More than a race: Celebrating and supporting the Columbus Marathon

More than a race: Celebrating and supporting the Columbus Marathon

Every year since 1980, downtown Columbus hosts thousands of athletes for a day dedicated to celebrating community, health and wellness, personal achievements, and the children supported by Nationwide Children's Hospital. This year, the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon hosted a sold-out field of 13,500 runners from around the world, cheered on by approximately 100,000 spectators and 24 Marathon Mile Champions from Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Nationwide and the Columbus Marathon has raised approximately $14 million for Nationwide Children's Hospital since it became the title beneficiary of the event in 2012.

Marathon Mile Champions: The philanthropic mission of what marathon event officials call "America's Most Meaningful Race" is brought to life along the 26.2-mile route by the presence of Marathon Mile Champions, children who have benefited from treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Each year, Nationwide sponsors a Mile Champion, and this year, 12-year-old Ali's butterfly-themed "fly to the finish" race station at the 12^th mile marker reflected her love of the graceful creatures and admiration for their strength and beauty.

Ali cheered on the passing runners, offering high fives and shouts of encouragement to show her appreciation to everyone running those meaningful miles for children like her.

Community effort: To help prepare and create a memorable experience for those attending the race, over 100 Nationwide employees volunteered their time to support the marathon.

On the morning of the marathon, volunteers congratulated runners at the finish line, awarding medals and handing out supplies.

A few weeks before the race, a team of volunteers prepared race bibs, the number identification tags for the 13,500 runners to wear on their shirts.

Nationwide encourages employees to volunteer to create lasting, positive changes within local communities. This year, employees in Central Ohio have served over 15,000 hours at local nonprofits. In 2023, employees volunteered more than 70,000 hours and contributed over $7.3 million to nonprofit organizations.