Runners' Almanac
All marathons

Mid-October · Midwest · Loop

Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Jesse Owens 5K, 1 Mile & Kids Run

Columbus, OH · Saturday, October 17, 2026

Event listed as: Marathon

  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • First Marathon
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Registration opens on the organizer's site

Typical start

50°

Cooler than 42% of U.S. marathons

Modeled historical conditions

Elevation gain

300ft

Flatter than 44% of races

Estimated total climb

Field size

3.5K

Larger than 86% of races

Estimated field

PR potential

8.6/10

Ahead of 46% of races

Almanac model

Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.

Course profile

300 ft gain · 0 ft net

Flat to rolling course, loop.

0510152026.2
Schematic profile drawn from total gain, total loss and course category, on a shared vertical scale of 200 ft. Not a surveyed GPS trace.

Race-day weather

Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.

6 AM

42°

Start

50°

Midday

61°

ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk

Typical start sits at 50°F, excellent marathon conditions.

Typical dew point 43°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.

The bottom line

A quietly fast race that does not ask for much beyond honest pacing.

Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Jesse Owens 5K, 1 Mile & Kids Run is a strong choice for a PR attempt, and Columbus offers very little meaningful elevation. The tradeoff is that nothing about it is extreme in either direction.

Why runners choose this race

A loop course around Columbus, OH, with gentle rollers but no sustained climbing.

The case for it

  • PR attempts
  • Boston qualification
  • First-time marathoners

The tradeoffs

  • No notable warnings in the data.

Course and logistics

Course type
Loop
Surface
Road
Profile
Flat to rolling
Total gain
300 ft(estimated)
Total loss
300 ft(estimated)
Net elevation
0 ft(estimated)
Field size
~3,500 runners(estimated)
Crowd support
Steady crowd support
Entry
Easy
Entry fee
$110(most recent listed price)
Day of week
Saturday
Start / finish
Start and finish in the same area

Race details

Typical timing
Mid-October
Next confirmed date
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Registration
Open now
Region
Midwest
Editorial tier
Recommended
Data last reviewed
2026-08-26
  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • First Marathon
  • Loop course
  • Easy entry

Similar races

Races with a comparable profile.

Mid-October · Midwest

Columbus Marathon

Columbus, OH

Weather
50°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~3,500 runners
Course
Flat to rolling
Elevation
300 ft gain

Nationwide Children's Hospital patient miles

PR9Weather9Experience8

Early October · Midwest

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon

Milwaukee, WI

Weather
46°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~2,500 runners
Course
Flat to rolling
Elevation
250 ft gain

Scenic shore of Lake Michigan

PR9Weather9Experience8