The Newport ABP Marathon Festival takes place this weekend, on 13 April It promises an exciting lineup of events across the weekend that will bring runners together from all over the UK and beyond, right into the heart of Newport City.

As a sponsor of the festival, Newport Live will welcome runners at mile 3 of the course as it winds through the Newport International Sports Village, with Mind in Gwent Choir providing musical motivation to all runners.Supporters are also encouraged to come and cheer the runners on. The Newport Live team will also have a presence in the city centre at the Event Village, which will host a whole range of family-friendly entertainment, exhibitors, food and drink, live music and street entertainers. They will be sharing information on fitness, sport and cultural provision across the city.

In addition to staff and members taking part, some of whom are raising funds for Newport Live, they are also supporting a team of refugees to participate in the Marathon Festival. This team attends activities delivered by the Positive Futures programme, which engages children and young people, from deprived communities through sports and physical activity.

Lauren Poole, Positive Futures Development Officer, explains “The Community Sport and Wellbeing team delivers a weekly free football session for Asylum Seekers and Refugees. The session offers a safe space for young people to chat with staff from our Positive Futures team, NCC Youth Homelessness and the GAP Wales, supporting those who may be new to the area as well as engaging in football, as a way to keep active, get to know others and build friendships through sport.”

“We secured 7 places through the 100 Club from Run4Wales for runners from diverse backgrounds, including Sudanese, Turkish, Roma Czech, Cameroonian, and Gambian. We also provided them with trainers kindly donated by Newport Live customers via the Newport Boot Room, so they’re all set to go on Sunday!

It is a particularly exciting time for Lizzie Dimond, a Newport Live member who won the marathon in 2023 and the half marathon last year and is excited to support this year. She’s offered the following advice to everyone running the event this year.

HYDRATE – the best advice I ever received in the run up to the race was to drink like a fish – don’t wait until the race day, as if you need frequent toilet stops it could ruin your race plan!
Break it down into manageable chunks – stay in the mile you’re in and just tick off the steps as they go.
Don’t do anything new on race day!
Practice fuelling in the run up to the race. For example, taking on gels with small sips of water.
BE BRAVE! You didn’t come this far only to go so far on the day….. push your limits and see what you’re truly capable of.

Andrea Ovey, Director of Business Development commented, “As a passionate runner myself, I’m thrilled to see the Newport ABP Marathon Festival bringing runners together from across the UK and beyond. This weekend promises an exciting lineup of events right in the heart of Newport City. Newport Live is proud to be an official event supporter of the festival, aligning with our mission to inspire happier and healthier lives through sport, leisure and cultural activities.”

“We’re also proud to support a team of refugees participating in the marathon, showcasing the power of sport to unite, inspire and bring communities together. The city and Marathon Festival will be buzzing with family-friendly entertainment and it’s going to be a fantastic celebration of fitness, sport, and community spirit. We encourage everyone to come along, welcome participants and show your support to all.”

As part of the marathon festival Newport Live has a special fitness membership promotion. Sign up for an Adult Direct Debit Membership before the 15 April and get the whole month of May for free! Details can be found at www.newportlive.co.uk/memberships or by calling the customer service team on 01633 656757.

Road closures will be in place in and around Newport International Sports Village. There are also changes to the opening times of venues, which are as follows:

Newport International Sports Village will only be accessible for people who are walking, wheeling or cycling until 12pm. Free and secure Momentwm Bike Storage is available on site.
The Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales opens at 12pm.
The Regional Pool and Tennis Centre is open from 8am for gym sessions only. The café will be closed but vending machines, changing rooms and toilets will be available.

The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre will be open across the weekend with performances on Saturday from Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Wood, with Dvorak’s Symphony 8 and Bizet’s Arlésienne Suite No.1 & 2 for Orchestra. Plus, there’s family fun with free Crafty Saturday with clay medal making from 11am–4pm. Families can drop in and make clay medals before the ABP Newport Marathon Festival, it’s free, and there’s no need to book. Plus, a family-friendly show where the audience will step into a world of imagination with Alf, a vibrant book lover with a coat full of stories! Book by book, Alf will present some of Dahl’s stories and read his favourite parts. To find out more and book tickets visit, www.newportlive.co.uk/theatre or by calling 01633 656757.

The café at The Riverfront Theatre will be open Saturday 9am to 5pm and on Sunday from 9:30am to 2:30pm, serving a range of snacks, sandwiches, ice cream, and drinks, with special breakfast and lunch deals available for visitors.

For visitors cycling into the city, Station Bike Storage provides a safe and secure space to store bikes, it costs just £1.10 or free for Newport Live members. Find out more and book a hook at www.newportlive.co.uk/momentwm.

The ABP Newport Marathon Festival is also looking for additional volunteers across the festival, information can be found here: Join the Race Volunteer Team | ABP Newport Marathon Festival

You can also find more information on road closures and race maps here ABP Newport Marathon Festival | Experience one of the UK’s flattest marathons. Enjoy an unbeatable Welsh sporting welcome. Marathon, Half, 10K, Mile & Junior Races