2016!! This was my third time running Columbus (6th overall), but it was Allison’s marathon debut. She was under-trained, it was really hot, and she finished. She crossed the line, in tears, “That was so hard, I’m never doing that again.” She signed up for Chicago 2017 that night. She beat her Cbus time by an hour, and is running Boston in 2023. It all started at the Columbus Marathon in 2016. She’s pretty cool, and the Columbus Marathon is one of our absolute favorites!! – Jon J
My favorite memory of Columbus is the first time I qualified for Boston. My friend Paula was dying of breast cancer. It was terrible and my heart was broken for this young mother and her family. on my bib I had wrote 4 Paula… as I neared the last 2 miles people, and started to grow weary, people started yelling “Finish strong Paula” or “You can do this Paula” thinking it was my name on my bib. It was incredibly powerful to move for someone that couldn’t… to “finish the race” for Paula. She died within a few days of that race, and I think of her each time I head toward that last turn towards downtown. Every run is a gift. – Erin A
2015 marathon. Still my PR and first BQ, but really special because Emily had over slept. She was racing down to finish line from OSU and got stuck on the wrong side of the new barriers they put up post Boston bombing near finish line and missed seeing me finish. When she finally made it around to see us at finishers village and saw me, big crocodile tears started welling up. Thus the need for this hug. Sometimes daughters just need the comfort found in Dad’s arms. Sharing this moment with her post race will be remembered and treasured by me for the rest of my life. Sometimes Dad just needs to be able to comfort his daughter. Races come and go, success comes and goes, but moments like this are treasured forever. -Fred S
I ran the Columbus Marathon in 2012. It I was my fifth marathon of the year, and I ran it two weeks after qualifying for my first Boston marathon. I had never done marathons that close together. I ran it as a challenge to myself, and had friends and family donate to my cause raising several thousand dollars for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I was fortunate to be able to race with a team who was pushing a Children’s Champion. Sharing the race with this child was the highlight of my race! – Amy B
2010 was my first marathon at Columbus. I had never done a half marathon and trained for it as a bucket list item. I didn’t do any Speedwork leading up to it and just did straight mileage. It was a blast till about mile 20 when the wheels came off lol but I really enjoyed the experience. After finishing the marathon I pondered being about to run the next one faster. – Ryan A
Columbus was my first marathon and I just wanted under four hours. 15 years and 15 marathons later, i finished under three. -Jen G
2019 was my favorite. I had been trying to crack the 2:40 barrier for a few years. It all came together for me that day and I ran a 2:39:06 which is and probably will be my PR. I had some great support from my Rogue teammates that day, both at the start line and those cheering along the course. – Josh C
Columbus 2015 was my first marathon, I ran with Tina Husted when she attempted a US qual time for tryouts. We came close! The buzz at the start and seeing the children’s champions faces which was so sweet but so sad still makes this my favorite marathon. – Paul S
The 2013 edition of the Columbus Marathon was the first time I lined up with the intent of trying to qualify for Boston. I fell off pace around mile 21 or 22, and ended up missing my goal. However, it marked a transition in my marathoning journey from finishing marathons to learning how to “race” them. For me, Columbus 2013 is when the fun really started for me! -Bryan S
Columbus was my first half, my first full, and my first BQ that got me into Boston. But my favorite Columbus memory so far was in 2021 when I ran it on Sunday in 3:27:37 after running Boston that Monday in 3:31:28. – Dave P
My favorite memory is my first Boston Marathon qualifying run in 2012. I qualified by only 15 seconds and I was so excited that I was going to be able to run the Boston Marathon. -Jason H
