Holby Half Marathon which Big Mac was taking part in. 2022 Races The race could not go ahead in 2020 or 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first ever Virtual Cardiff Half Marathon was hosted in October 2020 and again in October 2021, with thousands of people taking on the 13.1 mile distance from locations around the world. In 2022, the rescheduled '2020' event took place on Sunday 27 March (the 18th edition) and was the last race sponsored by Cardiff University. Natasha Cockram produced the run of her career over 13.1 miles to clinch the title on home soil. The reigning British Marathon champion slashed two minutes off her previous personal best to become the first Welsh woman to win the event since Helen Yule 18 years ago in 1:10:47. Refugee team runner Kadar Omar took the men's title in 62:46. A second edition of the race will return to its regular autumn slot on Sunday 2 October 2022 with new title sponsor Wizz Air in position, ahead of the opening of their new base at Cardiff Airport. The 2019 Race In 2019, Kenya's Leonard Langat broke the course record, winning in 59:30. Langat came up with a brilliant sprint finish to pip fellow Kenyan, and 2016 champion, Shadrack Kimming by a mere two seconds. In the women's race, Kenya's Lucy Cheruiyot and Ethiopia’s Azmera Abreha ran side-by-side down the finishing straight, with another Kenyan, Paskalia Kipkoech, not far behind. In the end, the extra strength of Cheruiyot carried her to victory, although both she and Abreha were given the same times, 68:20. Kipkoech was a further five seconds behind in 68:25. The race sold out in record time and celebrated its first ever female majority and the rise of women's running with the #WhyWeRun campaign. The 2018 Race In 2018, the Cardiff Half Marathon incorporated the first Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships, with athletes from all over the Commonwealth coming to run in Wales. The race saw athletes from Kenya, Uganda, Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Mauritius and many more countries compete. It was Australia's Jack Rayner who ran the race of his life to take Commonwealth glory with a new personal best of 61:01. Uganda's Juliet Chekwel was victorious in the women's race, finishing in 69:45. Rayner's efforts in the men's event was not enough to win Australia a team victory