The Race for Life logo.
Group of women covered in mud at the bottom of the final muddy obstacle all laughing.

Cardiff Pretty Muddy 5k

Saturday 02 May 2026

Adults

£22.49

Children

£12.00

Minimum fundraising target

£50.00

Date

Saturday 02 May 2026

Time

From: 11:30

Venue

Coopers Field - Bute Park

Spring Sale

Use code SPRING26 to get 50% off entry on 2026 events

Offer ends 19 April 2026. T&Cs apply*

Choose your start time

Life is worth Racing for. Enter Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life and raise money for life-saving cancer research.

About Pretty Muddy

Get ready for an unforgettable day out as you climb, crawl and slide your way around the Pretty Muddy® 5k obstacle course! Sign up as a group with friends and family, or go solo and join hundreds of people on the day. There's no pressure to finish in a certain time, so take it your own pace, get muddy and enjoy the atmosphere. However you take part, you're helping to beat cancer.

Location

Venue

Coopers Field - Bute Park, Off North Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3ER

View map

Course information

The start and finish are both on grass. The course is on a mixture of tarmaced paths and grassy fields. Due to the nature of the venue, the course can get boggy in the event of severly wet weather in the lead up to the event.

Click here to see the Course Map. Please note, this is subject to change.

Three people wearing Race for Life t-shirts walk in front of a muddy obstacle course.

Event details

Once you sign up for your Pretty Muddy® event, you'll receive an email with all the need-to-know details to help you feel fully prepared for the day.

Meeting point

The start line is on the north side of Coopers Field, opposite Orachard Lawns.

The finish line is on the south side of Coopers Field, opposite the Gorsedd Stone Circle.

If using what3words, enter ///puns.clay.apron in the free app, to find the exact starting point.

Please listen out for your start time to gather in front of the stage for a gentle warm-up and course instructions.

Travel information

By car
General Event Parking:
General car parking is not available at this venue. Find further information on nearby public parking here.

Drop Offs: Participants can be dropped off in North Road and Sophia Gardens car parks.

Blue Badge Parking: There are limited blue badge spaces available to park along North Road and within Sophia Gardens car park.

Volunteer Parking: Volunteer parking is not available at this venue. Please park on North Road or in Sophia Gardens car park for the closest car parks to this event.

Electric Charging points: Find further information on electric charging points here.

Public transport and pedestrians:
Pedestrians:
If you are walking to the event there are multiple entrance points into the park from North Road, Castle Street, Sophia Gardens and Blackweir Ambulance Depot.

Bus: There are various bus stops on Kingsway and Castle Steet however buses run at various times on a Sunday morning. Find bus timetables here.

Train: Cathays and Cardiff Central train stations are a 15 minute walk away.

Cycling & Bike Racks: There are none available at the event.

Facilities

Available

Refreshments

Toilets

Not available or suitable

Dogs not allowed

Bag drop

Showers

Not suitable for pushchairs

Not wheelchair accessible

Parking

Accessibility

Due to the nature of the event it is not suitable for wheelchair users.

We aim for maximum accessibility at our events. Our contact centre and on-site team are ready to assist with any needs or questions you may have.

Sunflower wristbands are available at the enquiries marquee, and our Event Managers are trained Dementia Friends.
 
A QR code and a British Sign Language interpreter will be available on stage for those who use BSL

How Pretty Muddy® works

Pretty Muddy® events start times are staggered in 'waves', each wave starts every 15 minutes to ensure you're safe on the course. If you're signed up as a group, please make sure you sign up for the same wave time.

Climb, crawl and slide your way around the course at your own pace. We want you to tackle every obstacle the best you can, but if you need to skip to the next one our marshals will be on hand to assist. Find out more about Pretty Muddy® obstacles.

To be part of the action, you must be 13 years of age or older at the time of your event. We've got something special for our young participants too - check out our Pretty Muddy® Kids events for kids aged 12 and under!

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, please seek your doctor's advice before registering.

What you'll receive

When you sign up to Race for Life, we'll support you every step of the way. You'll receive:

  • A fundraising pack with tips to help you reach your target

  • A customisable back sign

  • Training plans and support to help you prepare

  • Access to our Facebook community to help you get motivated

  • A Race for Life medal when you cross the finish line!

A lady writing the name of her loved one on her Race for Life back sign.

Prepare for your event

Get fundraising and training support, tips and resources to help you hit your target and prepare for your event.

How your support saves lives

Over the past 50 years, our work has helped double cancer survival in the UK.

Thanks to support from people like you, we've funded pioneering research to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. But our work isn't done yet. We want to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.

The money you raise goes towards our research into more than 200 types of cancer. With you at the start line, just imagine how far we can go.

Learn where your money goes

Natasha

Natasha having fun in a Pretty Muddy race. She is laughing in a pool of muddy water at the bottom of a pink slide.

I raised £450, really enjoyed the experience.

- Natasha, Pretty Muddy® Reading

Choose your start time

Your entry fee covers the cost of your event, but your fundraising helps us save and improve lives. Join the celebration, join the family, and join the thousands helping to raise the money we need to power Cancer Research UK’s biggest discoveries.

More ways to get involved

Two women, a man and a young girl in Race for Life branded t-shirts are laughing and running in a park.

Visit the Race for Life shop

Get set for your Race for Life event with t-shirts, hats and accessories for everyone.

A Race For Life volunteer wearing a hi vis jacket and helping someone at the event.

Volunteer with us

Join the incredible team of volunteers who make our Race for Life events possible.

Four adults going down a Pretty Muddy slide, smiling and laughing.

Find another Race for Life event

Explore our other Race for Life events taking place across the country. Choose from a 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy® 5k or Pretty Muddy® Kids.

50% off entry

*Enter the code SPRING26 on the registration page to get 50% off your entry fee. Visit our Sales and Discount page for full terms and conditions that apply.