There are a million reasons to race in Columbus each October. From the fast course to the incredible partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, race weekend is an experience unlike any other. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is honored to be the title beneficiary of the Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon. More than …
MORE
There are a million reasons to race in Columbus each October. From the fast course to the incredible partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, race weekend is an experience unlike any other.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is honored to be the title beneficiary of the Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon. More than $13 million has been raised for the hospital.
The Columbus Marathon course features minimal elevation changes. Enjoy a tour of downtown Columbus, including local landmarks like the Ohio Statehouse, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and historic German Village, as well as tours of Bexley, Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, and The Ohio State University.
24 miles are represented by a patient at Nationwide Children’s, one is dedicated as an Angel Mile for the special children who have been taken too soon, and one is an “alumni mile” for the Patient Champions from past years. These patients and their families will be beside every mile of the course to cheer on participants and serve as a visual reminder of how you, along with the marathon, are helping ill and injured children through your participation.
From the electric atmosphere of the starting line to the Midwestern cheer along the course, you’ll find your next great race day experience at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon.
LESS
I'd run this every year with no complain
'Meaningful Miles' holds true. The children and families of children from Nationwide Children's hospital have made me misty eyed every time (have your tissues ready for the angel mile at … MORE
‘Meaningful Miles’ holds true. The children and families of children from Nationwide Children’s hospital have made me misty eyed every time (have your tissues ready for the angel mile at Mile 11). I ran Columbus as my first marathon and have run it again. The field size is great, big enough to feel like an event, but small enough that you’ll eventually get some breathing room. The course is mostly flat with a long grind of a hill from about 18-20. That hill coincides with the least crowd support, so buckle in.
The race is very well organized with a great expo and logistics. The weather has been absolutely perfect both times I’ve run it (partly cloudy, 40s-50s). I love this race.
Best First Marathon!
This was my first full marathon, but it was amazing! The weather was mid 40s when I started and rose to mid 60s when I finished. The course was flat … MORE
This was my first full marathon, but it was amazing! The weather was mid 40s when I started and rose to mid 60s when I finished. The course was flat with great crowd support for most of it. I will say the back half of the course was more hilly, but that just means more downhills 🙂 The course is also set up so that your friends and family can navigate around to see you at multiple spots. The finish line gave me chills. I don’t think there was an empty place along the last part of the route. This was absolutely a wonderful fall race! Would highly recommend!
Columbus Marathon Round 2
The weather was perfect - a cool 40 to begin and finished in the 60s. The last time I ran, I couldn't finish the full so I ran the half. … MORE
The weather was perfect – a cool 40 to begin and finished in the 60s. The last time I ran, I couldn’t finish the full so I ran the half. I was cruising during the first 17 miles. My biggest issue is that the corrals are so jam packed I couldn’t get to my pacer, so I was playing “catch up” the whole time. Fairly flat course. Seems like we ran all over Columbus.
AWESOME race as out-of-state runner
Really great race!! The locals really showed up and cheered us all the way through. It was also a very easy race; so, it's definitely a great race if you're … MORE
Really great race!! The locals really showed up and cheered us all the way through. It was also a very easy race; so, it’s definitely a great race if you’re trying to PR.
my favorite marathon yet!
Awesome volunteers and course! This is a very fast and mostly flat race! Columbus was my first marathon in 2012 and I ran it again in 2023 and it is … MORE
Awesome volunteers and course! This is a very fast and mostly flat race! Columbus was my first marathon in 2012 and I ran it again in 2023 and it is currently my Personal Best! I love how each mile is for a child at Children’s Hospital and you run by each child champion and can high five them and their families.
A MUST-DO Marathon
Unbelievably great experience from start to finish. Lots of hotels near the start, easy expo to navigate pre-race. This race made EXTRA special by the kids with Nationwide Children's Hospital … MORE
Unbelievably great experience from start to finish. Lots of hotels near the start, easy expo to navigate pre-race. This race made EXTRA special by the kids with Nationwide Children’s Hospital every mile. Made the entire race so meaningful. The crowds and volunteers were AMAZING. Course was extremely flat, great for veterans or first timers. Perfect amount of hydration areas and the most port o potties I’ve ever seen. Despite being a big race I didn’t feel too crowded for the most part. Historically, very dry race weather as well. I cannot think of anything that would improve this race… TOP NOTCH.
Fun, Flat, and Fantastic
I ran this race with my brother who had not run a marathon in 13 years. I ran with him rather than running fast. We finished together! The old African … MORE
I ran this race with my brother who had not run a marathon in 13 years. I ran with him rather than running fast. We finished together! The old African saying applies… if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together!
Couldn't be More Perfect
I ran the half the previous 2 years but ran the full this year. My goal was to qualify for the Boston on my first marathon attempt. I could not … MORE
I ran the half the previous 2 years but ran the full this year. My goal was to qualify for the Boston on my first marathon attempt. I could not think of a better race to do this as the production is always great-lots of things going on to make you forget you’re running. The patients of Children’s Hospital sitting at each mile marker braving the weather to cheer the runners on make you forget that your calf is sore or your hammie is tightening as their daily lives are far more challenging that that. There was music everywhere and the crowd support was constant. The police officers keeping us safe out there were even offering support and cheering us on.
The front half of the course is very easy but the back half is a little more challenging with several slight uphill inclines. Overall an easy course. The temperature, which can make or break any race day is usually perfect here and this year was no exception. With all of these things in your favor how can you ever fail? I didn’t as I did in fact qualify for Boston on my first marathon run ever. Kudos Columbus for always putting on a great show with an inspiring atmosphere!
Good Race for a 1st Marathon - Flat
I will recommend this race to any first-time runner wanting to set a PR. It is a flat course. The crowd and volunteers are awesome. You get motivated by the … MORE
I will recommend this race to any first-time runner wanting to set a PR. It is a flat course. The crowd and volunteers are awesome. You get motivated by the champions (current patients and survivors) at every mile of the course. Overall, Columbus is a great city and fun to race the course. The fund is raised for a great cause “The Columbus Children’s Hospital”
Solid race in the Buckeye State!
I ran the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus 1/2 marathon this year. COURSE This race also has an associated full marathon that takes place at the same time; the half-marathon course … MORE
I ran the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus 1/2 marathon this year.
COURSE
This race also has an associated full marathon that takes place at the same time; the half-marathon course is essentially the first half of the marathon.
It starts on Long Street at North Bank Park, then goes east along Broad Street to Bexley and does a small loop before returning via Broad Street in the opposite direction. It then goes past Nationwide Children’s Hospital and through German Village before returning downtown on High Street and finishing in the same area as the start. Some other reviewers have said that this race is flat, but be aware that it isn’t entirely pancake flat. There are some drawn-out inclines that are subtle enough that you might think it’s flat, when in reality you are running slightly uphill. That said, it is nowhere near as hilly as the Flying Pig in Cincinnati; I was still able to run a personal best here. My one little complaint is that the course was rather crowded. While some congestion in the first couple miles is to be expected for a race of this size, the course remained crowded to the point where I occasionally bumped other runners as late as mile 8-9.
WEATHER
The weather this year was great for running, with temps in the upper 40s at the start and climbing into the mid 50s in the afternoon. It did rain the day before, but the rain stopped before race morning. However, October weather in Ohio can be quite variable, so be prepared for anything.
ORGANIZATION
The race did a nice job providing runners with all the information needed on race day. I would say that the race is well organized. The starting corrals were clearly marked and the race started on time.
OVERALL
I would definitely recommend this race. I can’t really speak for the full since I only did the half, but this is well worth doing if you live in Ohio. The partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital is just another amazing aspect of this race.
Can't miss race! Well ran in every facet
Inspiring purpose. Very well organized. Fun course. AMAZING crowd support and funniest signs I've seen. Fireworks at the start. Downhill finish. This race is a must for midwesterners near Columbus. MORE
Inspiring purpose. Very well organized. Fun course. AMAZING crowd support and funniest signs I’ve seen. Fireworks at the start. Downhill finish. This race is a must for midwesterners near Columbus.
Beautiful Fall Half Marathon
Well organized and supported race. Perfect weather and beautiful fall folliage. I noticed the downhills but not the uphills so it was wonderful. Ran faster than I had a right … MORE
Well organized and supported race. Perfect weather and beautiful fall folliage. I noticed the downhills but not the uphills so it was wonderful. Ran faster than I had a right too – given my lack of training.
Good Course to PR
I ran the half marathon here yesterday and overall it was a good experience. This is only my 3rd half, to go along with 1 full, so I don't have … MORE
I ran the half marathon here yesterday and overall it was a good experience. This is only my 3rd half, to go along with 1 full, so I don’t have a lot to compare it against but here are my thoughts.
The course is nice and flat so I was able to knock almost 3 minutes off my PR. There are some slight inclines but my other two halves were the Flying Pig and Heart Mini in Cincinnati which both have some decent hills. Compared to those, this was a piece of cake.
On-course entertainment was good. There were a bunch of bands and DJ’s spread throughout the 13.1 miles. I’d guess there were probably at least 6, all with nice, loud speakers so you could hear them. There were spots that had better crowd support than others but overall that was a positive. The scenery is kind of hit or miss. I’d say the highlights are the Franklin Park Conservatory/Wolfe Park area and Bexley. Some of the downtown views are decent and Germantown was cool as well.
As another reviewer noted, the swag is pretty much non-existent – just a t-shirt – and I thought the expo was kind of small. But again, it’s hard to really complain about that since the race benefits Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Which brings me to probably the coolest aspect – the children’s champions that are stationed as most miles. It gives you a good reminder of what the race is about and the high fives definitely give you a boost of motivation to keep powering through!
The after party, much like the expo, was kind of on the small side. It wasn’t bad and there were the usual post-race things – 13.1 & 26.2 mile props for pictures, PR gongs, a merch tent and a few food truck/vendors. I hung around with my family until nearly 11, around 3.5 hours after the race began, and some of the food trucks were closing up and it just generally had a feeling that it was winding down even though a lot of the full runners were still on the course.
Overall it was a good experience that I’d recommend!
Great energy! Great course!
The energy was amazing! There were fireworks at the beginning and a ton of people cheering. I started out a little too strong because of how amped up I was … MORE
The energy was amazing! There were fireworks at the beginning and a ton of people cheering. I started out a little too strong because of how amped up I was and ended up dropping 12 minutes off my previous pr, but that did bite me in the butt around mile 11 when i started to get pretty tired so the rest of the course was tough. Scenery was pretty for being a city run. I recommend it!
A very well organized and supported race
This race has a lot of crowd support and entertainment on the course. I really enjoyed the patient champions on the course. Loved running by the hospital and were kids … MORE
This race has a lot of crowd support and entertainment on the course. I really enjoyed the patient champions on the course. Loved running by the hospital and were kids holding signs from rooms and waving. Very well organized race from corrals to finish line. Loved how they gave everyone a bag to put goodies in as they hand post race food out. Also really liked the fireworks at the beginning of the race. Highly recommend this race. Had runners around me at all times which is not always the case for me.
A great race with great support.
This was great race with awesome support. The Patient sponsors were super inspiring and gave the runners a great boost. Not my best performance. Columbus is a beautiful vibrant city … MORE
This was great race with awesome support. The Patient sponsors were super inspiring and gave the runners a great boost. Not my best performance. Columbus is a beautiful vibrant city with great neighborhoods who support the race really well.
Great experience as First Timer
This was my first time running this race - the Half Marathon. I enthusiastically recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Large expo held … MORE
This was my first time running this race – the Half Marathon. I enthusiastically recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
Large expo held the day before – be prepared to walk through the expo to get to registration. Registration ran smoothly as did the race itself.
Course is very flat with just some graded inclines. Be prepared for large crowds when walking to the corrals as there are around 17,000 runners as the Half and Full Marathon start together using the same corrals. There were A thru E corrals, but they went off fairly quickly – maybe 5 minutes between each with some fireworks.
On course support was very good with lots of hydration stands and huge trash cans to catch the cups of both Gatorade and water. The Half Marathon course managed to stay within the confines of the city of Columbus with lots of spectators.
The end of the race featured lots of food and drink options (water, banana, protein bar, goldfish, chocolate milk, apples, chips, Doritos, and bagel). Heavy colorful medal was worthy as race bling.
One caution after the race is the crowds leaving the city. If you’re running the Half, there will still be hours of marathon runners still blocking streets. I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott on Spring Street which was surrounded by runners and it took about 30 minutes to get out of the city through clogged streets. You might consider parking in a lot that is outside of the race routes, but you will have lots of company for a number of hours after the Half.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed the race experience and achieved a time I haven’t had in 5 years.
The best run event for an great cause
Every mile has a survivor child w their family that you hi five on the way by! What an inspiration! The start is awesome w fireworks and Thunderstruck by Ac/Dc … MORE
Every mile has a survivor child w their family that you hi five on the way by! What an inspiration! The start is awesome w fireworks and Thunderstruck by Ac/Dc blaring followed by Born RK Run by The Boss!!
The best run event for an great cause
Every mile has a survivor child w their family that you hi five on the way by! What an inspiration! The start is awesome w fireworks and Thunderstruck by Ac/Dc … MORE
Every mile has a survivor child w their family that you hi five on the way by! What an inspiration! The start is awesome w fireworks and Thunderstruck by Ac/Dc blaring followed by Born RK Run by The Boss!!
Good Run. Lots of security
This is the only race I have ever done where I had to walk to a magnometor in order to get into the starting area. The back up trying to … MORE
This is the only race I have ever done where I had to walk to a magnometor in order to get into the starting area. The back up trying to get in cut into my time to stretch before the race. However, that is the only hiccup I can think of.
As with most races the pre race communication was excellent. It was very clear where I was supposed to go an when. The expo was average for a large race. It had everything I would expect.
The race itself was a good mix of the city and parks . The shirt had the course printed on the back, and the medal was shaped like Ohio. This medal is probably top 5 iconic medals I have in my 50 states collection.
I know that Flying Pig is in the same state, but if doing your 50 States Challenge or if you want a solid race, Columbus HM is a great choice. Just leave extra time for that security check.