Since 2004, the Capital City Half Marathon has been the choice for thousands of runners and walkers, showcasing the City of Columbus and its diverse neighborhoods and entertainment districts to runners and walkers from all over the region. Each year, Cap City hosts more than 12,000 runners and walkers, plus …
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Since 2004, the Capital City Half Marathon has been the choice for thousands of runners and walkers, showcasing the City of Columbus and its diverse neighborhoods and entertainment districts to runners and walkers from all over the region. Each year, Cap City hosts more than 12,000 runners and walkers, plus spectators and volunteers. The annual economic impact is estimated at $7.5 million.
The OhioHealth Capital City Half Marathon, OhioHealth Quarter Marathon and Cap City 5K will start and finish at the corner of S. High and W. Town streets adjacent to the Columbus Commons.
The Giant Eagle Curbside Express Recovery Zone is a secure area for participants to receive the Official Finisher’s Medal and refuel with Panera Bread bagels, fruit, water, Gatorade and more.
The CELEBRATION begins when you cross the Finish Line. Join us after the race at the Byers Xtra Mile Finish Line Party and PNC Post-Race Concert at the Columbus Commons. The Byers Xtra Mile Finish Line Party and PNC Post-Race Concert is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The OhioHealth Capital City Half Marathon also has a long-standing commitment to the charitable community and will continue to benefit the OhioHealth Foundation. A variety of other non-profit organizations have used the event to raise millions of dollars.
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Great Race
Enjoyed running this race - Lots of police presence, from my hotel The Westin was walking distance to packet pick up and the start of the race. Expo was small … MORE
Enjoyed running this race – Lots of police presence, from my hotel The Westin was walking distance to packet pick up and the start of the race. Expo was small but had a lot to choose from – Very Organized. Beautiful weather and great communication
Excellent running tour of Columbus
Columbus is a great city with many vibrant neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area all the way up to OSU. The route is fairly easy to traverse. No major hills or … MORE
Columbus is a great city with many vibrant neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area all the way up to OSU. The route is fairly easy to traverse. No major hills or drops. However, it ends in a “climb”. I know we’re not taking about a massive uphill, but after nearly 13 miles, your legs make it feel way harder than it looks 😉 . Great support throughout the course. This is an urban core race, so there is nothing suggesting nature scenery here. That does not take away that is quite entertaining. This is a medium to large size race, so the pick up location felt a bit constrained. The race is comfortable as you run through wide roads all the way. Certainly, I understand why is one of the favorite half marathons in the country.
Loved the course
The course was great. I loved running down High street. Can’t wait to go see the shops along the stretch. The university campus was neat to run through. Got to … MORE
The course was great. I loved running down High street. Can’t wait to go see the shops along the stretch. The university campus was neat to run through. Got to see tours happening, students running for fun, and pictures being taken.
Best Tour of Columbus on Two Feet
Capital City is a half marathon I would absolutely recommend to anyone. For starters: website is incredibly detailed, with tons of information. Any question you could possible have can be … MORE
Capital City is a half marathon I would absolutely recommend to anyone.
For starters: website is incredibly detailed, with tons of information. Any question you could possible have can be answered on the website. Production team put lots of thought and detail into the website itself. Cost is fair for the size of the event.
Packet Pickup: Pickup was a breeze, in and out in 5 minutes. “Expo” is pretty small with just a few local vendors and some backdrops for pictures.
Swag: Tech T shirt and awesome drawstring backpack were given at PPU. Finisher medal was huge and heavy!
Course: Scenic tour through downtown Columbus starting at Columbus Commons, going through German Village, downtown past Convention Center, through Short North, around campus, past the Shoe, and back towards the finish line. Not a lot of hills, fairly flat. Plenty of aid stations, and tons of live music and spectators. Energy was high throughout the race!
Definitely a race I would recommend for anyone local in Ohio, and a great race for those wanting to visit the Buckeye State!
Come for the rain, stay for the drinks!
If you've run anything longer than a 5k in Columbus, especially in the downtown area, you know what you are in for! Schiller park. A trip around German village, a … MORE
If you’ve run anything longer than a 5k in Columbus, especially in the downtown area, you know what you are in for! Schiller park. A trip around German village, a run up high street, etc.
The weather usually doesn’t really cooperate, but the swag afterwards is worth it. So. Much. Booze. I’m talking beer, probably a hard seltzer, maybe a shot of tequila, likely a bit of prosecco or sparkling, maybe a promotional nonsense with bourbon or vodka that they’re testing out in Columbus. Pizza. Probably wings. Drink and eat all the calories back immediately after you finish. Why do they give you the big bag at the expo… for your drinks later!
Course is nothing too hard, but you’ll remember (or learn) that High Street runs uphill towards campus. And you’ll get to run close to the stadium too. Plenty of course support and one of the most festive atmospheres for a Columbus race.
Good updates to the course
This year they changes up the course a little. The changes cut out a couple of the boring areas and improved the course and overall experience. The after party was … MORE
This year they changes up the course a little. The changes cut out a couple of the boring areas and improved the course and overall experience.
The after party was great once again. The medal was large and has a nice scape of the city.
Always worth running.
Hometown race w/ great after party
After several years of watching, I decided to run again. This is a hometown race and was one of my first of many half marathons. The race packet pickup was … MORE
After several years of watching, I decided to run again. This is a hometown race and was one of my first of many half marathons.
The race packet pickup was at a new location this year. I went on Friday during my lunch. It seems like everyone else had the same idea I had. The parking lot was tight and was pretty full. There were volunteers that were helpful in directing participants to open spots. Once inside, it went quickly. I just wasn’t a fan of the location, but the parking was free.
The half and quarter marathons started together at 8. The 5K started a half hour later. The corrals were wide and I didn’t feel like I was going to be trampled, and I was able to get into a comfortable pace early. That was not the case in my race two weeks before.
It was a little warmer than I’d like for a race, but it was good for spectators. I was impressed by the amount of people out watching. I knew a lot of people due to various running clubs that I’ve attended over the years. It made it a little more fun in that respect since I usually do out of town races. There seemed to be plenty of fluid stations. It was a nice tour of some of the Columbus neighborhoods with a loop around Ohio Stadium (the Shoe). I don’t recall much on course entertainment.
The end had all the usual fare, nothing special. It’s the after party that is the main attraction. Your friends and family can reunite with you at the Columbus Commons where you can get your pizza slice and several different adult beverages. They have a live band and the party goes until 1.
The shirt was nice, but not one I will run in since it’s just a cotton t and not a good wicker. The medal was large and had a nice design. The tracking app was also one of the better ones. I tracked several people and it is pretty accurate. The only negative is that they gear check did lose my friend’s bag. Luckily, after several hours, she did get it back.
Overall, I would recommend this race if you need a spring half in Ohio. It probably gets a little overlooked because it’s just a week before the Flying Pig.
Great Race
This is a great race in Columbus, Ohio. The course is mostly flat, with a few small, short hills (though they did not feel short or small on this day). … MORE
This is a great race in Columbus, Ohio. The course is mostly flat, with a few small, short hills (though they did not feel short or small on this day). There is a lot of fan support through most of the race. Around 5,000 runners for the half. There is also a quarter marathon and a 5k. Start of race in the southern part of the city, then run through some cool neighborhoods, then back through the city, then run around Ohio State University, past bball stadium and around the fball stadium, then through campus. The last couple of miles are tough. Weather got a little warm at the end and most of the hills are at the end. The race shirt is ok, runs small and the medal is huge and seems to weigh almost 2 lbs. I would suggest staying at the Westin Great Southern Columbus hotel. Race price was around $200 for 1 night, 4 blocks to the packet pick up, 3 blocks to the race start and finish.
In a word: Fun!
Great hometown race that feels like a bigger event than it is. For my money, the celebration village at Cap City is better than at the Columbus Marathon in the … MORE
Great hometown race that feels like a bigger event than it is. For my money, the celebration village at Cap City is better than at the Columbus Marathon in the Fall and crowd support is good throughout. There’s beer, real food, live music and more in the Columbus Commons area. The course takes you by most of the highlights of urban Columbus, starting and finishing in the heart of downtown. It’s a pretty flat course with the exception of a very punchy climb right around mile 12 as you navigate around Nationwide Arena.
Wow!
The race was well orchestrated. The atmosphere was great. People at the aid stations where upbeat and nice. Everyone cheering really helped. I didn't realize Columbus has so many hills. … MORE
The race was well orchestrated. The atmosphere was great. People at the aid stations where upbeat and nice. Everyone cheering really helped. I didn’t realize Columbus has so many hills. Campus is beautiful.
First half marathon
Really nice atmosphere and smooth production! Local pro runner Abby Steiner was an honorary race director this year, which was a cool touch. The race starts and finishes near Columbus … MORE
Really nice atmosphere and smooth production! Local pro runner Abby Steiner was an honorary race director this year, which was a cool touch. The race starts and finishes near Columbus Commons, which makes for surprisingly easy logistics for a downtown race. There is a public bathroom in the Commons, and there were plenty of port-a-pots both pre/post-race and on the course. The corral staggering seemed to be done just about perfectly. The back half of the race has some sneaky incline, but the overall atmosphere was great. The medals and shirts were both good quality, and they gave runners a cinch bag this year with a slot specifically for the bib. I’m sure I’ll be running this in the future and trying to improve on my time.
Tour of Columbus
Nice springtime race in Columbus OH. This hometown race gives a nice tour of the capital city with some mild hills and rises. Various neighborhoods are visited on the course, … MORE
Nice springtime race in Columbus OH. This hometown race gives a nice tour of the capital city with some mild hills and rises. Various neighborhoods are visited on the course, as well as Ohio State. Throughout the course, there were several bands and other attractions that added interest to the race. Good race support, gatorade, water, Gu etc. Afterparty near capital park is quite good, you get two beers, food, and other freebies. If schedules line up in the future I will run again.
Fun local race
This race attracts the elite and beginners. Well run by local race organizers. Nice swag. Decent expo most years. Has some hills but nothing super bad. MORE
This race attracts the elite and beginners. Well run by local race organizers. Nice swag. Decent expo most years. Has some hills but nothing super bad.
Race was called due to Storms.
Cap City is one of the best races around. I have ran it four years in a row. It was disappointing that it was called due to severe storms this … MORE
Cap City is one of the best races around. I have ran it four years in a row. It was disappointing that it was called due to severe storms this time around. All in all every other year, it is a class act and a blast to run. Great entertainment and excellent volunteers with multiple aid and water stations….
Good race for a first half
Lots of participants and a great way to see the city up close. A negative for half-marathoners is the 10k racers break off and it is a bit disheartening to … MORE
Lots of participants and a great way to see the city up close. A negative for half-marathoners is the 10k racers break off and it is a bit disheartening to see them turning around. The after race refreshments are super with food and several adult beverages!
Celebrate spring arriving in Columbus!
Columbus is a relatively flat city (with a surprise hill towards the end of the race), great access for spectators, and a really well-executed finish line party! Every bit as … MORE
Columbus is a relatively flat city (with a surprise hill towards the end of the race), great access for spectators, and a really well-executed finish line party! Every bit as fun and well-run as the “mega” race series out there and worth a trip to the capital city! 🙂
Very Well Organized
This was my third year running Cap City. Still one of my favorites. If you like taking in the sites of the big city this is a good race. And … MORE
This was my third year running Cap City. Still one of my favorites. If you like taking in the sites of the big city this is a good race. And the bands and spectators make it even better. If you don’t mind running in big crowds this is your race…if you do not like large crowds however, you may want to avoid this one. It usually has about 15,000 runners every year and honestly you will spend the first 3 miles doing a bit of bobbing and weaving, but get past that and it’s a pretty nice race.
Great Race!!
Second time running this race and the second year was even better than the first. Great course, scenic if you like going through the city, great aid stations, and great … MORE
Second time running this race and the second year was even better than the first. Great course, scenic if you like going through the city, great aid stations, and great entertainment and supportive spectators along the course. Medals are beautiful and the after party is great! If you like big races this is one to put on your list…if you don’t like big crowds you may want to avoid this one, but overall this one is amazing!
First Half...Amazing!
This was my first half marathon and all I can say is amazing!! Very well organized, great expo, lots of aid stations, great entertainment along the course as well as … MORE
This was my first half marathon and all I can say is amazing!! Very well organized, great expo, lots of aid stations, great entertainment along the course as well as supportive spectators. The finish line party and food is incredible. Definitely one I will do again!!
First race
Wonderful experience! First race, enjoyed community aspect, ran all over Columbus, great weather, ran with friends who kept me on pace for great finish time MORE
Wonderful experience! First race, enjoyed community aspect, ran all over Columbus, great weather, ran with friends who kept me on pace for great finish time