If you’re planning to run a marathon in Ohio, don’t miss out on these races which are consistently rated the best by those who have run them.
Flying Pig Marathon – Cincinnati
The “Flying Pig” pays homage to Cincinnati’s historic connection to the meat packing industry – which resulted in the city being known as “Porkopolis” in the 1800’s. The race typically takes place in the spring time, making rain a possibility. Click here to read more about the Flying Pig Marathon.
The Course
The course is a little hilly at the beginning, and ultimately has a 300 ft. climb between miles 6 -9, but the beautiful park you end up in after the climb makes it worth it. The last 7 miles or so are pretty flat.
Image Source: Flying Pig Marathon
Reviews
“I was SO impressed with how the marathon was put together.. and the ENTIRE town was involved.” – Courtney, Yelp Review
“The course itself is really pretty and takes you through both Kentucky and Cincinnati. It also is more on the challenging side (this isn’t a flat course), which could be a plus or a minus, depending on how you feel about hills.” – Rachael, Yelp Review
Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon – Canton
If you’re a football fan, the free visit to the NFL’s Hall of Fame might be worth the trip to Canton for this race. Click here for dates and registration info.
The Course
The race begins at the Hall of Fame and then weaves through Canton, including both the downtown area and a more residential section of town. The ending is pretty cool – when you finish on Don Scott Football Field.
Image Source: Active.com
Reviews
“By far, the most positive, well-organized race I have ever run. Everyone, from the volunteers to the pace setters to the expo workers, were helpful and friendly. Great medal and finisher blanket!” – Joy, Marathonguide.com Review
“This race is well worth a go. Great starting (Pro Football Hall of Fame) and ending (Fawcett Stadium) points. Beautiful medals and nice-sized fleece finisher’s blanket. Post-race snacks were tasty (especially loved the Caveman bar) and unique – just like so many other aspects of this race. You can have a lot of fun with the football theme.” -Tamra Harrison, Facebook Review
ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon – Ada
This race in the small college town of Ada, Ohio is all about escaping the cold Midwestern winter. The race benefit’s Ohio Northern University’s track team, and comes with plenty of goodies. Click here to learn more.
The Course
The course is an indoor running track. Yes, it’s an indoor marathon. You’ll do 211 laps for a full marathon, but you do change directions every 30 minutes to keep things a little more interesting.
Image Source: ONU
Reviews
“Very well organized and everything went off without a hitch. Any indoor marathon may sound confusing and boring, but this race adds lots of details to make you feel special and entertained. Each runner had their own lap counters, splits, pacer for the last few miles, and even a custom poster made just for you. Yes, you do run in the same circle for 211 laps, but the direction change every 30 minutes does wonders. No, the course isn’t exactly Big Sur, but there are no potholes or street crossings either.” – J.C., Marathonguide.com Review
“Great small town race that benefits the cross country team at ONU. What makes this race great is the enthusiasm of the kids on the XC team. They make signs for each runner, track your laps, run with you the last few miles. Also, more good stuff: free pasta dinner, and hat or arm warmers in addition to the long-sleeve shirt.” – S.L., Marathonguide.com Review
Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon
The Cleveland Marathon takes place on the third weekend in May, and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. All Marathon runners/walkers will receive a Virtual Race Bag, a technical short-sleeved T-shirt, and a finishers medallion with a spinning guitar.
The Course
According to the marathon’s website, “The Cleveland Marathon features a relatively flat and fast course, great volunteer support and a scenic view of downtown Cleveland and its major landmarks. The course has been designed for our athletes to enjoy views of Lake Erie and many other Cleveland highlights.” Here is a look at the elevation map:
Reviews
“Top shelf EXPO. Free health screening included glucose, cholesterol, BP, etc. Just Super!” – R.S., Marathonguide.com Review
“The first 10 miles was a loop around the city and some cool neighborhoods. The next 12 was an out and back through flat, residential areas. The final 4 or so then covered new ground including that highway run uphill.” – R.S., Marathonguide.com Review
Ohio River Road Runners Club Marathon – Xenia
If you’re looking for a low cost, low frills race in a quaint setting – this might be the one. Entry fees start at $25 and it still includes a shirt, medal, chip-timed race, plus food and more. Given the setting, you shouldn’t expect huge crowd support along the way.
The Course
The race starts and ends at the YMCA in Xenia. According to the race’s website, “It is an out and back with a nice mix of flats & hills on a mixture of roads and paved recreation path.”
Reviews
“This is an ‘old school’ runners race put on by a local running club. I really enjoy finding these little gems in the running world to participate in. Super organization and hard working volunteers.” – J.P., Marathonguide.com Review
“This was my first time doing this race. I drove 9 hours from Green Bay, WI to run this and would do it again! I absolutely love the ‘back to nature, peaceful’ feel of the course. It really is very beautiful, and the people most wonderful.” – Kathy, Marathonguide.com Review
The Columbus Marathon
In Ohio’s capital city you can run 26.2 miles while supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The race itself covers various parts of the city, including downtown and Ohio State University.
Source: ColumbusMarathon.com
The Course
The Columbus Marathon is a very flat course. According to the race’s FAQ, “there is only about 100 ft. of difference in elevation throughout the 26 mile course.”
Reviews
“The Columbus Marathon is a way to bring awareness and support to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Each mile is dedicated to a special patient and it was inspiring to run past them and give a high five to each of them as we passed.” – Emily, Yelp Review
“Every aspect of this marathon was top notch. The course had no hills to speak of, the organization was superb, the volunteers were helpful and friendly, and the spectators were numerous and joyful. I had an incredibly positive experience and I would highly recommend this race to everyone.” – Jim, Marathonguide.com Review
Akron Marathon
Like the Columbus Marathon, the Akron Marathon also benefits the local children’s hospital – which means you’re running for a good cause. Typically held in September, the race gets capped at just over 2,000 runners to keep it at a manageable size. Click here to learn more or to register.
The Course
The race runs through downtown Akron, and then takes you out into the neighborhoods surrounding. To wrap up, you finish at Canal Park Stadium – home to Akron’s minor league baseball team. Overall there are some rolling hills throughout, but one steep incline and decline that come in the second half of the race that you’ll need to contend with.
Reviews
“The Akron marathon was my first full marathon. I must say, I greatly appreciated all the information provided by the race organizers. The website is great, including mile by mile course videos. The organizers send out a giant race-information packet about a week or so out from the event with all the answers to any questions you may have. This was great for someone running their first marathon.” – E.P, Marathonguide.com Review
“WOW ! Better than what I expected. I heard and read that this is a great event, so I had to find out for myself. This was my 35th marathon with a 4:33:08 finish time, for frame of reference. The Akron marathon was very well run, and a must do. Most marathons have a boring un-eventful section, but this marathon was pretty throughout.” – Chuck, Marathonguide.com Review
Bobcat Trail Marathon – Glouster
As they proudly say on their website, “This is sure to be a marathon that will challenge you.” In fact, this may be the most challenging marathon on our list of the best marathons in Ohio. The setting is beautiful – taking place inside of Burr Oak State Park, usually in early November.
The Course
90% of the course is natural trails, and only 10% is paved. As you can see from the map below, you spend a lot of time on trails that are very close to the lake. There are a number of short, but steep hills to contend with and people who run this race often describe it as a “technical” trail run.
Reviews
“Burr Oak State Park is a well-kept secret, and provides a beautiful and challenging landscape for a trail marathon. The hills are relentless – short, but steep – with lots of technical terrain in between.” – Dan, Marathonguide.com Review
“The Bobcat Marathon is definitely not for the faint of heart. It is a difficult, hilly, and somewhat technical trail run but provides great views of Hocking Hills and the Burr Oak Lake. The race was well-supported with aid stations every 4-5 miles. And even though it rained the previous day, the course was fairly dry. I would definitely run this race again.” – Joe, Marathonguide.com Review