Half Marathon runners ‘made to wait’ at crossings
RUNNERS in the IAAF World Half Marathon in Cardiff on Saturday have complained after they said some roads were reopened before they had completed the course.
Some said they had to wait at pelican crossings for traffic to stop so they could carry on with the 13.1-mile route, adding up to 30 minutes to their time.
Runner Sarah Hughes said: “I hadn’t realised that us slow-coaches would be sent along a different route after 3.45pm because they were reopening the roads to cars.
“We were diverted from the original route and sent down Lloyd George Avenue along the pavement so we had to dodge pedestrians as well as navigate the crossings along all of the side roads. There were some volunteers along the way who were stopping traffic where they could, or pressing the button on the crossings to get them to change for us.
“The worst was when we reached Herbert Street as the road was so busy. There was a crowd of runners waiting to cross and we must have been stood there waiting for the lights to change for a few minutes. Some runners were getting quite angry but there was nothing the volunteers could do other than apologise and keep pressing the button.
“It’s dispiriting enough being slow and at the back, without being expected to wait at crossings and be slowed even further.
“Everyone had to pay the same fee to enter so I would expect the roads to be closed for all of us to be able run safely and without hold-ups.”
Other runners also claimed they had been slowed down by the roads reopening.
Writing on Facebook, Heidi McCarthy said: “The 3hr+ finishers had to finish with road closures lifted, mile markers removed and timing and water stations packed away. These runners battled big personal challenges and raised a lot of money for charity, they deserve to have the course still in place as they finish.”
Volunteers who stayed until the very end to cheer runners on were praised.
One woman in particular was hailed for staying in position to cheer on the last runner in the pouring rain when she could have been in the Wales Millennium Centre having a warm cup of coffee. Some said her determination summed up the spirit of the showpiece event that was held in the capital on Saturday.
Kim Jayn Evans wrote: “As a 3hr+ finisher in my first half marathon, I knew the roads would begin opening, the markers were sprayed on the floor and I really appreciated this lovely person cheering me on when I wanted to give up.”
One runner posted a response she said she received from the organisers.
It said, in part: “The diversion for slower runners was due to that part of the route being on the Central Link Road. This road had to be reopened by a certain time to reduce congestion in the city and this was a condition with the council for including it on the route.
“We don’t usually include this road on the annual Cardiff Half Marathon route for this reason, but unfortunately, the National Rail works which have closed the Windsor Road bridge have overran by six months plus. It was always our plan to not have to use the Central Link road for the World Half Marathon but we were left with no choice when National Rail work was delayed.
Race organisers have been asked to comment.