Cardiff Half Marathon 2025 - stories behind the strides

Cardiff Half Marathon runners in 2024

Up to 27,500 people will descend on the Welsh capital on Sunday, 5 October to take on the challenge of running the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Some people will be running the event for the first time, while others are trying to set a new personal best.

But a few individuals have special reasons for taking part this year.

From multiple sclerosis to half-marathon runner

Rhiannon Bending will run in the Cardiff Half Marathon

Rhiannon Bending from Bridgend was due to take on the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2024 but after a shock diagnosis she had to learn to walk again.

"I was geared up and ready to go last year, but I started to feel a bit unwell in June, I thought I was coming down with the flu," she said.

"Unfortunately in July I collapsed in my own home and got taken into the hospital, where they thought I was having a stroke or a brain tumour."

After going through tests Rhiannon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

She had help from her mum and a walking stick as she relearned how to walk.

"It was a good few weeks unfortunately that my mum had to help drag me round the house," she said.

"By the time I saw my neurologist in September I was walking again.

"She didn't think full recovery was on the cards for me so I feel really lucky to be here today."

Now Rhiannon says she is determined to finish the race she was unable to start last year.

"When I started running I concentrated on 1km runs but I was terrified every time I was going for a run I couldn't tell if my legs were hurting because I'd just been training or the MS," she said.

"It's been a lot of anxiety but I've had a great support system, I work with amazing people, they've gotten me through it and I'm feeling very strong.

"I'm so excited for the race.

"The feeling you get when you cross the line, getting my medal and my banana, it's the best feeling in the world isn't it?"

Running and remission

Livi Melville-Jones (right) donated bone marrow to her sister Charlotte (left) in 2015

Livi Melville-Jones from Swansea is running to raise money for Latch, a Welsh children's cancer charity who have provided ongoing support to her family.

In 2015, her sister Charlotte was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia - a condition in which the bone marrow stops making enough new blood cells.

Livi donated bone marrow to her sister as she underwent treatment.

"Because our treatment was in London, my sister and my mum had to relocate there for six months so my parents weren't able to work," she said.

"Latch were amazing, not just in the cost of things but in their support, the emotional side and the counselling side.

"My sister to this day still has support from them when she goes up [to London], so we just want to give back to an amazing charity that helped us through a really hard time.

An ankle injury means Charlotte will no longer be running this year, but supporting Livi from the sidelines.

It is Livi's second half-marathon, having run the Swansea Half Marathon last year.

"I ran with tonsillitis so that was a different story," she said.

"I'm looking forward to running a half-marathon healthy and not struggling to swallow the whole way round."

A new pursuit for Olympic cyclist

Dani Rowe (née King, right) won gold alongside Laura Kenny (née Trott], centre) and Joanna Rowsell (left) in the women's team pursuit at the London 2012 Olympics

Former Olympic track cyclist Dani Rowe took up running in 2018 after retiring from cycling but she says adapting to running was not an easy transition.

"When I was riding we weren't allowed to do any running whatsoever, no weight-bearing but it was something I always wanted to do post-cycling career," she said.

"I actually struggled initially with stress fractures because of having done no weight-bearing exercise with cycling, [I had a low] bone density.

"My heart and lungs were almost too strong for my bones, tendons and ligaments - which are obviously what you need for running.

"I had to go back to basics with walk-running and really build up, and in the last few years I've done the Manchester half and London full marathons and loved every minute."

A mother of two, she says she was inspired to take part after watching the event with her children.

"It was just incredible, the atmosphere, I think I cried multiple times just watching people running and doing incredible things for charities," she said.

"I'm a better person and mum through exercising and running gives me that outlet to switch off and have me time and pushing my body.

"When I run, I find that every version of myself is better."

She is targeting a finish time of one hour and 30 minutes for her half-marathon.

"I've had an amazing friend who's been trying to coach me to try to break that target on Sunday but it's going to be tough," she said.

"I've had such a busy lead-up I couldn't have done any more so I'll have to be pleased with whatever it is when I cross the finish line."