Columbus Marathon - Race Reviews

Logistically this race was a breeze to get to. I flew into the Columbus airport and had a short 15 minute Uber drive to my hotel. We ended up staying at the Red Roof Inn Plus, right in downtown, and it was in a great location. It was less than a 10 minute walk to the convention center for the expo and only a 15 minute walk to the start line on race morning. The expo was pretty good given the race size (about 3,607 marathoners this year) with the usual clothing, shoes, and energy gel options. They even had a Goodwill booth set up to buy throwaway clothes for race morning. The race participant t-shirt is nothing to write home about in terms of its design, but IT'S COTTON which is frankly a win in my book. The race itself was fantastic - plenty of porta potties at the start, four different starting corrals (I never felt jostled or like I was stuck running with people who didn't belong in my corral even though it was crowded in the beginning), energetic music & even fireworks right as the starting gun went off! There were DJs and bands every few miles along the course as well. The course is relatively flat - the hills that are there are pretty gentle and long, none that really take it out of you. It runs through cute neighborhoods, around some part of The Ohio State stadiums/campus, and by nice parks. There's a couple seedy sections of town, but that's unavoidable sometimes in city marathons. The spectators were out in full force - at times I felt like I was running the Boston Marathon based on how many and how loud the spectators were. If you love crowd support, this marathon is for you! The proceeds from this race also go to the Nationwide Children's Hospital, and each mile is dedicated to a child. The children were at their dedicated mile marker with foam hands so you could give them a high five as you ran past - it was such a sweet touch. Another bonus is that you can put your name on your bib and a good potion of spectators cheered me on by name which I loved. SWAG: the medal is cute (be alert & make sure the volunteer at the finish line doesn't give you a half marathon medal in error! It happened to me and I had to go swap my medal for the correct one) and they give you a bag after you finish to get as much food/drink as you want (apples, trail mix, nuts, cheese, bagels, chips, Gatorade etc). Overall I highly recommend this race to other 50 staters! Columbus is a charming and clean little city. The October race date made for beautiful fall scenery on race day as well. (And our weather this year was absolutely perfect! 40° at the start, mid-50s a few hours later, and no precipitation or wind =L<û)

I don't have much to add to the previous positive comments. It is an excellent race. I did want to add that between the enthusiastic MC, the dawn sky, the fireworks, and The Boss singing 'Born To Run', it was the most fired up I have ever been for the start of a marathon. Seeing the children who have been helped by Nationwide Hospital throughout the course kept me fired up. Great job Columbus! Barley Brewing Company is directly across the street from the expo and has an excellent blood orange wheat. Check it out

Anyone looking for a great fall race to travel to for a long weekend should seriously consider Columbus. Pros -Expo was downtown within walking distance of many hotels...very convenient -Great selection of race merchandise -Start and finish is downtown and easily within walking distance from hotels -Course was scenic, flat, and well-staffed. Great volunteers and local support for the race! -Bands and entertainment along the course was really good. -Best part (and most inspiring) were the children who were mile champions. Really helps keep things in perspective, and they had big smiles on their faces and were very inspiring. -Plentiful food options (both free and available for purchase) at the finish line -Columbus residents really came out to support this race -For out-of-towners there's plenty to see to occupy a long weekend. We went to an NHL hockey game, rented bikes and rode up to the Ohio State campus and explored, and also toured the state capitol building. Cons -For the earlier miles should have water tables on both sides of the street -That's really it...I struggle to come up with any other bad items. This race really is that good! This is a top-notch event and you won't be disappointed if you decide to travel for this marathon.

There is a lot to love about this race with slight room for improvement. The course is flat and fast. Without any significant hills, somehow there is a nice downhill portion from miles 19-22. The uphills must have been subtle enough to make you not realize they were there. I do recall one small hill around 18, but it was minor. The spectators were the nicest I've come across in my 21 marathons. Even on a cold day (33 degrees at the start, 40 degrees by the finish) the crowds were huge. I was encouraged by name (It was typed on the bib) and by them shouting out "Pittsburgh" (The marathon participant shirt I was wearing) at least 3 dozen times. The crowds were so big that I could not even find my father in the crowd at mile 7 though he later told me he saw me. The children from the hospital were an absolute treat on the course at each mile. Visually, I didn't see a depressed part of town throughout the entire race. Neighborhoods were beautiful and the section through Ohio State Univ was great. Two improvements I would suggest are a staggered start and water stops on both sides of the road early in the race. This race is too large to let all runners go at the gun. The entire first 12.5 miles were as crowded as I've experienced. Most races clear out and you have more room to run by mile 2. With being so crowded, the water stops should be on both sides of the road during the first half. I missed the first two stops because I couldn't see over the crowd of runners and when I did it was too congested to get to the water stops on the left side. Neither are the worst thing in the world, but just a suggestion. The water stops were very organized having Gatorade first and water second at every stop. Also, they had Gu (or an equivalent) around 8 and 18. This is my third marathon in Ohio and by far my favorite of the 3. Finisher medal was nice and participant T-Shirt is excellent. Great job Columbus Marathon!

This is my first time running the Columbus Marathon and it did not disappoint. The Expo had tons of vendors and the bib pickup went very quickly (long sleeve shirts were a nice touch). On race morning parking was easy and just steps from the start/finish line. The corrals had plenty of port a potties. Fireworks at the start (how cool is that). The course was wonderful! Beautiful neighborhoods with TONS of spectators. I run a lot of trail marathons so the sight of people cheering is amazing. The best treat of all were the Patient Champions every mile that held up big foam hands you could slap and see their smiles. Mile 11 made me cry as it is called the 'Angel Mile' where the families of children who had died in the hospital were holding pictures. The spectators on the back 13 were somewhat less but still enthusiastic. After passing the Ohio State football stadium the course ran inside a corn field, several neighborhoods and finally the finish line. Nice heavy medal, chocolate milk, a few steps back to my car finished a great day. I heard it was a good race, you just have to try it.

My 7th Columbus Marathon - and slowest despite lofty goals and promising training. But the weather and my poor pre-hydration played into that. First Columbus continues to be a hidden gem, not selling out despite being consistently impeccable in organization, and offering a terrific course. The logistics of accommodations, parking, dining, getting to the start are the best of any marathon I have done or supported. This is my first time with the new start location, and it is mostly positive despite the narrower roadway, there is now a grandstand for spectators to see the start and finish. Community support was great and continuous all over the course, and there was virtually always a band or music to be heard. There were fluid stations at least every mile, but some were only on one side of the road, and during the first half where the full and half are combined, they were crowded, even before the peak of traffic. Organizers could help by setting up all stations on both sides of the road in the the first half(for the first time, I actually tripped, slipped, and fell in a water station) Out on the course it was inspirational to have the Children's Champions from Nationwide Children's Hospital. Where is there need to improve? I wish that there was a start/finish area map in the booklet/web, and if there was a family reunion area, I could not find it. Organizers have no control over the weather, and a start in the high 60's, is not ideal, but the spring and fall marathons I did this year both offered unseasonably hot conditions, and perhaps organizers should consider pushing fall races out a week to compensate. I ran this race for the first time in 2002, and it continues to improve in subtle ways, despite being a true benchmark for medium sized races. Run Columbus, you will not be disappointed.

Just want to give a big shout-out to the races's organizers. You guys did great job! I enjoyed every second throughout the race. Great fluid stations. Amazing support from the crews and the locals! And most important - kids patient champions are great! Keep it up with the good work done for good! High-five!

Was my third marathon, and I am a slower runner (about 5 hrs to finish). The first half was perfect, and I got to the half a little ahead of schedule. Second half - well the heat turned up (got close to 80 degrees) and it seemed that all the shade and cloud cover just disappeared. Can't control the weather BUT - from about mile 16 to the finish, the liquids at the aid stations began getting really warm. My body was screaming for cool/cold fluids - the warm fluids caused some GI issues for me. Maybe the faster runners had cold fluids through the end, but not us slowpokes. Spectators were great the WHOLE course and the finish area had appropriate concessions.

This is the best marathon I have run so far. I have run many marathons too and this one was perfectly organized. For me it's the perfect size event. Not too big or small on the number of runners. Between 4-5 thousand do the full. The corrals were perfect with number of runners in each. Parking was easy. I parked in a parking garage $10 about 1 block away from start line. The finish line ends in the same spot so easy to get back to the car. While in the corrals minutes before the race that played AC/DC Thunderstruck to get you fired up which works for me. During the race the spectators were awesome, they had great bands at almost each mile. The water stations were well stationed with volunteers and plenty of water/Gatorade. It was a flat course, very scenic. The metals were big and very nice. There was a plenty of food being given out at the end. I have been to some marathons were you get a banana and a water and that's it. This marathon even had Bob Evans at the end serving breakfast for whoever wanted it. The post race party was entertaining. To make it all better this race was a new PR for me. The only negative is that we did not get to run on the field at Ohio State football stadium. We ran around the stadium. I am big Buckeyes fan so that would have been nice to do.

I thought this race was the best organized race I have ever run. The volunteers were top notch, the course was well marked, the water stops were plentiful and well organized. The finish line was well manned with plenty of first aid help and volunteers handing out water, food, and medals. My distance was off from the 26.2 as it read 26.59 and the end was much hillier than I had expected but I was prepared for it. I will definitely recommend this race to al my friends. I would run it again but I am attempting one in each of the 50 states. Dedicating the miles to the kids was amazing and the music throughout the course was great. Didn't even need my music. Columbus... you do marathons just right!

Very good experience overall. Getting to the expo was slightly difficult, Columbus doesn't have the most driver-friendly streets. Lots of one-way streets and very rough roads due to construction. Expo site was convenient but parking was a pain. We would have been better off parking at the host hotel and walking. The host hotel we stayed at was the Holiday Inn on Town Street. Nice hotel but several people we spoke with (including us too) had to argue for the free parking that was to be part of the deal and the room charges seemed a lot more than what the marathon pkg. was supposed to be...the only good part about staying here was it was clean and it was a little over a 1 mile walk to the start. No, there was not even an early race day breakfast for runners...so no, I would absolutely NOT stay here again as they did nothing for the runners. Race day morning was great, nice and cool at the start. lots of porta potties at the start corrals and the start corrals were monitored to get the right people in the right corrals and they were not too bunched up either. Nice start with fireworks and music. Of course, the start through the first couple miles were a little bunched up but there were a lot of runners. The course itself was mostly flat but again, its 26.2 miles...there will be some uphills and downhills as well. Lots of very well organized, well stocked water/Gatorade stops that were spaced out well. Great choice of Cliff Shot gel on the course as well! The vol. seemed as though they had done this for a long time and everyone was very good at their job. These seemed to be the most professional vol. I have encountered at any marathon, they did an excellent job in every facet and took their position seriously. Whoever oversees the group should be commended as each vol. has brought a sense of pride and professionalism to their task! Running through OSU was a nice change of pace but did not offer much crowd support. The finish was a slight uphill. The finish area was not congested at all and very well organized. The area was spread out, offered lots of food and drink items (loved the pancakes and sausage by Bob Evans!). Very nice and heavy medal for finishers too. There is a nice park close by...Mcfeerson Park, I believe, that is open and not busy at all with benches to sit on. It is a great place to meet family and friends and away from the noise and confusion of the finish. The only downside is that there were several of us that said our watches measured farther than 26.2, mine came in at 26.59. I don't run the same marathon 2x but if I did, I'd do this again!

Let me start out by saying that I really don't like large marathons. I prefer smaller races where you can spread out and enjoy a quiet run in an open area. That being said, this was very enjoyable. The marathoners split at mile 13, and the last half was nice and open. Even the first half was pretty spread out, except for the first mile, which is typical. The medal, shirt, expo, and organization were excellent. Everything was very easy leading up to race morning. The number of spectators was incredible, and I don't remember seeing so many aid stations in other races. That was a great thing. The finish line organization was great. They made us walk a few hundred yards before the exit, which was nice since it helped improve blood flow. The 'spotters' around the exit were a thoughtful touch. The process for handing out food was nice, though more food options would have been preferred. Larger races tend to have less high-quality food that smaller races, maybe I just need to get over that. The one issue that must be addressed is bathrooms. Despite 'hundreds of restrooms,' I waited 30 minutes to use a porta potty in Corral A, and ended up getting to the start about 3-4 minutes before the gun went off. I know there were dozens of runners behind me who didn't get to go. You really need more than 40 or so porta potties for that number of people in each corral.

Every aspect of this marathon was top notch. The course had no hills to speak of, the organization was superb, the volunteers were helpful and friendly, and the spectators were numerous and joyful. I had an incredibly positive experience and I would highly recommend this race to everyone.

Very well-organized race. Website was very thorough with information; coming from California I felt totally prepared with all the info I needed. Expo was a breeze: parking was plentiful, no lines to get bibs/shirts. Really nice women's shirt. I got dropped off near the start and traffic was not a problem at all. Start line area was very well organized, and the fireworks during the national anthem and for the starting gun were a great touch. This was one of the few races I've been to that actually checks to make sure you're in the right corral to start - loved that. The course is very flat and fast, particularly the first half. Lots of spectators (though crowd support grew noticeably thinner after the marathoners split off from the half marathoners). Gatorade and water at all fluid stations, which were about 1-1.5 miles apart for most of the course. Everyone was super-friendly, and the patients from the children's hospital giving high fives along the course were a beautiful, inspiring touch. Overall, I have nothing negative to say about this race - really enjoyed it. If I lived closer to Columbus, I'd definitely do it again.

As it almost always does, the 2015 Columbus Marathon again exceeded all expectations. It is such a well run event - Darris Blackford and his team continue to impress. The course modifications were improvements - best course layout yet (and while running through Ohio Stadium in years past was cool, I'm glad it was not included this year - getting in and out is too difficult at mile 17). Finish area felt a bit crowded, but overall it was set up really well. Huge improvement in the gear check pickup over last year. Honestly, I can't think of anything they could have done better.

My 4th Columbus Marathon and 5th time running the event. Compared to other marathons, my expectations are very high for this event as they have set the quite the bar in years past. 2014 saw some significant changes - new start/finish and some minor course modifications as a result. I liked the Broad Street start and Nationwide Blvd finish in years past, but I understand and appreciate the simpler logistics of a combined start/finish area. It seemed more crowded than normal - and the gear pick up was a disaster - in past years it was always very smooth so I have full confidence it will be fixed for next year. All things considered, it remains far and above my favorite race. Darris and his team are the class of the business.

This was my first full marathon but I have done three large halfs previously so I know what I'm talking about when I say that this race has some of the best volunteers and organization around. They never stopped impressing me from their updates months before the race until I crossed the finish line. The course was scenic and exciting and relatively flat (and flatter than a certain race further North in the State which boasts how flat it is). Also, unlike a lot of other races which seem to be in the business of making money, this race seems like they want you to have a good experience, and you can tell from the race shirt, expo, finish line party, medals, and race support. Overall, I would recommend this race to everyone looking for a great race experience.

I think the new start area worked well overall. Each corral had their own bank of porta-potties which were plentiful. The first 3/4 of a mile are on a fairly narrow road and you don't get a chance to spread out until you get to High and Broad. I prefer starting on Broad St. so you aren't so boxed in at the start. The finish area was a bit chaotic with no medals for some of the half marathon finishers. The race director sent out a communication the next morning explaining the situation and advising people to email their information if they didn't receive a medal. I spent over an hour waiting for my gear check bag, so that area needs some extra attention next year. Overall a good race and I liked the new course.

Richmond Marathon claims to be 'America's Friendliest Marathon', and I can vouch for that event's awesomeness. Columbus Marathon is vying for this title for sure. I loved the event! Only criticism: Ohio Stadium. It's totally not necessary. It feels like it is a misguided attempt to connect to OSU football. A better connection would be to Jesse Owens, as the commonality of all on that day is running.

Extremely happy I choose Columbus for my Ohio Race. The Expo was first rate and well organized, the course was extremely scenic (I loved going through the Buckeye stadium), the course support was fantastic, the fans were excellent and the medal was top notch. My only suggestion is to get a better t-shirtit was cheap and an ugly gray, but otherwise I LOVE this marathon.

They took a great race to another level. With the new start, and the new course, this is a MUST RUN! If you have a heart, which every marathoner does, you must run this race. Engaging with the Children's Hospital patients inspires every step. And the crowd support grew many multiples this year! HOME RUN!!!

In the upper 30s at the start, the runners has virtually ideal weather to run fast. Many ran faster than their hamstrings and other tendons could manage. This left a series of disabled marathoners from OSU stadium to the finish. I became one of these just short of the finish. Hobbled and happy, the finish line was eventually under my feet. The first half of the course was straightforward so was a quick run in such a temperature. There is little to describe other than its civility. The second half was somewhat nuanced with modest hills to manage. High Street rolled somewhat though the OSU roads before the stadium were flat. The inside stadium space was only the width of the field. The carpeted ramp down and the even surfaced ramp up were unique in that these were the first requirements to use different muscle groups. The mental adjustments continued as we began the road leading out of the campus. For some reason, the marathoners would not run tangent lines. The post stadium road showed a long line of single file runners in the middle of the road. Since the road was flat, I ran tangent lines which reduced the running distance. The bike trail just before mile eighteen felt good because it felt like a proper hill though modestly so. From there, the course was flat or downhill to the finish. As ordinary as this downhill running was, there was a wear issue to be managed. Seeing the long decline just past mile twenty two was not a positive moment. It was manageable but cost some tendon wear. It was near mile twenty four that the accumulated miles met my desire to complete the distance. The run down Front Street from mile twenty five to mile 25.75 was fine except that the last sweeping downhill began at that turn. Being so late in the run and aesthetically interestng to run, my tendons reached their wear threshold. The finish corridor opened just after mile twenty six being only wide enough for three runners so I tried to accelerate. This did not happen leaving me helpless. They filmed the finishing steps for everyone which I have not seen yet. My contribution will be a motley sight. Columbus has a very strong organizational and hospitality ethic which was apparent throughout the marathon process. I stood still in the expo, in the starting corral and in the celebration village after the race to just marvel at what was happening. All this orderly energy was joyful. I ran as fast as I could to meet this standard. I just made it.

If you need to run a marathon in Ohio or the Midwest, run Columbus. If you want to run a race that supports kids, run Columbus. First rate event from start to finish. Great corral start with separate bathrooms. Great, flat course with great pace leaders. Crowd support for the entire marathon was outstanding. Childrens champions is so unique and help make the race even more special.

Registered in 2013 after a bad knee reduced me to the 1/2 in Akron two weeks earlier. The fans and course were enjoyable; fairly flat. Expo was excellent and medal is huge. What will prevent me from returning is the awful traffic congestion. I was within 1/2 mile at 5:45 and remained there for almost an hour to get to a garage. There had to be hundreds that did not start on time. Not worth it if you don't get a downtown hotel, which is tough on an OSU football weekend.

I thought this was an excellent run - especially in comparison to 2013 Cleveland marathon. The atmosphere was excellent all around. I signed up knowing that the horseshoe section was going to slow you down some but I thought it was a fun gimmick but can also understand why others didn't enjoy it. Plenty of water stations everywhere and fan support throughout was excellent everywhere with very friendly folks passing out oranges and bananas. Another poster mentioned this but Ill do the same here - from about mile 23.25-24.5 you run through this industrial section and over train tracks and it is a total buzz kill compared to the rest of the course, made it tough to slog through at that point. The finish was excellent with the downward slope. I thought the medal was badass - certainly bodyarmoresque. For those looking for a relatively hill-free course in Ohio I think this is the choice.

This was my first time running the Columbus Marathon and it was a great experience. Great crowd support (sorry, Richmond, but this is the new 'America's most friendly' marathon). Half and full run the first 13 together, then split, so crowd support was heavier in first 13 than last 13 (half marathon had nearly 3x more runners than full). Hotel let me check out 2 hours late, lots of food choices around the start / finish line for the night before, plenty of course support, mild inclines were unnoticeable, decent tee shirt (long sleeve), good bag check, etc etc. If I could change one thing it would be the portion through the OSU campus / stadium. That didn't do much for me, personally. I have already recommended this race to a number of fellow runners. One bummer is that MarathonFoto did not get me crossing the finish line.

Another awesome event that gets better every year. Whether it is the first or the 100 marathon, each person will find fun things to see and a fast course with a ton of entertainment. Keep it going Columbus.

The organization was excellent and the sheer number of volunteers was impressive and motivating (sorry to the 40 or so of you who fell victim to my incompetent gatorade cup grabbing). There was also great fan support throughout- I thought it was going to be good, and it was better than I expected. The course overall was nice- with a few (very gentle) hills and a good mix of neighborhoods and urban areas. But the 'horseshoe' diversion has to go. It's like a prank on the runners at mile 17, when they least need it. You can look at any person's time - pick any random person - and you are almost guaranteed to see a *much* slower pace between 28k and 20 miles than in any other portion of the race. Although pace normally takes a hit around mile 18 in any marathon, it is too pronounced here. Also, I remember a few of the last miles being pretty ugly- road was in bad condition, and we ran through an industrial area and over a train track. It was a weird way to end given how beautiful the city is otherwise. So, reroute the end somehow and ditch the horseshoe gimmick- keep everything else the same.

This is my 4th Columbus Marathon and I have to say that it keeps improving every time I run it! I thought the expo was better laid out this time, the bands and miracle mile kids on course were wonderful! My only complaint would be that having the porta john's lined up along the same path that folks needed to get to for the corrals was not well thought out. Such a high traffic area needs a little redesign. Some people don't like the section in the shoe because of the climb and turns, I really had no issue with this and thought it was neat to run through the stadium a bit. As long as they keep improving, I will come back-as a local, I like to try and support my hometown race.

A well organized fun race. Notable stuff: 1. With 11,000 running the half and 7000 running the full the marathon doesn't fell like an after thought. 2. SWAP YOUR TOP!! Your pick up your shirt and just a few feet beyond that ... if you guessed wrong on sizing ... trade it right there at the expo. Here is a great idea I hope spreads to other events. Thanks Columbus. 2. No pacers and four corrals. Hard to know where to line up. But the start was fairly smooth. 3. Kept spectators a block away from the start area for security ... but his ended up making the starting line A LOT easier to navigate for runners. 4. Finish line spectators and that last (and only) downhill for the course is great. Chocolate milk my favorite. 5. As for the medal ... so big led me to wonder .. is this a finisher's medal or body armor?

All in all, the event was very well organized. Getting through the expo required walking some distance, but I was in and out quickly. There were plenty of portajohns at the start-you just had to locate a group of them that wasn't in heavy use. I wish the corral start could be arranged such that runners could warm up outside the corral and then easily slip in 10 or 15 minutes before the gun. With so many runners, though, the starting area gets congested as the start time approaches. This is a fast course. No, it isn't pancake flat, but it's still flat. Im surprised no one has mentioned the 1/2mile incline on Buttles Ave. In mile 26-gradual but painful. I found the course varied and interesting, with only a few desolate stretches. Not bad when you consider that Columbus is a less-than-scenic city. There were an unbelievable number of bands on the course, which is not important to me, but I appreciated the effort. Spectators were enthusiastic-thick in a few places, sparse on most stretches. Water stops were very plentiful and well staffed. Now for a few complaints: Running through the stadium may be a pleasant diversion for casual runners, but for those running against the clock, it was a disaster. It took a good 10 turns to get around and through the stadium, amounting to a significant fraction of turns on the entire course. It also involved a jarring run down a steep ramp and a wearing run up another steep ramp. My foot pod measured mile 18 five hundredths of a mile longer than the preceding and following miles. I ran mile that mile 20 seconds slower than miles 17 and 19. The stadium loop is a PR killer on an otherwise fast course. A pet peeve of mine is water stations placed right at mile markers (miles 1 and 12, in this case). Runners who run through the water stops can't manage to both get a drink and check their watches. I would urge the organizers to keep water stations well away from mile markers. Finally, gear pickup was very poorly planned. I waited in a very long line in the chilly air in scant, wet clothing for about 20 minutes to get my bag. I hope this will be reorganized for next year. Complaints notwithstanding, this is a race well worth running, and I will certainly run it again.

What can I say? Qualified for Boston at age 61 in second marathon ever, first being inaugural Country Music Marathon in 2000. Columbus course was mostly flat with a number of gradual upward grades, nothing major. Easy if you've done your homework. The music was excellent and at half mile intervals. Never seen so many portajons in my life. No line problem if you get there at a reasonable time and no worries out on the course. My corral was first in the second wave. No crowding at all from the start and never any crowding along the way. Lots of fanfare, even the second half was great. Exellent cheering section at the finish. Loved the medal. Only qualm was missing water in the finishing area before going to the family meet up place. No water there and you weren't allowed back into the finish zone. The expo was good, nothing like the Flying Pig Expo in Cincy!!! If coming from out of town, I highly recommend the Downtown Courtyard by Marriott on W. Spring. You're 1/2 mi. from the expo and start and a couple of blocks from the finish. Great hospitality, quiet & spotless. They had refreshments for the runners in the lobby when we got back. They allow late check out, but make sure you get on the list. Definitely enjoyed seeing Columbus on foot!

I had not run this race in 12 years and was concerned that it would have lost some appeal after growing and adding the half, but it was terrific. The corral system at the start worked well. The course is fast, with the first half featuring a lot of spectators. The second half is not as good, but with 26 miles, not every mile is going to be scenic and have crowds. The course is mostly flat and the High St hill was nothing serious. I have only run two marathons that are pancake flat and no marathons where I enjoyed the second half! Lots of well organized water stations - hydration is no problem at this race. The bands and DJs on the course were plentiful and a nice touch. I found no issues with the portapotties. I was able to get a free massage after the race. Weak areas: The expo is average, the race goody bag is mediocre and the post race food could be better. Medal was average. I don't happen to care much about those things, but many people do. There were a lot of people milling about at the finish due to the half marathoners, but I found my family quickly. For later finishers, the crowd in the finish area might have been a problem. Bottom Line: This is a well organized race on a fast course, good for first timers, veterans looking for PRs or BQ times and 50 staters!

The race was very well organized and the crowd support for the first half was great. The second half of the marathon had far less support and miles 18-23 were all uphill. I've heard about the wall at 20 miles, but to be all uphill for that amount of miles late in the race was disconcerting. Take the course north or south and follow the river, for an out and back. The first half was great, the second half was another story. The description of pancake flat needs to be reassessed.

Course was full of spectators, no real dead zones longer than a bridge or a block or two. Corrals were crowded with everyone packing the inside and outside of the entrances. Lines at the Porto potties at the start were long. There was a thick fog this year clouding the sunrise, and I think it clouded the view of the race ahead just before the finish of the half. I heard about that high street hill through miles 13-15 but it was truly isn't that bad. Other hills this year were at miles 17-18 over the bridge to the stadium then back over again, where you face runners ahead of you, then runners behind you on the way back over the bridge. Plenty of water stations, if I'm king, I'll have water set up like that for me for every run I ever do. The gel stations were great, gels are great. Was glad I could run past an obscure osu building where I spent about 90% of my undergrad, that was nice. The last time I was in Columbus I was a pack a day smoker and hadn't run more than a few feet in 10 years. This running tour of my old stomping ground may have been distracting, but it was also motivating. I'm coming back next year, bigger and stronger.

One of my favorites. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this race. There are so many great marathon options in Ohio that I am sure Columbus gets overlooked. But that would be a shame. The course was perfect - 'urban scenic,' fast, fun. Mainly flat with the most noticeable hills being down! Columbus has beautiful neighborhoods, and the course does a nice job to showcase the city. Well organized and convenient for out of staters; lots of course support and crowd support; a first-rate send off/start. I agree with some of the comments about the first half being a little crowded, but as long as the organizers do not let the race get bigger, it works well.

Great Race and organization