Holiday Closing Times

Friday 2nd April: closed
Saturday 3rd April: open
Sunday 4th April: closed
Monday 5th April: closed
Tuesday 6th April: open
7th-15th April inclusive: closed
Friday 16th April: open

Please note that we close twice each year for staff holidays/training, in early April and mid-to-late August. Exact dates will be posted on this web site as soon as they are finalised.

CARDIFF ST DAVIDS DAY 10K & 5K

Congratulations to all who took part in the St David's Day Races - luckily the awful weather that was forecast did not materialise and the ideal racing conditions saw a clear victory in the 10k for Les Croupiers' David Williams, who came in nearly two minutes ahead of the second place runner. First lady was Helen Duffield who finished in a little over 41 minutes. Prizes for the first three men and women, and the first three over-50 veterans in both races were donated by Run and Become, and the full results can be seen at www.bmftraining.com. We also arranged for every runner to get a free High 5 energy gel, so we hope you all managed to pick one up at the finish!

If you are interested in finding out about other local races in the coming months, just email garga@runandbecome.com for a list of events.

How to Find Us

Run and Become is located on Wood Street, opposite Cardiff Bus Station, just a few hundred metres from Cardiff Central Train Station and close to the Millennium Stadium. There is extensive parking just around the corner in Wood St and Westgate Street NCP carparks and a number of metred parking spaces in Fitzhamon Embankment, Taffs Mead Embankment also Wood Lane, right behind our shop (you no longer need parking vouchers, just coins). Parking in the train station forecourt is free for 20 minutes but this is for "rail use only".

View larger map here

Local Races

Run and Become is proud to offer support to a number of local events, through sponsorship and donation of prizes. These races include the Rose Inn 4 Mile Series, Offas Orror, Cardiff 10k, Welsh Castles Relay, Great Wales Run, Tour of Torfaen Half Marathon, Gower Triathlon and many others! We also organise the Self Transcendence Race Series each summer in Pontcanna Fields & Bute Park, which are short races ideal for beginners. As sponsorship partners of Welsh Athletics, we also produce the annual WA Yearbook with details of every WA sanctioned race in Wales. We also provide a free email newsletter, which includes details of all the key local events and is sent out every two months or so, for which you can sign up through the link in the sidebar of this page. If you have any queries about the products or service we offer, or the events we support, please don't hesitate to give us a call or come and see us.

SELF-TRANSCENDENCE 2-MILE RACE 15th MAY: DOWNLOAD PDF OF RESULTS HERE

Local Clubs & Facilities

Cardiff has no shortage of Running Clubs — the only problem facing runners is choosing between them! Here are details of a number of local clubs — why not give them a call and arrange to go along to a club session to see how you like it? Most clubs are happy for new runners to join them for a few runs to see if they want to join up.

GENERAL RUNNING CLUBS

CARDIFF AAC

Track, road running, mountain running, cross country, race walking
Contact 07800 802982
www.welshathletics.org/clubs/clubs-index/cardiff-aac-club-page

CARDIFF HARLEQUINS

Road running, mountain runnning, cross country
Contact 02920 619833
http://www.geocities.com/harlequins_rc

LES CROUPIERS RC

Track, road running, mountain running, cross country
Contact 02920 514267
www.lescroupiersrunningclub.org.uk

PENARTH & DINAS RUNNERS

Road running, cross country
Contact 02920 702028
www.penarthanddinasrunners.org.uk

SAN DOMENICO RC

Road running, mountain running, cross country
Contact 01633 680654
http://www.sandomenico.org.uk

VILLAGE VIPERS

Track, road running, cross country
Contact 07815 803330
www.welshathletics.org/clubs/clubs-index/village-vipers-club-page/

MOUNTAIN RUNNING CLUBS

MDC (MYNYDDWYR DE CYMRU)

The main independent fell running club for South Wales.
www.mdcwales.org.uk

MYNYDD DU MOUNTAIN RUNNERS

An affiliated club for mountain runners.
www.mynydd-du.org.uk

WFRA (WELSH FELL RUNNING ASSOCIATION)

Organising races and leagues throughout Wales, WFRA also produce a handy booklet of all fell running events for the current year.
www.wfra.org.uk

Cardiff Harlequins also have a strong interest in fell/mountain running (see Running Clubs, above)

WOMEN’S RUNNING CLUBS

WOMEN’S RUNNING NETWORK, CARDIFF

www.womensrunningnetwork.co.uk/wales/cardiff.htm

BEGINNERS’ RUNNING CLUBS

MAINDY HARRIERS

Maindy Pool, just to the north of Cardiff city centre, offers beginner's walk-to-run and run groups. Whatever your ability, they should have a session for you. Contact Wayne at Maindy Pool.
www.cardiff.gov.uk

CHEPSTOW HARRIERS

A little out of the Cardiff area, but well worth a mention, Chepstow's running club has groups for beginners wanting to get started with running and to train for their first race.
www.chepstowharriers.org.uk

TRIATHLON CLUBS

Quite a few local running clubs have diversified into Triathlon, Les Croupiers being a good example, but there are also Tri-specific clubs locally such as those listed below. Beginners may want to check out the Try-a-Tri event in May or the Cosmeston Triathlon in June. Slightly further afield, the Gower Triathlon (sponsored by Run and Become) is an award winning event in an idyllic location - highly recommended!
www.gowertriathlon.co.uk/

CARDIFF TRI

Our local Tri club and organisers of the "Try a Tri" event for beginners.
www.cardifftri.net

CELTIC TRI CLUB

Celtic Tri are based in the Neath / Port Talbot area and are organisers of the Neath Valley Triathlon.
www.celtictri.com/

TAFF ELY TRI CLUB

www.taffelytri.org

PENCOED TRI CLUB

www.pencoedtri.org

ATHLETICS TRACKS

The area has a number of track facilities, including our brand new Cardiff Athletic Stadium, home of Welsh Athletics.

CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL SPORTS STADIUM

CF11 8AZ, 02920 788399

NEWBRIDGE FIELDS TRACK, BRIDGEND

CF31 4AH, 01656 657491

UWIC, CARDIFF

CF23 6XD, 02920 416777

CWMBRAN STADIUM

NP44 3YS, 01633 628969

JENNER PARK ATHLETIC STADIUM, BARRY

CF62 9BG, 01446 746870

NEWPORT STADIUM

NP19 4PT, 01633 671800

NATIONAL INDOOR ATHLETICS CENTRE, CARDIFF

CF23 6XD, 02920 416777

Training Schedules

Whatever your target in running, be it building up to 30 minutes continuous jog or training for a marathon, a sensible program to follow is invaluable. What do we mean by sensible? Well, building up distance or speed should be done gradually, with adequate recovery after hard sessions. Also, the program that's right for someone else may not suit you. Here we have put together some of our favourite programs for a number of goals - in each case there is a choice, so take a look at each schedule and see how it matches your fitness, your experience and your available time (!!).

BEGINNERS’ “FIRST STEPS IN RUNNING” PROGRAMMES

Jeff Galloway's beginner programme
Jeff pioneered the idea of run/walk training
www.jeffgalloway.com

Hal Higdon's beginner programme
A month long run-walk routine for complete beginners.
www.halhigdon.com

Couch to 5K "Sporting Rebels" programme
www.sportingrebels.com

Common mistakes to avoid!
Useful tips from All About Running
www.allaboutrunning.net

5K AND 10K PROGRAMMES

Hal Higdon's Beginner's 5k Programme
www.halhigdon.com

Jeff Galloway Run/Walk Programmes for 5k and 10k
www.jeffgalloway.com

Hal Higdon's 10K Programmes
A choice of schedules for different levels of experience
www.halhigdon.com

HALF MARATHON

Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Programme
A 12-week program ideal for Cardiff Marathon training
www.halhigdon.com

Jeff Galloway's proven programme
(the book is available from Run and Become for more in-depth training info)
www.jeffgalloway.com

Tarit's Tips
Run and Become's own ultrarunner offers marathon & half marathon pointers
www.srichinmoyraces.org

MARATHON

7 Steps to a Successful Marathon
Arpan De'Angelo's inspirational training schedule
www.srichinmoyraces.org

Hal Higdon's Marathon Programme
A choice of marathon schedules for beginners and advanced runners
www.halhigdon.com

Jeff Galloway
Jeff's programme is ideal for those new to the distance or returning after a break from running.
www.jeffgalloway.com

Prachar Stegemann's "Full Cream" and "Lite" marathon schedules
www.srichinmoycentre.org

Injuries & Maintenenance

We all get aches and pains from time to time, and even though we will do the best we can to fit you out with the most injury repellent shoes, if you find yourself in need of some medical help these people have been checked out by us and are ace at getting you back pounding the streets again. Rest assured, we list the practitioners here because they are at the top of their field, not because of some dodgy back hander!

KAREN PEARCE: PHYSIOTHERAPY

Karen has worked as a sports physiotherapist at the highest level, with international teams at both Olympics and Commonwealth Games. A runner herself, Karen has achieved fantastic results in treating all kinds of running injuries, helping runners of all abilities with diagnosis, hands-on treatment and rehabilitation programs tailored to each individual. She comes highly recommended by a number of Run and Become staff.
www.kp-physiotherapy.co.uk

LORETTA DALEY: PHYSIOTHERAPY & SPORTS MASSAGE

Loretta is a fully qualified physio and specialises in massage for runners, coming recommended by numerous local club runners including former Commonwealth 10,000m and Marathon runner Bernie Plane. Loretta is a former track athlete and has also run over 30 marathons and numerous ultradistance events, so she knows a thing or two about running! Loretta offers concessions for veterans over 60 and young athletes still in full time education.

VICKI WHITE: SPORTS MASSAGE

Vicki comes recommended by top level triathlete Andrea Whitcombe, as well as by staff members at Run and Become! She is a full member of the Sports Massage Association (SMA) and also works with the Welsh Institute of Sport in Sophia Gardens, seeing professional athletes on a regular basis.
www.vickisportsmassage.co.uk

ANDREW SEARY: PHYSIOTHERAPY

Andrew is closely involved in the local athletic scene and as well as being a chartered physio specialising in sports injury, he is a team manager at local club Cardiff AAC. Andrew practises in Whitchurch where he has an expanding practise involving a number of practitioners - clients range from WRU members, not to mention Run and Become staff.
www.physiotherapist.wal.fm

MATHEW ATKINS: SPORTS MASSAGE

Mathew practises alongside Andrew Seary in Whitchurch, and through Penarth Natural Health Services. As a triathlete, he "knows what it feels like" to run, ride and swim comptetitively and our staff can attest that he gives a really effective sports massage.
www.equilibriatherapies.com/sports_massage.html

MATHEW VAUGHAN: PODIATRY

Mathew Vaughan (BSc Hons D.Pod. MChS) is a state registered Podiatrist offering sophisticated biomechanical assessment including gait analysis from front, side and rear. For anyone needing a more advanced procedure than the shoe-fitting service offered by Run and Become, Mathew offers a scale of different biomechanical assessments with prices starting at only £75.
www.feetinfocus.com

How It All Started

The Cardiff shop is the youngest of the three Run and Become branches and celebrated its ninth birthday in March 2009. Originally staffed by just three people, we have now expanded to employ five permanent staff and some extra team members who swell the ranks on busy Saturdays. We are keen runners, and between us have clocked up about two dozen marathons and a dozen or so ultradistance walks and runs as well as many shorter events.

Read the Run and Become Story here.

Meet The Staff

What We Do

Like our sister shops in London and Edinburgh, we offer a full shoe-fitting service, starting with an evaluation of your running style. We also take into consideration the shape/type of your feet and any history of running-related problems or injuries you have had, to help us determine your footstrike and help you choose a shoe with the right blend of cushioning and support.

When a customer comes to us for running shoes, the first thing we do is ask a few important questions: how much running are they doing (or how much they intend to do), what shoes are being used at present and whether there have been any injury problems. Then we put the customer in a pair of neutral running shoes and watch him/her run a few strides outside (on a covered, paved area) to see how the foot moves. Recent research (and our own experience) has shown that runners run differently on a treadmill to a road, so we use this "dynamic assessment" of your style in preference to treadmill analysis. Through years of gait assessment and shoe-fitting, we have found the results "on the road" to be considerably more reliable!

This assessment gives us an idea as to which type of shoe is likely to be most suitable for the individual's foot stike. Then we bring out a few different pairs and watch the customer run in each of them, working together until we find a pair that both works well and feels great. (A full shoe fitting can take up to half an hour, so please arrive no later than half an hour before closing time).

Whether you are taking up running for the first time, training for your first race or continuing a long running career, we can offer informative and impartial advice to help you choose your shoes and clothing, drawing not only on our specific product knowledge, but also our personal running experience. If you are looking for help in choosing your shoes, it is best to set aside at least 30 minutes for a shoe fitting, bring with you any shoes you have already been running in, and wear clothes you will be comfortable in for a few short test-runs (proper running gear is not required for this, just something light and comfortable).

On Saturdays we get very busy and may have to ask you to wait a while for a staff member to be available to serve you, so if you can come in on a weekday the process is likely to be quicker! Our fitting service is offered free of charge, and although we are not qualified medical practitioners, customer feedback has confirmed that the principles we use to help customers choose their shoes are sound and reliable. If you have a recent or ongoing series of injuries we may advise you to see a podiatrist or physiotherapist to get to the root cause of an injury before deciding on the best shoes for you - we can recommend local practitioners with a proven track record should the need arise.

OUR STOCK
If you are an experienced runner and know exactly which shoe you need, we have the widest selection of road running shoes in Wales and a great selection of specialist shoes for road races, fell and trail running, cross country and track and field events. We stock shoes from size 1 (junior) to 15 and on selected shoes are able to offer a choice of widths.

In addition to shoes, we stock the widest range of running clothing in Wales, including all the essentials such as Ron Hill Tracksters and Helly Hansen Lifa tops, as well as specialist items such as Windstopper and Goretex Jackets, weatherproof running tights, lightweight racing clothing and wicking/breathable thermals. We also have an extensive section of clothing designed specifically for women, and a some key items in junior sizes (age 7 and up). Our accessories department offers everything from Camelbaks to shoe goo, and a range of drinks, gels and bars to provide rapid fluid replacement, sustained energy levels and optimum recovery. Although we are based in Cardiff, our customers come to us from all over Wales.

Read more about the Run and Become Experience here.

The World Harmony Run

The World Harmony Run is a global relay that seeks to promote international friendship and understanding. As a symbol of harmony, runners carry a flaming torch, passing it from hand to hand travelling through over 80 nations around the globe. You can find out more about previous World Harmony Runs in Britain here, and how to participate here.

THE WORLD HARMONY RUN IN TANZANIA
22nd September 2008

The World Harmony Run is a relay run that goes all over the world promoting the simple message of harmony between individuals and nations. It is non political and doesn’t raise any funds. Sri Chinmoy formed the relay to inspire people to remember that we are all brothers and sisters of this planet, regardless of our backgrounds, and that World Harmony is obtainable and necessary for everyone to be happy and fulfilled. This year the relay has travelled through many, many countries, including UK in May, this account is of it’s recent trip to Tanzania, the runners were invited to several schools to run with the children and talk to them about World Harmony.

It was a bright, pleasant morning, when the World Harmony Run (WHR) represented by Manatita, Gregor, Bijon and Pastor Palemo set out for the Sierra Secondary School, Mikochene. The temperature was about 30ºC but after all, we were in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

On our way to the School, Bijon, Gregor and I made our first visit of the day at the offices of Bishop Charles Gadi. The Bishop was a remarkable man who had chosen to apply his business acumen and success in the direction of service to a Pentecostal Ministry that he had himself founded. At his offices he held our Harmony Run Torch, expressed his thanks for our coming and said a few kind words about what we were doing and his Ministry. We then proceeded to the School.

Sierra Secondary School was a very beautiful School and an extremely welcoming one. The Head Teacher, Mrs Rose Pascal, was very kind and had made arrangements to meet us even though the children were in the middle of exams. There are over 1000 children in the School, and at first we saw them in small groups before exams. The majority of the students, however, were gathered in the School yard at 12:30pm. We explained the WHR and interacted with them. They seemed overjoyed to see us and enacted for us a beautiful dance, which they were inspired to put together in a very short time. One of the teachers then gave a short speech in which he expressed the delight of the School at being chosen to participate in the WHR.

They also recognised and wished to honour Sri Chinmoy for this and other sporting initiatives. He finally highlighted the need for international friendship and exchange between Schools to promote music, singing, poetry and art. The programme ended with a very joyful run by some selected students, around the perimeter of the School.

Kabaroti Day Care Centre in Mwananyama had quite a different feel to the first School. There were about 22 of the 64 children present ranging between the ages of 2 to 6 years old. They were exceptionally cute and well behaved. They sang a welcoming song for us while clapping and cheering enthusiastically and we in turn, reciprocated by singing the World Harmony Run song for them. The Headmaster, Peter Chacha, thanked us for our visit and the humble gifts that we offered and said that he considered us as 'Friends of Kaboroti Day Care Centre.'

Our last stop for the day was at Help Orphans Tanzania, the Orphanage associated with St. Mary's School at Tabata. The perimeter of the School was adorned with uplifting and positive messages such as 'There is Still Hope in God' and 'Striving for Excellence'. The Headmaster, Thomas Samson, gave a brief history of the institute in which he touched on the needs of the children. We afterwards proceeded to the main gathering in the School gymnasium - upon the wall of which were emblazoned the words 'God is Able'. There were over five hundred children gathered for the occasion.

During the ceremony, the WHR interacted with the children who expressed 'Amani' or Peace for a few moments with their hands on their hearts. They were a very enthusiastic group and as well as singing and clapping to a song in Kiswahili they – in unison – chanted Amani to the count of 3.. 2.. 1.. by the Head Mr Samson. It was a very joyful and lively occasion. Bijon and one of the teachers then guided them on a run around the grounds during which the children sang and laughed and clapped and were very happy.

To conclude, we honoured the invitation of Pastor Polemo Massawe. An integral co-ordinator of WHR Tanzania, the Pastor had accompanied the team throughout the day. There we met his wife and family who entertained us and who had prepared a most delicious meal. We were made to feel totally at home.

~ Report by Manatita

Humanitarian Aid

Many thanks to all of you who so kindly donated items for the Oneness-Heart Tears and Smiles shipment to Tanzania. We were able to collect a whole truckload of bikes, computers, sports equipment, toys, games and other donations, all of which have now been delivered to the depot in Avonmouth ready for packing and shipping to Africa. We hope to have some pictures here on this site in the autumn of the shipment being distributed, so watch this space!

Shoe Recycling

Running shoes become like old friends as you cover the miles together, and sometimes it's hard to part with them! Rather than letting them decorate your hallway though, why not bring them in and we'll make sure they retire to a good home via one of our local recycling schemes.