this group together, seven

miles, 32.49 at seven miles, that will give you... Between 62, just

outside 62 minutes. They have slowed down a little bit, they are along

Lloyd George Avenue at the moment. Still looking good, though. This

race is still to emerge. The tea 46 man is in the lead. P1 pita bread in

his personal best in the six. He is a 28.5410 kilometre run as well on

the road. A little bit left for him. He is part of an organisation called

Project Africa Athletics, a nonprofit organisation based in

Northern Ireland which assists young athletes to come and compete out of

their country, because remember, this is the first time he has ever

run outside of tenure, so it is quite an occasion for him. I big

organisations like that are important... -- run outside of

Kenya. A lot of the athletes will have had foundation that help and

support people, they want young athletes to be coming through and be

given an opportunity. If you come from some other developing

countries, it can be a challenge to get onto the European circuit, and

especially when they have so many good athletes, so it is great to see

the more established athletes helping, putting something back and

making sure that the legacy of what they have done and achieved keeps

going. Whilst we watch the man, I'm quite excited by what Jepchumba

might do in the women's race. It is a race against the clock but,

goodness me, she has been sub 66 before and she could well do it

again here. In Tyndall Street at the moment. They are looking very

comfortable, it looks like they have decided to settle down, maybe got

rid of a few of the people they wanted to and have carried on.

Jepchumba is looking good, she is rolling her shoulders a bit, but she

is looking nice and bouncy, she has been running like that the whole

way, she is looking comfortable, she is probably wishing that there were

a few more around her, she is taking the odd glance behind her. I don't

think she needs to worry about the other women catching, but she might

like a bit of help and support right now. I think you are right, but she

looks determined, deep in concentration. Very good stride

length, she has maintained that, just a little dip on the floor, you

can see the difference when they run slightly uphill, slightly downhill,

it is working well for her at the moment, clearly out for a run

against the clock. She is in great form, when you consider that this

year she has run so very in strongly, she won Istanbul, she won

Gothenberg in May in 68.01 and 65.51 in Prague, that was between the two

races that I mentioned. She really has put in some half marathons this

year and it is world class in every sense. To be running 66 on your own,

she didn't even have anybody with her at the start, it is very

determined running. I always admire an athlete who goes out and just

wants to be the best they can. There is a good field of women here today,

but she has obviously just decided she wants to go out and run fast. It

is a bit of a shame there is not a bit more protection for her, but she

has got a watch, she knows exactly what she's doing, keeps looking at

her watch to see what her mile times are doing and where she is, looking

very comfortable within herself. She is between seven and miles, isn't

she, at this time. She is up, I would think, just approaching,

37.11, I would think that she would be approaching that eight mile mark,

really. But anyway, a little glance at her watch. That looks like mini

area, doesn't it? It is, he has taken on the lead -- Mneria. The

course here is ever so slightly downhill, so it might be their legs

are just running a bit quicker, that it is interesting how they are all

running alongside each other, just tested each other out and trying to

look where their strengths and weaknesses are. At this pace it

looks like it could be an interesting sprint finish, which is

not always what you want at the end of a half marathon, but they all

looked incredibly comfortable. Malaria, he was a big surprise in

the Kenyan Olympic trials over 5000 metres, came from nowhere to get his

place in the team. Some thought he might do very, very well indeed, he

was third in the African Championships cross-country this

year over ten Cate, he was fourth in the Kenyan cross-country as well in

Nairobi at altitude. He has been around a bit this season. Must have

been an experience in Rio in those Olympic Games. Ben Siwa on the left

is the defending champion, must not discount the defending champion,

best of 62.0 seven. Two big British art are the is in 2016. There is

Dewi Griffiths. And Matsui. Joined by Kimosop. It is looking a bit

harder at the moment the Dewi Griffiths. He will know this course

is so well. But Kimosop was second last year, he is having a poor race

today by his own very high standards. He ran in second, set his

personal best last year of 63.3 Ron nine but I guess he might not be too

much out of that time. -- 63.0 nine. What has happened is the lead group

are putting on and they are very much quicker than last year's race.

Half marathon running can be pretty cruel. The eight mile mark now, if

you don't get your first couple of miles right, you can go from being

in great shape and having an amazing day to just being much further down

the field. But do we is looking comfortable, just probably would

rather be a bit further up the road -- Dewi is looking comfortable. They

are running about 65 minute pays if that timing is right. Dewi put in a

lot of hard work. For any of the guys that run on the road, it is

fairly hard going, not the most exciting training that you can ever

do because it is long, hard miles, work in the gym, it can be quite a

slog but he is doing a lot of it. The three running together, though,

will be helpful. Jepchumba, Violah Jepchumba. Really, when she broke

her personal best in 65.51, she went through ten kilometres at 30.24 and

said after the race, I didn't realise how fast I was going, I have

no idea that my ten kilometres was fast at all! There is an innocence

about this young woman, she has a performance and majority beyond had

-- beyond her years but there is a naivete in many respects. She isn't

new, she has got everything to look forward to this season, but when you

can run this quickly this often over a half marathon and look this

good... The fact that she still has so much to learn about how she runs.

She is a small athlete, only raise 52 kilos, that is not big at all,

but her strength and her speed, I love watching some of the new

athletes emerge because, how much you can learn about your running,

how much you can push yourself, it is only by doing these sorts of

races back-to-back that you know if you can push yourself harder. She

has glanced at what again to see if she is on pace, and her running

style has not altered too much in the 42 minutes that she has been

running. Well, the masses, there is more of a concentrated look on their

faces as they come through here, as the race begins to emerge. Some

contenders on their own, some will be latched on to friends, some will

have made new friends and latched onto them. And this is where the

crowd support and the music really helps in terms of encouraging people

on. What I say to runners, write your name on your shirt, because

when times are hard, when you are struggling, the crowd will shout out

your name, your running club, they might even just shout your number,

but that really helps as well, because some of these men and women

running here today, this will be a real challenge for them, this is

when it starts to get very hard for them. It is great to see 22,000

runners on the streets of Cardiff, lots of them raising money for

charity, getting out there and doing it. This will inspire them to do

more and more things, and I always think the fact so many run for

charity, even when times are hard, when they are struggling, maybe they

have some blisters, it gets them through to the finish line and that

is really important. Let's have a look and see if we have got a little

bit of movement in the men's race. They have been putting the pedal

down. This is definitely looking, to me, as though we will have a fastest

second half of this half marathon, certainly. Chesham putting the foot

down, looking very good, so is Cybrian Kotut. Remember we saw

Martin Lal win the London Marathon, he won the great North Run a couple

of times, so there is a very strong family connection here. Force on the

Portuguese half American in 2012, then it started to move on to the

marathon, he failed on that account. Just moving back as we see the

trailing group of three, Dewi Griffiths, Matsui, and Kimosop. He

has a best of a roundabout 64 .55, his season's best this year. Part of

Project Africa Athletics as well. Kotut looks like he is pushing on

now. I wonder if they have had a look who is in the pack, looking at

the strengths and weaknesses, it does not look like Kotut wants to

wait too long for that sprint finish. He is starting, you can

tell, they are not running alongside each other any more, they now are

just trying to hang onto the back of him, so I think this is where the

race will get interesting. They are between, just beyond nine,

and the next marker will be ten miles. Kotut begins to move, he is a

man who has been a low 60 minutes, his best this season is 61. They are

all building up, you can see Chesum dropping off the back, finding it

tough going indeed, he tried to read it and influence the race, but she

has found it a little bit too much as Kotut takes it on along with

Koria. Koria looks very good as well. Even one third of a mile ago,

Chesum looked comfortable, he was driving it on. Going through 15 K

and the times they are doing, it's good running. It's amazing how

quickly you go from feeling very comfortable to just dropping out of

the pack and suddenly you are isolated. Looks like they are

picking up again, will be interesting to see what this mile

time is, this will be one of the fastest ones.

I think they are going to be closer to 61 on this day now, ten miles

exactly, 46.42. They are just outside 61 minutes. Ten miles at

Roath Park, they will turn back down towards the finish, they will go up

to the top towards a miles at the highest point and then back down.

I have done many brutal miles training around Roath Park in my

time living in Cardiff, decide they are going up, it's a very gradual

climb they come around the top, that is Roath Park Lake, they come back

on the left-hand side and it's ever so gently downhill. Sometimes you

can maybe feel you are having a bad run but it's that very slight

incline which takes you up. Also for the fun runners, when they start

coming to this point that is when they get to see where they are on

the course, they can see who is behind them, who is in front of

them, and I think those guys it's a really nice part to run around. Well

protected. Lovely to see the some of the residents of local Holm out to

support. -- a local home. Mneria is the Olympian, went to Rio,

he is in the light blue at the back of this group of three. There is

going to be a new champion today because Ben Siwa has not been able

to stay with this group as they head up towards Roath Park Easter Road,

about halfway to the top then they will start turning around on the

other side coming back. This is where you can see the road ever so

gently climbing. I remember years and years of training sessions on

these roads. Lovely surface to be on but also really well protected. It's

nice, you don't get a lot of wind. They are running across the road. I

just wondered what he was doing, whether he was trying to force

somebody through are just trying to break. This is unusual. I am not

sure I have ever seen it like this where they are running from one side

of the road to the other. He must have been a sailor in the olden

days, a bit of tacking! Just running all over the place isn't he? I think

it's interesting when you are trying to drop someone, that is more

relevant when you see it in a wheelchair racing. The point is that

you may will want the other athlete to go ahead and do some of the

leading because Kotut has latched onto the back. He does not want him

behind him, that is the thing, does not want to help them by allowing

him to run close behind him, wants to make his own run. It can also be

quite claustrophobic if you have somebody right on your shoulder,

running step-by-step behind you. Koria just wants to run his own

race. If you are running and trying to

shake them by running across the road, I hope it doesn't take away

from the concentration of his times. Now they are at the top of Roath

Park Lake, they will come round, quite a tight turn as you come round

to come down the other side. It's not a difficult corner by any means

for the runners to get round but knowing you will be heading back

down and this is where you will be able to see Dewi Griffiths and some

of the others might be able to see the distance that the lead runners

are in front of them, it can be positive motivation. I certainly

think that Korir is going to increase his personal best year. It

stands at 62.4 zero. Heading back towards the city centre, down Roath

Park road west. Let's have a look, ten miles, 51.50. She is now 68

minutes. She has dropped off a little bit on that pace, and I'm not

surprised. I'm not surprised when you're on your own for the whole of

the race. You will start slowing down. It's almost impossible to do

any kind of negative split when it doesn't look like there is anyone

around her, nobody for her to chase. Her shoulders rolling more, her head

moving more from side to side. But that would be expected at this stage

in the race when you are on the own and running a time trial. Running

around about 68, probably just inside 68. And still no change,

Kotut of Kenya hanging on. Two Kenyon is once again, way out in

front. Mneria has dropped way off the back. They have mortared along.

This might be an opportunity for Dewi Griffiths, who has run his own

race all the way through, to start picking through some of those

runners who cannot stay with this pace. Between 11 and 12 now, on this

13.1 mile course. This is going to be a very strong sprint finish

between these two, unless Kotut drops off but when you consider what

he has done this year, just won the Paris Marathon, the half marathon

this year and the Paris Marathon. Surprise winner of the race. He has

real strength endurance and I am sure that speed endurance will come

with it. At the moment this looks like more of a psychological battle

between the two of them. I cannot remember seeing a race like this

where you have a leader moving across the road so much. You

sometimes see it happening once or twice but he must be getting very

stressed out that he is sticking with him. Moving backward and

forward in a strange way, he needs to concentrate on his own race,

think about his own thing and not jumping about all over the place.

Just moving to one side, doesn't want him to draft, does not want him

behind, does not want to help him in anyway. Trying to take the

assistance away him. For Kotut, if he knows he has another athletes

booked, that he is worrying him, this is playing into his hands. He

must know he has a good sprint finish in him and can put pressure

on, for Korir, he must know there is a lot of stress in the athlete for

him to be doing this. It's an interesting psychological game as

well as a physical game going on at the moment between the two of them.

They are running between 61 and 62 at the moment. Unless they have

moved on a little, we will try to get you more accurate timing that

looks as though it is down to these two quite comfortably in the end.

Richie Powell having a bit of a coast on this downhill. For the

wheelchair athletes, you can use the ups and downs of the course as well

to get a break which you can do in running. You spoke to him earlier,

and he said he was expecting around about 59. He was hoping for that, if

he was able to maintain his technique throughout the race. For

the wheelchair athletes it's more like cycling, you're using the

corners, the ups and downs and he is now back into a very strong push.

Looking very comfortable, nice technique. Going over the bump at

the finish line. Looks pleased with that. That's a very good ride for

him. He should be pleased with that because he's not a natural half

marathon athlete, started as a sprinter, moved up to the distances,

he is a strong athlete, doing that time today on his own, he should be

pleased. Coming up to 12 and a half and look at this, people Korir

looking to get away from Kotut, this is a big attempt. This is total

commitment, Kotut cannot latch on to him at the moment, is this the

significant break he wanted? This is another gradual climb and it goes on

for about 200 metres then you go up and over the bridge, it's almost

like a sprint down, quite a nice, fast finish, this is the point to

make people hurt, quick look over the left shoulder, wanting to see if

the gap has grown anything and it has. This is significant and he is

committed now, totally and utterly committed. Between 12 and just

before 12 and a half miles, totally and utterly committed now, it looks

to me as though he may well have beaten him. Almost all know. I think

if this is the point you are going to commit, look at the grimace on

his face, he is working really hard. There is no room for mistakes at

this point, once you've made the decision you have to go for it and

make sure the other athletes behind you is hurting as much as possible.

For Kotut, it's looking hard. Korir keeps looking over his shoulder,

just wants to make sure the commitment he has made has been

worth it. This is the first time he has competed outside Kenya. What a

feat it would be if he comes away with a win on this fabulous

occasion. Looks now as though he has got away, he is increasing the

pressure and that's the way to do it, in the final stages of this

wonderful Cardiff Half Marathon. It's been an enthralling race. As

far as the women are concerned up your demonstration. But the men have

had a race and suddenly, Korir of Kenya, came here with a personal

best of 62.40, I just wonder if he will challenge the race record of 61

minutes and 51 seconds? The women's is definitely going to go, that is

71 minutes, Susan Partridge's record of 71 minutes ten seconds will

certainly go with Jepchumba. On the turn and shortly towards the 13 mile

mark. He's not convinced he's made the break yet because he keeps

looking over his shoulder. Wants to make sure he has nobody sitting on

him. Another little kick, are planned over a railway bridge so you

have to really in hard. Then it is, once you around the corner, it's

pretty much downhill and you are onto the flat. At the moment with

that climb it looks like the gap is growing bigger but you can see now

it is dropping down, Korir kicking in, looking at the time clock and

working incredibly hard to make sure he keeps the gap as much as he can.

Only just over the hour now as he approaches the finish. It really

will be a quick one for him. Remember, he came here with a best

of 61 minutes so he is running roughly that time, so this is a big

improvement. Absolutely in full flight now, look at this. He is

absolutely sprinting, as soon as you see that finish insight. This is a

new race record. First out of tenure, he has come to Great

Britain, to Wales, to Cardiff, he has come to win the Cardiff Half

Marathon. It is one hour 54, he has done it, he did it in a strange way,

he tried to free himself from Kotut, and he managed to do that. Kotut has

finished in second place. Outside his personal best, but, my goodness,

that was a great race. Mneria now taking third place, he ran in the

Olympics in the 5000, did not get through the heat, has done better

here, got himself on the podium inside 62 minutes, and that is a

very good run indeed. A personal best by a big margin, came here with

63.38 and has got away with something much better than that. In

fourth place, the defending champion, Ben Siwa of Uganda. Cannot

quite match the pace on this day, but, my goodness me, still sub 62.

He has done pretty well, as well. When the organisers said this rate

is fast in fact, it proves it with the times you are seeing today. Back

to Jepchumba, running very well. A bit of a climb here, underneath the

railway bridge, a bit of shade for a minute. Lovely running conditions

for the athletes today. She is heading home, all she has to

do is keep that running style, keep in good form. Dewi Griffiths there,

it looks like there has been another bit of a break in that pack, back to

two again. They were running good Kimosop, last year's medallist, has

he gone ahead of them? He has literally just gone ahead.

They have just spotted the finish line, which is a huge motivation for

any athlete. They just want to get to the finish line as quick as they

possibly can. Lovely running there for Debbie Griffiths. A big personal

best -- for Dewi Griffiths. I love won the elite athletes still look at

their watches. He came here with 64.10, 27 in the world half

championship half marathon here this year, he has absolutely destroyed

that. That is a very good run, he did not panic when the Africans

moved away from him, but he had the help of Matsui along came. It was

Matsui of Japan who, along with him, proved to be a very useful partner

indeed. Here we go with Jepchumba. She is now between 12... 12.5, I

would think, in this 13.1 mile race. She looks a little bit slow at this

point, it looks like she's starting to find the course a bit more

challenging. But, as we have said all the way through, it is not

unexpected when she has been on her own for the whole of the race. Just

heading downhill now, she knows she has only got a couple of turns left

before she comes into the final finishing straight. A lot of credit

to her, she really went out to run against the clock, to try to improve

on her best, but that is a big best to improve on, it really is, sub 65.

To come here with 65.51, that was in April in Prague. And I think for her

to test ourselves, because when she gets into the races with much bigger

fields, if she is going to go to marathon distance, she is going to

have to go out that hard in the first few miles of any

race that she wants to do. So this may have been a little bit more of a

training session for higher than a race, just knowing how hard she can

put herself and at what point in the course she can look at changing the

mile time, changing the technique and trying to get the time she

wants. She went through 20km in one hour, four minutes 50 seconds. She

had slowed down considerably. She had been running at 66 minute pace,

then it dropped to 68 minute pace. We are still going to see a best

performance on this course, that is for sure, the 71 minute performance

which stands, 71.10 from Susan Partridge is certainly going to go,

but there we come the 66 now, she has still got a little way to go, so

she has slowed quite considerably in the second half of this race. There

was no want to help her at all, she has been totally and utterly alone.

It has just been a run, really. I think we expected there might be

some of the men who would be there to help her, some of the top club

runners who might have been able to go with her in the early stages,

they have maybe looked at her and thought, no, it is too hard, they

will blow out their own race if they do it. But she trains with a men's

group, she trains with her husband, she is not afraid to try, and when

you see her in some of the bigger races, that determination will stand

her in good stead. This is the final climb on the course before she drops

down. She is approaching towards the 13 mile marker and then just 0.1 of

a mile to go from there. She will get a big, big hand here as she

comes into this final stage with that little downhill part. Look at

that, free running down that slight incline now. This is quite a

challenge at this part of the course, when your legs are starting

to go, your muscles are getting tight, that sharp downhill,

controlling it is incredibly important, and she needs to maintain

that pace and feel comfortable. You are quite right, it is a good point

and it happens to the great North Run as well, that little final down,

it is not until you turn left... I remember that! It is hard work, I'm

told. This is going to be very, very quick, around 68. We predicted

around 68, it will be a new course record, a new championship record,

race record, as you say. By a big, big margin. Coming up to 68 minutes

now, and that is another very good run, she ran 65.51 in April in

Prague, she ran Istanbul in 68.18, Gothenberg 68.01, this is 68.14,

world-class running, all on her own. That is class. I think we are going

to see a lot of this young woman in the future and certainly, let me

repeat, she says no marathon until 2018, but you never know. I can't

wait to see her run the marathon. I don't want to wish the time away but

she has got so much more that she can learn about her running style,

her training. When you see where she has come from in the last 18 months,

you would imagine she is going to be challenging the best women in the

world. Robin is on for one of the world records dressed as Batman and

Robin, wearing a Kamworor on his chest as well, making sure he makes

the most of every moment. For somebody who is dressed in a

costume, running 1.10 pace is very good going. I wonder what has

happened to Batman?! Ahmed of Egypt's coming in now. And there he

is, Robin. No batsman with him, as you say. Pretty good time, too. That

is a very good time indeed. Robin has done well. Here is second place,

Flomena Daniel of tenure, second in the women's race now. Going to go

very close to 70 minutes here, very tired coming down this straightaway

but still a very, very quick run in deed and we will have two women

inside the previous best. 70.03, very, very good indeed by Flomena

Daniel of Kenny. Running since 1999 as a world junior, now developing

herself. Commonwealth Games Marathon Championships on of course. That was

last time out. Batman... He will have to have a word with Robin, I

think! He does not look like he has got quite the same sprint finish

there. Well done, Batman, 70.46, not bad at

all. These are very respectable times for club runners. Jerotich,

third-place women. It has been tough for the women out there today, it

really has. They might have expected to have had a bit more protection,

maybe run with a few more people around them, but strong running

there. She was the defending champion, of course, coming into

this race, she won it last year and she maintains her position on the

podium but at a level three this year. 71.22, or thereabouts. Well

done indeed. The top three women are home.

You can see the road is getting a bit busier now. I love it when they

are still able to wave to the cameras and cheer and shout as they

go past. But this is pretty tough running for these guys. But these

moments will continue for some considerable time, that is how it

is, that is what it is about, mass participation. 22,000, you mentioned

earlier, Taney, 800 different charities being supported by the

efforts of all of these men and women, and they will have given a

lot of their time to go out and run, to prepare for this occasion, and

some will succeed by their own standards, a personal best, running

for the first time. This is the husband of Shirley Connor! She is

ahead of you! Is she?! You had better go after her! That is not the

sort of thing you should say, Christian! Don't discourage him! For

these athletes, people out running now, this is hard, they are not

natural wonders, they are people who have maybe not been training for

very long, and the guys who are out there, four, five, six hours, it

really hurts and they need a lot of encouragement and support from the

crowd, because it is tough, I remember the first half marathon I

did, it felt like it went on for ever. It felt like a marathon. As a

full-time athlete, you are very fortunate because that is all you

do. Here comes Rachel Felton in, and Rachel, of course, has been quite

good on the course, on the local causes, this season. She has done

very well, I think, in five kilometre and ten kilometre races,

she had four wins recently. Just coming round that bend. She won the

Cardiff ten kilometre four times, the fourth just recently. Coming in

with a best of 73.43, only just outside of that this season. It is a

season 's best, she came in with 76 this season. The first British

athlete home, just outside 74 minutes. So that is good. It looks

like it was a tough race for her. Wonderful vision of the area around

Cardiff Bay. Beautiful, beautiful morning here. The sun now beginning

to improve the temperature around us. Seeing that mass of runners

around Cardiff looks fantastic. I think we can go back to Jason at the

end of the race, see what he has got to say.

I just want you to enjoy these pictures, Cardiff Bay looking

absolutely beautiful today. The Wales millennium Centre, thousands

of runners, this is the culmination of weeks and weeks of training. Most

of the runners today are raising money for amazing causes right

throughout the UK and right across Wales. ?2.5 million estimated to be

raised by the end of the Cardiff Half Marathon. And also a word

today, Taney and Stuart, to the 800 volunteers, you saw them in Rio, at

the Paralympics and Olympic Games, giving up their time over this race

weekend to ensure everyone has an unforgettable experience. And

hopefully David Forde at some point will be tuning into this coverage,

he deserves a big shout out because, aged 86, he is the oldest

participant. Well done to you. The clones running arm in arm,

loving less. Tom frost is 17 on race day, the youngest participant, and

some of the stories are pretty incredible, especially the people

running this for the very first time. According to the figures from

the organisers, 51% running for the very first time, 52% male, 48% are

female. And what a beautiful day. And how lovely to see so many people

turning out to cheer them on. Looks beautiful. But it's not just about

today of course, over the weekend there has been a real festival of

running with young people joining in as well.

If you want to get in the mood for the Cardiff Half Marathon but don't

fancy running 13.1 miles, there is an entire day of fun for the whole

family and all abilities with the festival of running.

One of the highlights of the day for me without a doubt is the 100-metre

Cobbler-. And they are off. -- toddler run. It's got the

performance, the family, and people love the festival of running.

Plenty of happy and smiling faces behind me because now it's time for

the whole family to get together and work as a team in the family fun

run. Fantastic! He did so well, he ran all the way around, did not stop

once. Am I on TV? You might be. Exclusively for this year we have

the Cardiff University fun run, a chance for a 300 students to blow

away the cobwebs of freshers week. It's great to be able to run around

here, I go to university here so it's great to be able to race, the

crowds were brilliant, really good atmosphere. What a fabulous day, I

was third overall, my little lad that the toddler run, then we all do

the family run so I thought why not come back and finish with gold in

the Masters. What a wonderful way to countdown to the Cardiff Half

Marathon, runners of all abilities, all ages and who knows, maybe a

future world champion? If you want to go to the BBC Sport

website, if you love what you are seeing right now and who can blame

you, look at that, it is beautiful, if you go to the BBC Sport website

to get inspired. You can just see it at the bottom of your screen, the

hashtag get inspired. All you have to do is put in your postcode,

choose your sport and it will direct you to your local club, be it

running, archery, football, cricket, swimming, gymnastics, whatever. Get

inspired on the BBC Sport website. If you want to get involved in

social media we would love to hear from you, on Twitter use the hashtag

BBC Cardiff half. Look out for some special guests along the route,

Gareth Thomas running with Alfie's Angels. Shane Williams is apparently

also out there on the course, he loves a half marathon. We saw Gethin

Jones at the start of the programme as well. Even

We also understand Mark Lewis Jones is here in some capacity and

apparently Christian Malcolm has a panda? INAUDIBLE

You have done very well, how do you feel? It's a great atmosphere, just

got to keep going. Your man behind you, who are you supposed to be? I

am support for Mr Gary Browne. Raising money. Don't let me die stop

you, keep going, you are doing very well, a fantastic job, all the best.

The panda doing a wonderful job. Approaching the Wales Millennium

Centre. What's going on? Sunday told me it

was raining so I would have to wear waterproof clothes. It is not going

to rain today. We have a mixture of Elvis and... It is Elvis! I did not

realise Elvis is this big. Carb loading. Who are you running for?

Just the running club, doing it for fun, nobody in particular. Go and

have more fun, carry on. A reminder if you are just watching and missed

the elite men's and women's race, the men's winner Korir of Kenya and

the women's winner Jepchumba of Kenya. The fastest Welshman Dewi

Griffiths, personal best, 63.25. We saw Batman and Robin crossing the

line, what is the story? We are looking to break the world record

for the half marathon dressed as superheroes. It's currently held by

a friend of ours who we train with regularly who is based in Cardiff,

it's 75 minutes at the moment. We want to break that and get as close

to 70 as we can. But having tried to run in this costume, we would just

be happy with some 75. A fellow athlete was involved in a parachute

accident in January which has left him paralysed from the neck down. He

is making progress all the time, how far that goes we are not sure but he

is positive about it and tackling it feeds on which we all expected. Even

prior to the accident, as a friend and a fellow athlete I looked up to

him. I have been in the RAF or two and a half years and he has been in

far longer than that and he was one of those who encouraged me to join

and help me along. It's a bit cheesy but with everything he has been

through, the person he is, I have always seen him as a bit of a hero

himself so I thought let's do it as superheroes. Everyone knows Rob in

Cardiff, he's a big fixture of the athletics community. An e-mail was

sent out offering five spaces for people to raise money for him in the

Cardiff half so we spoke about it and said we would like to take up

those spaces to try to raise some money. I ran the same card course

earlier this year in March, 66.50 which is my PB at the moment, I

would hope to get around that sort of time but it will be slower in

this. Half marathon is not my distance, a bit too far for me, but

I've done a couple in the last 12 months that haven't gone great. I've

done 69 minutes, so sub 75 for the world record seems a bit high. The

first thing is raising money for Rob, and it would be nice to get the

record if we could so we will have that in our minds. We said earlier

on we will run together till about ten miles and then if one of us

feels better, the competitive edge might start and try to push on. I

think Batman will be just ahead of Robin. Every man for himself!

CHUCKLES Remarkable, Robin won the race,

brilliant, great finish. I think some of the elite athletes were

under pressure when he crossed the line. Let's hear from the boys. We

saw you crossing the finish line exhausted, but the big question is

did the superheroes break the record? Both inside the record, I

ran 69 .5, so we took a fair bit off it. Rob must be delighted. Yes, he

is probably watching and laughing at us dressed like this. You have both

done some major races, how does it differ being in fancy dress? The

hardest thing I've ever done, so warm. After the first couple of

miles we turn to each other and said it was too hot. Did you follow

tactics? We try to, try to stick together for ten miles but I had

cramp at eight miles so I told him to move on. You're raising loads of

money, how much so far? 1900 at the moment, we want to keep pushing it,

we'll keep the fundraising page for another week so if you have not

deleted please do. Brilliant, congratulations, you can fly away

now, goodbye. Commissioner Gordon is on the line,

there is work to do in Gotham city. They were fantastic, well done,

boys. Roath Lake looking gorgeous this morning on this beautiful

October morning. Don't forget, this course has been praised for its

flat, fast, it is iconic. They staged the world half my

Championships here in March, we did not have this brother, it was

torrential, the rain. Mo Farah was here in Cardiff, winning a bronze

medal in pretty testing conditions. What a year he has had, going on to

win double Olympic gold medals. That handy back to Steward to talk you

through today's elite races. Thank you. Just have a look at the

women's race, in fact, which was quite a formidable affair, really.

Turned out to be a demonstration, in the end. This young woman, Violah

Jepchumba, at one stage was running at 66 minute pace, it dropped a bit

to 68 towards the end, so the second half of the race not quite as quick

as the first. She is the sixth fastest woman of all time, much was

expected, it was a lone adventurer for her ahead of Flomena Daniel, the

Commonwealth champion and Jerotich, but the advantage was considerable

by the time she got to the final stages of the race. Just outside 68

minutes. It was a new race record by a considerable margin, taking the

original record of Susan Partridge, 71.10, off the record books, 6814.

Let's have a little look at the result of the race, here it is,

Jepchumba 68.14, Flomena Daniel 70.05, and Lenah Jerotich, 71.20

three. The first Briton home, Rachel Felton with 74.0 three.

We can have a little look back now at the men's race, and that was

always going to be a close encounter of the first kind, and so it was

that the African contingent, along with Dewi Griffiths and the Japanese

athlete latched onto the back of the African leaders, Kotut and Mneria.

And of course Shadrack Korir. All five of them really started to move

the race along. In the second half of the race, by ten miles, it was

looking around 61 minutes. A lot of strange racing between Shadrack

Korir and Kotut in the final stages. Look at him moving from side to

side, Kotut followed him all the way! But in the end, of course,

Korir was a man with a sprint finish and Kotut could not match. This was

the point at which it began to unwind for Kotut, remember he won

the Paris Marathon this year, and Korir having the first race of his

life outside of Kenya. The emphasis of drive and a sprint speed down the

home straight was quite something to watch. He was so determined and it

was a new race record for him. Very, very fine run ahead of many area and

Ben Siwa, the defending champion. Just have a look at the result of

that now, Korir just outside the hour, a new race record, just as

Jepchumba's was. Kotut, 61.04, many area 61.30 six. The defending

champion, Ben Siwa, found himself in fourth place, Debbie Griffiths,

63.26, a big personal best for the Welshman in eighth place -- Dewi

Griffiths. Let's have a look at the winners, I

think we can talk to the second place, Kotut, one of the favourites,

but in the end turned up in second place. Congratulations, what an

exciting race to watch. I think the race was OK, I liked everything

about the race. I promise today to do something, if not to win, to

boost the best time. I wanted to run under 60 but unfortunately I could

not make that. I can recommend something about the course, the

course is so perfect. There was a lot of people out there. The group

of people gave me moral support to run, I decided to push to make

someone, if not me, run faster. This race is brilliant. You must be

delighted. And also Shadrack smashing the course record and you

were involved with that? Yes, I am happy, I have helped someone run his

personal best like some other people have helped me run my personal best.

I am happy, the Cardiff Half Marathon now is a 60 race, that is

what makes me happy, even though I did not win, I am so, so happy, and

I will be happy to be back again and make something better than this. See

you next year, then! Thank you so much.

JASON: And we would like to see you back next year. This is the

strongest ever elite field. We have had beaten 2015 Cardiff half winner,

Ben Siwa, and Debbie Griffiths, who I am hoping we can talk to bury

sugar, the fastest Welshman coming in today with a time of 63.25, a

personal best for him, he has been training with Steve Jones and we

hope to chat with him shortly. And the women's winner, can you's Violah

Jepchumba, whose time is incidentally the third fastest

women's half marathon time in history. Let's also bring you

up-to-date with the winner of the wheelchair race, that went to Richie

Powell, who has been talking to us. Congratulations, you must be

delighted? Fantastic day, fantastic weather and a fantastic crowd as

well. What was it like out there? It is a tough course, but it is the

same for everybody, a very fast course, a great course, a home run

for me, basically. Brilliant, congratulations, well done. Ranks

very much. How are you, Buddy? I am all right!

Banks were holding me back! I am busy, I am running! I understand!

How are you feeling out there? As a local lad, you understand, it is a

fantastic group, I am proud to be Welsh everyday of the week but even

more so, the support is constant, you don't think about being tired,

you just enjoy it. My friend has never run this far before, it he is

ahead of me, we are trying to get round together. Go and catching up.

Please give me a call! Will you when it next year? I don't know about

that! -- will you be running it? Lovely to see getting out there on

the course as well, wondering why Christian Malcolm has had called him

now, we are intrigued! Dewi Griffiths is the fastest Welshman

this year, alongside Steve Jones, who trained him. We have just heard

Gethin describing what it is like, what was it like for you? Pretty

lovely conditions, the sun is out, Cardiff is at its best today. Smiles

on everyone's bases. Pretty nice day out there, great support, great

atmosphere. Magnificent but you, personal best? Yes, happy day all

round. And what is that down too, is it down to the man to your right?

Part of it is down to him... Part of it?! I have trained over the last

few weeks and I am progressing, adding, getting older. Where have

you been training, here in Wales or out in the States? I have been out

for a month, came back last weekend. Pretty bit at the moment, and

hopefully it showed today. How big an influence has he been over the

last couple of months? He has always been an influence since we first

spoke a couple of years ago, it is nice to have him in my corner as a

bit of a mental, seeing what he did back in his day, and I would like to

be late if not beat some of it. Is it true that he is pushing you

harder than anyone has in the past? I think he would think he is as

hard! It will be hard training under him, but I enjoy it. What sort of

mileage are you doing Eastwick? Over 100 miles a week when I was out

there. What were you doing in terms of mileage before you started

working with Steve in the states? Something similar, but I am getting

older as well so I can cope with a bit more, so progressing year on

year and getting to that volume 100, 120. Steve, have you seen a big

difference in his training and performances? Yes, he has been

coming out of the states now for the last 2.5 years. This is his third

trip out and I have seen improvements not just in his

performance but his commitment, he has matured a little bit, he is

going in the right direction. And he listens coming he doesn't say a lot

but he listens. He is part and parcel of my group now and they have

embraced him. So much of endurance running, distance running, is mental

as well, what about the psychological

Key is a growing lad, he's still young, still maturing his running.

The emotional and mental part of it is very important. I think if you