GWENT runners were among the 22,000 people who were put through their paces in this year’s Cardiff Half Marathon.

Lliswerry Runners’ Emma Wookey picked up the Welsh Half Marathon Championships title at the Lloyds Bank Cardiff Half Marathon today.

It is the second time she has won the title with the winning time of 78 minutes two seconds.

Also completing the route was a team from Torfaen Leisure Trust, who have raised over £1,000 for Tenovus Cancer Care for their efforts.

Team member Chris Pearce, completed the 13.1mile route in 1h45min, while the trust’s chief executive, Sally Church completed it in 1h58min.

It was the first time the Argus’ Monmouthshire reporter, Nathan Briant took part in the Cardiff Half and he completed it in 1h25min.

He raised £100 for a charity appeal called Bertha’s Army, which is raising money for Llandough Hospital’s All Wales Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre.

Also running in aid of Bertha’s Army was Jason Price, 47. It was his first half marathon and he completed it in 2h32min, raising £600.

He said: “It was going really well for the first ten miles and then the last three I had bad pains in my feet so I was glad to get to the end.”

Also taking part was a team from Newport Mind and a team from Abertillery-based Tillery Valley Foods (TVF) who are raising money for the youth charity The Prince’s Trust.

The Argus’ digital editor Martin Wade joined fellow RAF Reservists to tackle the route after being inspired by the death of one of their members’ husband.

Mr Wade is part of the team from Cardiff-based Number 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron who took part to raise funds for Welsh Hearts, the charity who provide defibrillators across the country.

Their decision to choose Welsh Hearts was inspired by squadron member Cathy Sharples, whose husband Mike died suddenly after having a heart attack while they were on holiday in Sardinia.

The team completed the course in two hours 19 minutes and have so far raised more than £1,500.