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Dear Friends,

We, at Front Runner Events, hope that you have all been keeping yourselves safe, well and healthy as possible over the past 12 months. We know how difficult things have been, like you, we have been affected and we share your frustrations that events are not taking place at the moment. With this in mind, we wanted to update you on where we are and what we have been doing as well as our intentions for this year.

Our team has been working extremely hard over the past few months as we continue to try and navigate our way through the news, changes, governmental and industry updates. In addition to this, we are trying to understand the impact of the vaccine rollout and what the current reduction in the ‘R’ rate and number of cases, hospitalisations, will mean for the return of our sport. Over the past 12 months, we have worked tirelessly and continuously with MSO Cymru colleagues, Welsh Athletics, Swansea Council and Welsh Government to try and establish a return to doing what we love, which is, putting on safe road running events for everyone to enjoy.

The horizon is beginning to look much brighter. The roll out of the vaccine programme appearing to be at such a pace, that this is one metric alone that could suggest a return to normality shouldn’t be too far away. Also, the planned return of Parkrun (we know this is for England at the moment), the test event programme that is earmarked for England and with Wales about to produce theirs, to demonstrate that Covid-safe events can be held and run safely.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the rules and guidance for the management of Covid-19 in Wales (which is different from the updates provided by the Prime Minister for England) the Welsh Government undertakes a 3-weekly review of the situation, the last was held on Friday 12th March 2021.

The 3 weeks between each review is very challenging for us in terms of how we plan for our events. We are not a shop or bar, that can buy in stock and be ready within days, typically we need around 6-9 months to prepare for an event to allow for the stakeholder engagement, permissions process, dealing with emergency services, engaging suppliers and so on. Therefore, to allow us to even begin trying to mobilise for an event in normal circumstances, 3 weeks would prove very challenging to say the least. As such, we are faced with a dilemma for this year’s JCP Swansea Half Marathon.

Given what we know today, the likelihood of obtaining permissions from the relevant authorities for the scheduled June date would be unlikely. Therefore, we feel to give ourselves the best chance to deliver the JCP Swansea Half this year, we have to move the date once again to Oct 17, 2021. This gives us time to work with all peer groups, stakeholders, and Welsh Government to understand the impact and learnings from the test event process. This alone, we hope, should provide enough information to enable the event to proceed.

In addition to this, the Welsh Government target of all adults being offered the vaccine by July 31, 2021, should have been achieved. And we are confident that with the above key metrics achieved, a continued reduction and decline in cases and hospitalisations, we should be able put on the event in the usual way we do.

Meaning that we can give you the Swansea Half experience you deserve. We are literally chomping at the bit and raring to go, but it seems that, in the words of Axl Rose/Guns N Roses, we need a little patience…. Just a little more, we hope. Whilst there are a lot of factors and influences that remain beyond our control, we feel significantly more optimistic and have commenced a full team effort towards achieving this date.

At no point in our existence, did we expect to be faced with such a situation as the one we are still going through. We have missed you all from our start line and more importantly, we have missed seeing you cross our finish line. But we do feel the finish line is getting nearer and we are getting there, the horizon is definitely looking brighter and a lot more optimistic.

So, we thank you for your patience and we cannot wait to see you all lining up again outside the historic Brangwyn Hall as you get ready to #RunSwansea!

Yours in sport

David Martin-Jewell
Race Director

Following last Friday’s statement by Welsh Government it has now become apparent that the JCP Swansea Half Marathon will be unable to be held, as intended on November 1^st 2020.

Race Director, David Martin-Jewell said: “It is with a very heavy heart that I must announce the postponement of this year’s race. 2020 is proving to be the most challenging of our 7-year history. Like many other events and businesses this year, we have been continually affected by the global coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in this decision.

Since the beginning of the lockdown measures, we have continued working to find solutions which would enable a return to the sport we love. We have also worked closely with our collaborative partners within MSO Cymru who are leading the debate and planning to demonstrate that mass participation sporting events in Wales can return safely. I believe that we have developed robust, workable solutions that could allow us to deliver a Covid-safe event. However, following the cautious easing of restrictions as announced by Welsh Government on Friday the 21^st August and no further pathway identified or confirmed for mass events to return, we must now defer the event to 2021.

We, like you, find this extremely frustrating and disappointing as we are all runners and have continued training, fundraising (and planning) with the hope of a return to mass running. Yet, as it stands, November seems to be too soon for this to occur. We will not be holding a virtual version of the event, as it was clear that this was not supported by our runners following the survey we carried out a few weeks ago.

The JCP Swansea Half Marathon helps raise approx. £1m per year for local and national charities including our charity partners; CRUK, Diabetes UK Cymru and Maggie’s, all of whom have suffered an enormous short fall in fundraising and opportunities due to the volume of events that have been cancelled this year.

Events like ours helps more than the runners who participate in the race; we help raise vital funds and awareness for charities and good causes and work with hundreds of suppliers and contractors. What’s more, we help people with their physical and mental health that helps underpin various national agendas surrounding obesity, mental wellness and well-being. The entire team is devastated that we are unable to deliver this year’s event, but we realise and are fully aware of the ongoing impact of pandemic during, and what is turning into, an exceptional year for all the wrong reasons.

We have not wanted or tried to proceed with the event in a reckless manner, and have sought the opinions and views of entrants, volunteers, stakeholders, the wider community and event partners with the majority of responses supportive of our plans and the event proceeding as intended. Although we believe that we have workable solutions that would enable the event to proceed safely, we will now have to wait until 2021. So, we now turn our eyes to the horizon and begin to look forward to welcoming you all back to Swansea next year to take part in our 7^th edition of the JCP Swansea Half Marathon on the 13^th June 2021.”

Everyone associated with the event will be disappointed with the news, but anyone with a place in the 2020 event will automatically be entered in next year’s event.

All registered participants for the 2020 JCP Swansea Half Marathon have been emailed their available options. If you have not received an email with this information, please email us.

When we started planning for the 7^th edition of the JCP Swansea Half Marathon, we did not foresee the world we currently find ourselves in. Sunday, 14^th June 2020 should have been a day of celebration for thousands of runners running through the streets of Swansea on what would have been the original date for our event. 

The JCP Swansea Half Marathon has become a summertime running celebration and the chance for like-minded people, who have put in hours and hours of training in to cross the finish line in the summer Swansea sunshine. It should also be a day for celebrating the fund-raising achievements of many of you and the tremendous charities that form part of the event; such as Maggie’s Swansea, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK Cymru and many, many, more. 

We and all event partners were completely disheartened to have had to postpone the event for the first time in our 7 year history. However, the seriousness, spread and impact of the C-19 pandemic has required drastic actions globally, which we are all coming to terms with. 

We are liaising with a significant number of bodies regarding the revised date and closely monitoring advice from the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, City & County of Swansea and other relevant organisations to monitor the ongoing situation.  

On a more positive note, we have seen a massive upturn in running and other similar outdoor exercises around Swansea,  which is something we remain focused on and hope that our virtual events have enabled runners to keep setting and achieving their goals. We are contacted on a daily basis and told how Swansea Half is a target that people would have never considered less than 4 months ago. We hope to see all these ‘newer’ runners lining up and crossing our start and finish lines very soon.  

It would be amazing to fill our social media with your photos and videos from previous years and share your experiences with us. Let us all share and spread the joy of the JCP Swansea Half Marathon and look forward to the return of our events in the future.  

Yours in sport,

David Martin-Jewell

Race Director 

The team at Front Runner Events were quick to turn the tables on their event that which was due to take place earlier this month in the beautiful Pembrey Country Park.  As every runner knows there is nothing like the real event, lining up at the start with every other runner who has trained incredibly hard for the race ahead.  But, with races being postponed and in some cases being cancelled, this has left organisers and runners feeling disappointed.  That is the reason why the Front Runner team felt it was important to offer their runners a tangible goal by introducing the Great Welsh Marathon and Half Marathon virtual races.

David Martin-Jewell said:

            “We are excited to be seeing runners from all over the World taking part in our virtual races in their respective neighbourhoods.  This is the first time we have launched a virtual race and we are pleased to be able to provide this platform, helping runners maintain their fitness, set goals and achieve their targets.  So far, we have seen nearly 500 runners take part, some of whom may prefer to run on their own and not have the added pressure of others around them chasing PB’s.”

            “I’ve learnt over the last few weeks that running is not all about achieving times, sometimes we just need to enjoy the nature, sounds and appreciate everything around us, so I’m delighted we can offer this race for everyone.”        

If you would like to register and #RunCymru wherever you live, you can sign up for the virtual race and choose between the half marathon or marathon distance here:  https://www.greatwelshmarathon.co.uk/join-great-welsh-virtual-races/  You’ll need to hurry, as entry will only remain open until 30^th April, but to help, we’ve made the process is simple:

1. Register your place – £15 (entry includes a finisher t-shirt, bespoke medal & certificate)

2. Complete the distance before 30/04/2020

3. Submit your Strava, Garmin, GPS data (to your members hub when you signed up – this must show your name, the exact distance, route, time and date)

Once certified, you will receive your goodies in the post, but you can expect to see your name on the leader boards (for either the half or full marathon) and get your virtual finisher’s certificate.  Why not make your marathon miles go further and help Save the UK’s Charities?  To take part in this fantastic fund raiser head to: https://www.twopointsixchallenge.co.uk/ to find out more! 

Don’t forget to check out our TIPS on running responsibly and maintaining social distancing measures whilst exercising outdoors!  

As difficult as the situation is that we currently find ourselves in, we all want something to set our sights on and take our minds off what’s going on in the World around us.  We all know how important staying active, healthy and fit is and running is a great way to do this for our minds and body, so we would like to continue to provide goals for our runners whilst maintaining current governmental and public health advice.

The good news is that if you are new or returning to running after some time off, training for a half-marathon is manageable even for the busiest of us!  So why not use this time to ensure you make the most of your exercise once a day and get yourselves running.

The half marathon is the perfect distance for beginners and for the more experienced, wanting to achieve that sense of accomplishment.  That is why we at Front Runner Events were keen to establish the JCP Swansea Half Marathon, Llanelli Half Marathon and Great Welsh Half.  Thankfully, our first race of the year took place before COVID-19 hit the UK, however we have had to postpone the remaining two and offer a virtual race as an option.

Now, if you can manage two to three miles at a time, starting off with walk-run-walk, a couple of times per week, you can get into half-marathon shape in 12 weeks providing you stick to a plan.  To help, we have put together a variety of plans to suit all levels of ability, so we’re sure you’ll find one to suit you!  To find your plan go to: https://bit.ly/2zmewO1

You will need to bear in mind that you should add a weekend run that is a slightly longer distance once you feel confident to do so.  Once you gain momentum you will be running—four to five miles in no time, then you can gradually build up to,7, 8, 9 or 10 miles over the course of the 12 weeks.

The best thing about a half marathon is that the training is usually lifestyle friendly that includes a few days of running or jogging, a couple days of cross-training, and a couple days of rest will get you into shape.  Here are a few TIPS to make sure you train responsibly during this time:

• Run in your local area – starting from home (don’t drive).
• Run alone or only with household members.
• Greet fellow runners with a wave rather than calling out.
• Run with your phone in case you need to call for help.
• Think about when & where you will run – avoid gatherings, use wide lanes or spaces which are likely to be quieter.
• Be aware of your surroundings – If you are approaching people slow down and maintain at least 2 metres distance (plan your pass – let them you know you are there, go around them, cross over etc).
• Wear hi-vis gear if you have it so you stand out (particularly around dawn or dusk).
• Try and wear a buff and gloves if possible.
• Wash or shower as soon as you return home.
• Be sensible, stay safe!

To find alternative or additional challenges our training partners at realbuzz.com have some great ideas to mix up your running.  To find out more and how you can make the most of your training head to their pages here.

With the postponement of our own Great Welsh Marathon and JCP Swansea Half Marathon following the same path as thousands of other events across the UK being postponed due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, this is having a destructive impact on the UK Charity sector that could result in many being forced to close. We are proud of our work with all of our charity partners who do so much good on both a local and national level. It is now our turn to give back and help the charities.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) CEO Karl Wilding estimates that the UK charity sector will lose £4 billion in income as a result of the pandemic.

Front Runner Events is working alongside some of the biggest mass participation event organisers to assist with the 2.6 Challenge and Save the UK’s Charities. But we cannot do it alone, we need your help!

Launching on 26th April, on what should have been the date of the 40th edition of the London Marathon – The 2.6 Challenge involves dreaming up a challenge based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraising or donating to Save the UK’s Charities. It’s open to anyone of any age – the only requirement is that the activity follows Government guidelines on exercising and social distancing!

If fundraising dries up during this lockdown period, many of our most valued charities may not survive. Join us with your own 2.6 Challenge or simply donate to the cause and help us ensure the most vulnerable members of our society continue to have somewhere to turn during this crisis.

To find out more about how you can join in head here.

WHAT IS INVOLVED – Your challenge can be anything that works for you!

Run, walk or cycle 2.6 miles, 2.6km or for 26 minutes. You could do the same in your home or garden, go up and down the stairs 26 times, juggle for 2.6 minutes, do a 26 minute exercise class or 26 keepie-ups – anything you like.