Whitchurch 5km - Course and Elevation
- Jon Evans
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Firstly I should technically call this Cardiff 5k, but to us 'locals' its Whitchurch 5k!
I know I'm biased but if you are this thinking of doing this event I thoroughly recommend it, you have to be relatively quick as it does sell out months before the event which is usually on the Sunday before the early May bank holiday. It's a great evening with Whitchurch Village coming a live, there are pyrotechnics, fast cars, live bands and a great party atmosphere carrying on after the race!
Its often the Welsh championship 5k too so there are elite runners in the race, but don't worry there are loads of 'normal' runners too, with often over 1,500 finishers!
The Course
The course is more or less a loop, except with a quirk at the end as althought you start and finish in the same place but you actually cross it the line going in different directions i.e. you come back into finish opposite way to where you started due to a little loop via the left hander in orange below,
Here is an image of the course with a heat map for elevation, but see more on that below.
Just a word of warning as you are running back up on the green yellow bit, you are a really close to the end but your still have a bit to go around the orange loop.
Elevation
The course features a varied elevation profile with a mix of gentle descents and climbs. After a gentle incline you hit the highest part of the course at just 0.4 miles in. (All ft and metres numbers below are height about sea level so its the relative amount that matters rather than the absolute figure).
From there is a gentle decline until a very short steep decline and backto gentle decline till you hit the lowest point of the course, just after half way. From there, the route begins to climb again,rising to108 feet by1.93 miles after a short sharp pull up, and then it continues to ascend to 124 feet at 2.92 miles.
The ascent and descent by mile:
Mile 1: ↑ 7ft ↓ 46ft
Mile 2:↑ 30ft ↓ 16ft
Mile 3:↑ 23ft ↓ 3ft
Last 0.1:↑ 0 ↓ 3ft
So we can deduce the same from the above graph, the first mile is largely down hill, the second mile you initially get some downhill but that is then got the majority of the pulls back up. The final mile is uphill by very gradual.
My advice if you want a fast time.
You need to get going an benefit from the downhills earlier on but be aware you need to have something left in the tank to drive on from halfway! Remember when you are running back towards the end you still have a fair bit to go when you can see the finish line ahead before the left hander!
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