Former Wales rugby union prop Adam Jones is set to confront one of the most demanding physical challenges of his life this Sunday, 4 October, as he competes in the Cardiff half-marathon. The 45-year-old has shed more than five stone—equivalent to 32kg—during his preparation for the event.
Jones, who currently serves as the Harlequins scrum coach, completed his weight loss journey after a wake-up call during a coaching tour in Japan last year. Reflecting on a team photograph from 2025, Jones noted that he weighed 24 stone 7lb (156kg) at the time. “I was massive,” he recalled. “I thought I need to do something about this. I had a bit of gout, too.”
Now weighing 19 stone 7lb (124kg), Jones describes his current weight as close to his ideal playing numbers. This marks a significant shift from his playing days, when he admitted to crash dieting between matches to make weight requirements, a practice he now considers “stupid.” Instead, he has adopted a slow, consistent approach involving daily training.
To aid his transformation, Jones eliminated chocolate and bread from his diet, citing a long-standing sweet tooth. He began with the “couch to 5k” programme, finding the incremental milestones motivating. His ambition quickly grew, leading him to train for the half-marathon distance. Recently, he completed a 17km training run, which he joked was the longest distance he had ever covered on foot, adding with humour that the total yardage run during his Test match career might not be far off.
Jones is undertaking the challenge to support two charities: St David’s Hospice Care and Prostate Cymru. He also noted the playful pressure from Harlequins teammate Cadan Murley, who used AI to calculate a target time. If Jones finishes in under two hours and 30 minutes, Murley has agreed to double his sponsorship contribution.
The former international, who earned 100 caps for Wales and won Grand Slams in 2005, 2008, and 2012 before retiring in 2018, insists he is not focused on a specific finishing time. “It’s more about getting around for me,” he said. “I reckon there’ll be a few other 19-odd stoners knocking around the same time as me, so we’ll have a little race.”
Jones hopes to inspire the Harlequins squad by demonstrating his own willingness to step out of his comfort zone. “I’m asking them to stay in the fight and stay in shape when it gets painful, so it felt wrong if they couldn’t see me do the same,” he explained.
He will be joined on the course by his wife Nicole and daughter Isla. While admitting to some nerves, Jones remains enthusiastic, joking that he might wear a disguise such as a balaclava to avoid recognition. He is also hopeful that the Cardiff crowd will provide the boost needed to see him through the final miles.
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