WORDS:ADRIAN^MONTI.^PHOTOGRAPHS:^CHRIS^ FAIRWEATHER/HUWEVANS^ AGENCY,^GETTY1
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FINISH
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START
REDWICK
LLANDEVENNY
MAGOR
GOLDCLIFF
PYECORNER
TRANSPORTER
BRIDGE
RIVE
R^ U
SK
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MILE 17
The road will lead you through Whitson and Goldcliff,
two villages that sit below sea level when the estuary
is at high tide. In 1606, many locals drowned during
a flood, but you should be all right on race day!MILE 5
You’re now out in the
Gwent Levels, an area
of countryside that was
drained hundreds of
years ago to cut the risk
of flooding, so allowing
the land to be farmed.MILE 24
An out-and-back takes you under
the shadow of the Transporter
Bridge, one of only six such bridges
still in use anywhere in the world.MILE 10
Your only ‘climb’ (we’re
almost embarrassed to
use the term) on the
route is a few metres
up and over a railway
bridge that’s close to
Llandevenny village,
before you enjoy live
music as you complete
a lap of Magor’s historic
town square.FINISH
Before you
cross the
finish line,
you’ll run
past the
Rodney
Parade
Stadium,
where
football
(Newport
County)
and rugby
(Dragons)
are played.MILE 12
As you near
the halfway
point, you
can look out
across the
Severn
Estuary
towards
Somerset on
the opposite
shoreline.
Then, back
to business.‘AS THE RACE ROUTE IS
as flat as pancake, this is a
dream for anyone chasing a
PB,’ says former double
Olympic marathon runner
Steve Brace. ‘This was proven
last year, when more than 70
per cent of 10,000 runners
(across the marathon, 10K
and fun run) clocked a PB.
Although the race starts
and ends back in the city
centre, it’s mostly run in
the countryside around
Newport, snaking through
some lovely villages. Because
it’s so rural, my main worry
on race day is a farmer in
a tractor forgetting the race
is happening and turning
on to the course.’
START
Runners
gather beside
Friars Walk in
the heart of
the city. It
was here
last year that
the opening
stage of
cycling’s Tour
of Britain
ended.MILE 1
You’re
alongside
the River
Usk, which
was a key
access route
during the
region’s
industrial
past. You
leave the
city behind
via the City
Bridge,
an elegant
200m-long
structureMILE 21
The Newport
Wetlands
Trust
oversees this
area, which
is a haven for
wildlife and
a huge draw
for nature
lovers. You
may see
swallows
The 2019 race is on 5 May. Visit and swifts.
newportmarathon.co.uk
RACE ROUTE RECCE
Former
Wales rugby
captain Ryan
Jones, a race
ambassador
in 2018, holds
his finisher’s
medal.094 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MAY 2019
NEWPORT
MARATHON
Race director Steve
Brace guides you from
the city on a loop around
rural South Wales