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The course, in 3D

Nationwide Children's Columbus Marathon

Columbus, OH · Sunday, October 18, 2026

Nationwide Children's Columbus Marathon official site →registration and course details
Race day
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Climb
595 fttotal ascent
Race-week weather
46°F to 64°Ften-year normals, 30% of days wet

Fly the course

All 26.2 miles through a model of Columbus built from OpenStreetMap: real building footprints, heights and roof shapes, the water, and the course line itself. Scrub it, switch cameras, or let it play.

Route statusa community trace of the current course; the official certified course is on the race's site. 'Columbus Marathon course', created 2026-08-10; https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56595670.json returns HTTP 200 without login with 1,481 track points, 42,697 m (26.53 mi plotted). Cross-validated against the official Oct 18, 2026 course-map PDF: start/finish at North Bank Park (39.9654,-83.0096 = W Long St at Neil Ave), mile 5 E Main St Bexley, mile 9 Livingston Ave at Nationwide Children's Hospital, mile 13 Nationwide Blvd, mile 17 Woody Hayes Dr/Ohio Stadium, mile 21 King Ave, mile 25 Park/Front, and all four geographic extremes (Bexley/Drexel east at mi 4.1, German Village south at mi 10.7, OSU/Woodruff north at mi 18.4, Upper Arlington/Mallway west at mi 19.8) all match the official 2026 map.

Course line a community trace of the current course; the official certified course is on the race's site. 'Columbus Marathon course', created 2026-08-10; https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56595670.json returns HTTP 200 without login with 1,481 track points, 42,697 m (26.53 mi plotted). Cross-validated against the official Oct 18, 2026 course-map PDF: start/finish at North Bank Park (39.9654,-83.0096 = W Long St at Neil Ave), mile 5 E Main St Bexley, mile 9 Livingston Ave at Nationwide Children's Hospital, mile 13 Nationwide Blvd, mile 17 Woody Hayes Dr/Ohio Stadium, mile 21 King Ave, mile 25 Park/Front, and all four geographic extremes (Bexley/Drexel east at mi 4.1, German Village south at mi 10.7, OSU/Woodruff north at mi 18.4, Upper Arlington/Mallway west at mi 19.8) all match the official 2026 map. Buildings, roads, parks and shorelines are OpenStreetMap, ODbL, so building coverage varies block to block. Public-domain USGS/USDA aerial imagery and USGS 3DEP terrain are served as static site assets; no paid map API runs in the browser. This is photographic terrain with modeled architecture, not photogrammetry. Bridge approaches, elevations and facade details remain approximate. The organizer's published route is the reference.

Accuracy check: drawn line is within 0.7% of the certified 26.2 miles; no part of the line passes through a building; 100% of it sits on a mapped road; closest it ever comes to a building wall is 4.5 m.

The elevation profile

660 680 700 720 740 760 780 800 820 840 860 880 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: +0.1% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: +1.7% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: +0.8% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: +0.3% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: -0.0% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: +0.6% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: +1.1% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: +0.7% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: +0.5% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: -0.2% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: +0.0% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: +0.4% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +0.2% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: -0.9% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: -1.9% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: +0.2% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: -1.7% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: +0.4% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: +1.9% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: +0.4% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.0% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.3% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: +0.0% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: -0.3% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: -0.6% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: -1.8% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: +0.7% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: +0.2% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: +0.1% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: -0.3% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: +0.9% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: +0.1% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: +1.3% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: +1.2% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: -0.2% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.3% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: -0.0% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: +0.0% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: -0.2% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: -0.2% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: -0.5% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: -0.0% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: -0.3% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: -0.3% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: -0.4% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: -0.7% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: -0.7% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: -0.1% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: -0.2% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: +0.4% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +0.2% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: -0.1% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: +0.1% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: -0.2% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: +0.2% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: -0.3% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.1% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: -0.7% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: +1.5% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: -0.8% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: +0.1% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: -0.3% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: -1.3% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: +0.7% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: +0.3% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: +0.4% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: +0.0% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: +0.1% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: -1.1% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: -0.1% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: +0.6% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: +0.4% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: +0.3% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: -0.3% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: +0.2% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: +0.1% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: -0.3% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: -1.0% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: +0.9% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: +0.2% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: +0.2% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: -0.5% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -1.3% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: -0.1% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: -0.3% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: +0.9% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: +0.1% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +1.1% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: +0.4% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: +1.3% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: +1.7% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: +1.7% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: +0.4% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: -0.4% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: +0.6% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: -0.1% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: +0.5% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: -0.2% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: -0.4% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: -0.4% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: -0.2% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: -0.0% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: -0.4% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: -0.7% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -0.6% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: -0.1% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: -0.3% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: -0.2% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: -0.8% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: -1.0% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: -3.4% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: +0.0% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: +0.1% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: +0.7% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: +0.2% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: -0.4% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: -0.3% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: +0.8% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: -0.1% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: +0.1% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: +0.2% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: -0.4% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: +0.2% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: +1.3% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: -0.1% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: -0.0% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: -0.0% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: -0.7% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: +0.1% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: -1.8% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -0.8% 5 10 15 20 25 mile +107 ft +41 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

595 feet of total climb across the 26.2, between 719 and 832 feet of elevation. The biggest climb runs from mile 16.99 to 19.42, 107 feet up. Click the profile to jump the flythrough to that mile.

Mile by mile

Every mile of the course on the same vertical scale, so they compare at a glance. Net is what the mile does to your elevation; steepest fifth is the sharpest continuous fifth of a mile inside it, the same unit the colour strip above uses.

MileShapeNetElevation Steepest fifthStreetsTurns
1+39 ft758 ft+1.9%West Long Street, East Broad Street, North High Streetleft after Tim Hortons (on the left)
2+38 ft798 ft+1.2%East Broad Street
3-28 ft769 ft-1.9%East Broad Streetright onto E Broad St
4+25 ft792 ft+1.6%East Broad Streetleft onto E Broad St
5-16 ft776 ft-0.8%South Drexel Avenue, East Main Streetright onto S Drexel Ave; right onto E Main St
6-16 ft759 ft-1.9%South Nelson Road, East Main Streetright onto S Nelson Rd
7+42 ft803 ft+1.7%East Broad Street, South Nelson Roadleft onto Taylor Ave
8-8 ft794 ft-0.4%South 18th Street, East Broad Streetleft onto S 18th St; left onto Bryden Rd; right onto S 18th St
9-19 ft775 ft-0.5%East Livingston Avenue, South 18th Streetright; left; Sharp right onto E Livingston Ave
10-20 ft755 ft-1.0%East Livingston Avenue, South Third Street, South 4th Streetleft onto S 3rd St
11+2 ft757 ft-0.3%East Deshler Avenue, Reinhard Avenue, South Third Streetleft onto Reinhard Ave; right onto Jaeger St; right onto E Deshler Ave; right on
12+6 ft763 ft+1.5%South High Street
13-10 ft753 ft-1.2%North High Street, South High Street, West Nationwide Boulevardleft onto W Nationwide Blvd; right onto N Front St; left onto W Nationwide Blvd;
14-8 ft742 ft-1.1%Park Street, Buttles Avenue, Dennison Avenueleft onto Buttles Ave; left onto W 1st Ave; right onto Hunter Ave; right onto Pa
15+12 ft753 ft+0.7%Hunter Avenue, Neil Avenue, West 5th Avenueleft onto W 5th Ave; right onto Neil Ave
16+1 ft754 ft-0.9%College Road, Neil Avenue, West 12th Avenueright onto W 12th Ave; left onto College Rd S; left onto Annie and John Glenn Av
17-20 ft734 ft-1.5%Woody Hayes Drive, West Woodruff Avenue, College Roadleft onto W Woodruff Ave; onto Woody Hayes Dr
18+46 ft778 ft+1.6%Woody Hayes Drive, Kenny Road, West Lane AvenueSlight left to stay on Woody Hayes Dr; right onto John H Herrick Dr; left onto W
19+51 ft831 ft+2.0%West Lane Avenue, North Star Road, Guilford Roadleft onto N Star Rd; right onto Guilford Rd
20-8 ft824 ft-0.6%Guilford Road, Coventry Roadleft onto Coventry Rd
21-25 ft799 ft-0.8%King Avenue, Coventry Road, Grandview Avenueleft onto Cambridge Blvd; Slight left onto King Ave; right onto Grandview Ave
22-38 ft762 ft-1.2%Grandview Avenue, First Avenueleft onto W 1st Ave
23-24 ft736 ft-3.4%First Avenue, Edgehill Road, Bobcat AvenueSlight left onto Copeland Rd; onto Burrell Ave; left onto Bobcat Ave; onto Edgeh
24+4 ft739 ft+0.8%West 5th Avenue, West 3rd Avenue, Perry Streetright onto Perry St; left onto W 3rd Ave
25+14 ft754 ft+1.4%Neil Avenue, Buttles Avenue, Park Streetright onto Dennison Ave; right onto Neil Ave; left onto Buttles Ave
26-31 ft723 ft-2.0%West Long Street, North High Street, Park Streetright onto N High St; onto Park St; onto N Front St; right onto W Long St

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26

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Nationwide Children's Columbus Marathon planning

Open the complete race guide: course, hotels, expo, spectators and the city.

Course geometry a community trace of the current course; the official certified course is on the race's site. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Weather normals are ten years of Open-Meteo reanalysis around race day at the start line. Confirm dates and registration on the official site. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.