Virtual half marathon Q and A
Noah’s Ark Charity Virtual Half Marathon Q and A
Below are some questions and answers that you might have about our virtual event. If you have any other queries, please don’t hesitate to email rachael@noahsarkcharity.org
Do I need to complete my challenge on any specific date?
No – our virtual half marathon runs throughout March. You can sign up any time until 4th March 2021. This gives you time to receive your training plans, helpful emails from the Noah’s Ark team, and complete your challenge by the end of March.
I’d like to sign up but I’m not ready to run a whole half marathon distance all in one go.
That’s fine, most of us aren’t. You don’t need to do it all in one go. You can set a challenge that’s right for you. You could, for example, choose to run 3k a day for a week or 5.5k over four days. If you’re doing the distance over a period of days the plan we send you will reflect this.
Can kids take part?
Of course – although we obviously wouldn’t recommend they do the distance all in one go! 🙂 Children taking part will get their own specifically designed t-shirt plus the same medal as the grown ups get.
When do I need to sign up by?
Anytime from now! Registration will close on the 4th of March.
How will I receive my training pack?
Your four week training plan will be sent to you each week (Saturday morning) by email. If you’ve signed up before or by Friday at 1pm you’ll receive your email on Saturday. If you register after this time, your email will be with you the following Saturday.
What exactly will my plan contain each week?
Each Saturday for four weeks we’ll send you an email containing information videos from your personal trainer Faye, your running plan for the week, nutritional advice, warming up and cooling down routines and some strength and conditioning exercises. These will change each week as you get closer to completing.
Who has created the training plan?
Meet Faye Chamberlain. She’s a Cardiff-based trainer and England Athletics qualified run leader who believes in providing exercise that’s fun, functional and for everyone. Faye is based at Iechyd da gym in Canton, and also runs online sessions for one-to-ones, small groups and Bootcamps. She runs with Canton Chargers and is one of the Run Leaders, too.
Faye has run several marathons, half marathons and shorter distances, both on roads and trails. Encouraging others into fitness, including running, is Faye’s goal. As well as earning lots of lovely finisher’s medals! Faye is also a qualified nutritionist and will be advising on healthy eating for your training and also fuelling strategies for your runs.
How will it fit my training requirements?
When you fill in your registration form you’ll be asked to tick one of two statements that you feel best reflects where you are in your training and fitness. We’ll then send you the plan that best fits those needs.
What if I get injured half way through?
If you develop an injury during your training we can put you in touch with Faye for advice. She can advise on the best course of action and if that is to stop your training for a while, that’s fine. We can continue to send you the training materials ready for you to pick it up again as and when you feel ready.
Do I have to raise a certain amount in sponsorship?
We haven’t set a specific amount. We know that things are tough for a lot of people right now so we’re just asking you to raise what you can. Every penny really does count and could make a huge difference to a family with a child in hospital:
£20 – would fund a pack of essentials for a parent of a child admitted in an emergency.
£42 – over a year would fund a Beads of Courage programme for children on the renal unit.
£154 – could go towards funding a ventilator for a child on intensive care.
How will you know when I’ve completed my challenge?
As we won’t be there to cheer you over the finish line as we would do at the real Cardiff Half Marathon, we’ll need to rely on you to let us know when you’ve finished. You could track your run using a fitness app and send us a picture when you have completed your half marathon!
When will I get my finishers t-shirt and medal?
Once we hear from you to say that you’ve completed your challenge, we’ll get your t-shirt and medal out to you by post asap.
I’m already signed up to run the Cardiff Half Marathon for you in October 2021? Can I still sign up for the virtual half marathon but not raise funds?
Yes but why not use this as an opportunity to give your fundraising for the October 2021 event a boost. Research shows that the sooner you start your fundraising the more sponsors
Can I walk it?
Yes you can!
