Start 2011 with a bang and beat the bulge with the first of thisiscanton’s running routes. If you try it let me know what you think, and if you have one of your own I’d love to try it out.
This five-mile(eight km) run pivots on the Millennium stadium as you travel from Canton to the Bay and back again, taking in the Brains brewery, Callaghan Square and the Millennium Centre as you trace the banks of the Taff to the coast.
And the side stepping ability of Shane Williams wouldn’t go amiss in the early part of this route as you dodge pedestrians and bins heading towards the stadium via Wellington Street and Grangetown.
I attempted the route in the middle of the day and there were plenty of wayward umbrellas, buggies and casual strollers to navigate in the first mile so I would imagine this could be intensified with commuters or school children heading home.
On the day I chose, a snorkel may have been a valuable addition to standard running kit, but in general you don’t need anything like spikes as the route is all on solid pavements and paths.
At the one mile mark you reach the Taff trail and this is where the real fun of this route begins. It felt like a little escape from the bustle of central Cardiff with only the sound and sight of the river as a therapeutic companion.
Sweeping across the river and into the Bay, the magnificent Millennium Centre creeps into view. Running through the Bay your mind is taken over by the sights rather than the running itself.
Whilst you’re exported out of city life as you run away from town the run back to the centre along Lloyd George Avenue is pretty exhilarating as the full Cardiff city centre skyline beckons you. The blinking antenna of Stadium House is a good marker to focus on as you plough up what felt like the only slight uphill section.
The route is generally extremely flat giving an opportunity for people of all abilities to enjoy it and the paths in the middle sections of the run are certainly wide enough to bring a friend along.
My only real frustration was both the start and end of the run were very staccato because of all the traffic lights and road crossings. I seemed to spend a lot of time doing a silly dance to try and keep my legs fresh while waiting for the lights to change!
At eight kilometres, the route is perfect for those building up for a 10k run and would by ideal for half marathon trainers to use as their midweek quick run.
Perhaps the best thing about the route is it is perfect for all abilities. Well lit throughout, it felt safe, although perhaps the Taff trail section would be unadvisable alone after dark. And there are loads of points where you can shorten or extend the run to match your abilities.
The route is easy to access as you could pick it up and leave the loops at your convenience, but if you want to follow it directly, catch any of the buses heading towards the Cardiff City Stadium or Cowbridge Road, or jump on the train to Ninnian Park and walk the few hundred meters to the start.
At the finish you can head over to the Cowbridge Road to take in your chosen method of re-hydration. There are plenty of shops to grab an isotonic drink, or if your legs and mind require a stiffer stimulant, Canton’s crawl of pubs can help you out.
This route can really be as easy or difficult as you want it to be, and I will certainly run it again, but I think the time of day you choose to run will have a say in your enjoyment.
7/10
This is Canton 
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