EN/ES

Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon

Registration Open
North Bank Park, 311 W Long Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Oct 18, 2026 at 7:30 AM

The Lowdown

The Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon is a USATF-certified, Boston Marathon-qualifying race through downtown Columbus, Ohio, drawing more than 15,000 runners across its marathon, half marathon, Jesse Owens 5K, 1 Mile, and Kids Run events. The flat, fast course tours the Ohio Statehouse, Nationwide Children's Hospital, historic German Village, Bexley, Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, and The Ohio State University, making it a favorite for runners chasing a personal record (PR) or a Boston qualifying time. Nationwide Children's Hospital has been the race's title beneficiary since 2012, and 24 miles of the course are dedicated to hospital patients and their families, who cheer runners on along the route; more than $15 million has been raised for the hospital through the partnership. Race weekend includes a Health & Fitness Expo at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, with roughly 100,000 spectators lining the course on race day.

Race Day

Weather Forecast

🌥️
fall
cool

Elevation

Terrain Profile

⛰️

Relatively flat course

Participants

Field Size

🎊
15,000RUNNERS

Major marathon

Crowd Rating

Spectator Support

🔥
9/ 10

Legendary crowd support

Boston Qualifier

This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.

Course Highlights
1

Ohio Statehouse

2

Nationwide Children's Hospital

3

German Village

4

Bexley

5

Upper Arlington

6

Grandview Heights

7

The Ohio State University

Race Weekend

Other distances available during the event weekend:

Half Marathon (13.1 miles / 21.1 km)
5K (3.1 miles / 5 km)
Destination

North Bank Park, 311 W Long Street, Columbus, OH 43215

US

Est. Hotel Cost
$130/ night

Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line

Minimum Age
16years
Time Limit
6 hours 30 minutes

Eligibility

  • Minimum age 16 for the Marathon and Half Marathon on race day

Required Documents

  • Valid photo ID for bib/packet pickup

Entry Methods

  • General online registration via RunSignUp

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Entry fees are non-refundable

Deferral and transfer options, if any, follow official race terms

Health & Fitness Expo held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center the two days before race day

Nationwide Children's Hospital has been the race's title beneficiary since 2012, with more than $15 million raised for the hospital

24 miles of the course are dedicated to hospital patients and their families, who cheer runners along the route

MarathonOS

Training for this race?

Track your training, follow a plan, and prepare for race day with MarathonOS.

Download on the App Store

Community

Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.

Community Reviews

Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.