Running has long been celebrated as one of the most accessible forms of exercise. It requires minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere. Despite this, barriers still exist that prevent underrepresented communities, disabled athletes, and people of all ages and backgrounds from participating fully. To create a truly inclusive running culture at our events we are introducing some new initiatives for 2025:
Diversity & Outreach
Strive to increase participation among underrepresented communities through outreach that links in with local organisations, schools, and community groups. If your group would like to be involved whether it's performing as a group on the route, volunteering to lend a hand please get in touch with us so we can become more inclusive and increase diversity across our events!
Representation and Role Models
We aim to inspire underrepresented groups to get involved by highlighting stories of runners from various backgrounds to showcase the inclusive nature of our events. If you're an underrepresented group that has a group of runners that would like to be involved at our events please get in touch with us!
Supporting Disabled Athletes
Our events have always provided a separate start to the mass race for wheelchair athletes. Visually impaired athletes can be supported by guide runners for free at all our events and will continue to do so in the future.
Where our events accommodate wheelchair racers the race director will meet the participants to discuss the route and what they should expect from the event. We will also aim to attract additional volunteers to assist disabled athletes to help enhance their race day experience.
Accessible Course Design
Not every route has the ability to host wheelchairs due to the nature of the course. Where we can we will always ensure that our race routes are accessible and will continue to make improvements on disabled facilities so that our participants are supported.
Family-Friendly Events
In 2024 both the Gorseinon 10K and Swansea Half Marathon hosted a family fun run to encourage participation from all age groups. Both of these events were supported with activities and entertainment to ensure a fun experience was had by all!
Senior Categories
All our events host age-specific categories with free entry awarded to those category winners for the subsequent year's event.
Diverse Race Staff and Volunteers
We aim to attract volunteers from all backgrounds to reflect the diversity of the UK running community. If you belong to an under-represented group that would like to be involved please get in touch with us!
Gender-Inclusivity
All our races have gender-neutral facilities, as well as female-only toilets (that provide sanitary items for free) and urinals. Our race entry platform has long offered a non-binary race category upon entering the event.
Shorter Distance Events
Last year we introduced a 10K distance at the Llanelli Half Marathon, enabling greater participation across a wider group of varying abilities. This resulted in more women participating, levelling up the female representation on race day.
Cultural Sensitivity
We aim to be mindful of cultural differences by trying to accommodate dietary restrictions through the provision of vegetarian food options and schedule our events at times that do not conflict with major religious celebrations.
Remember!
Inclusivity in running is not just about removing barriers; it's about actively creating opportunities for all individuals to participate and thrive. By implementing these initiatives and fostering a welcoming environment we hope that everyone, regardless of their background, ability, or age, feels valued and included.
As the running community continues to grow and evolve, embracing diversity will only strengthen the sport and enrich the experiences of all runners. Let’s work together to make every race a celebration of inclusion!