Runners from around the world push through rain and wind at Columbus Marathon

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Athletes from all across the world were in central Ohio Sunday to participate in the half and full Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon. The money raised will go toward supporting the work and research at the hospital.

The runners, spectators and volunteers did not let the rain put a damper on their day. They called this the most meaningful marathon and people we spoke with said it lived up to the name.

“There's no one in central Ohio and across America that hasn't been affected by the work we're doing at Nationwide Children's Hospitals,” said Charissa Fee, the assistant race director.

The marathon has raised $15 million for the hospital over the years. At each mile marker they have a children’s champion who shared their story to inspire and have faced some uphill battles throughout their lives. 

We spoke to Chase, who has a heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. “It means a lot and it's really cool. I never thought I would actually be here,” he said.

As well as Pragalya, who was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss when she was about 14 months old. 

“They (Nationwide Children's Hospital) played a really big role in my hearing loss journey,” she said “I know the weather has been crazy out here today so seeing the amount of people who still showed up I feel really happy and empowered.”

The runners trained for months and they really felt the weight of that accomplishment as they crossed the finish line.

The winners from the 2025 Columbus Marathon were: 

• Men's Marathon: Simon Heys, from Wilmington, OH with a time of 2:21:16
• Women's Marathon: Shannon Smith, from Fayetteville, AR with a time of 2:42:56.
• Men's Half Marathon: Curt Eckstein, from Indianapolis, IN with a time of 1:05.
• Women's Half Marathon: Tyler Hudacek from Boulder, CO with a time of 1:16:19
• Wheelchair Marathon: John Moore from Dayton, OH with a time of 2:43:56.

We had the chance to catch up with the Eckstein, who said it was special to see the children's champions at each mile. “It feels good for sure. It feels great to get the win,” Eckstein said. “It's really cool and I think it is a really fun event. Probably the best half marathon I've done so far.”

Race organizers said this is the most runners they’ve had since the COVID-19 pandemic with 15,000 people signing up. They also had more than 1,700 volunteers to make the day possible with approximately 100,000 spectators.