FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2015 Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Raises
More than $1 Million for Nationwide Children's Hospital
Men's and Women's 1/2 Marathon Record Broken; Record field of 19,000 compete
COLUMBUS, OH – Oct. 18, 2015 – The 2015 Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon featured nearly perfect running weather for
the record field of 19,000 participants.
Following were highlights of the day:
More than $1.1 million and counting was raised for Nationwide Children's
Hospital; for a total of more than $4.5 million raised since the
partnership with the event started;
1/2 Marathon Men's record fell; Kimutai Cheruiyot of Kenya won in an
event-record time of 1:02:45
1/2 Marathon Women's record fell; Susan Jerotich of Kenya won in an
event-record time of 1:11:50
Six out of the top 10 female and male marathon finalists hailed from Ohio
Additionally, Nationwide Children's Hospital Patients and their families
were along every mile of the course to cheer on athletes and serve as a
visual reminder of how the marathon is helping ill and injured children,
regardless of ability to pay.
"After years of sellouts, we had no choice but to expand our participant
field to a record 19,000 athletes. Our countless supporters, team members,
volunteers and another day of great weather provided the makings for a
fantastic 36th year." said Darris Blackford, Race Director. "And behind it
all, it's the great cause of supporting Nationwide Children's Hospital that
motivates and provides meaning for all involved."
TOP FINISHERS
Marathon Male
Julius Koskei, Kenya
2:16:46
Hillary Too, Kenya
2:19:03
Jason Ordway, Dayton, Ohio
2:23:40
Marathon Female
Loice Kangogo, Kenya
2:41:44
Ellie Hess, Chesterland, OH
2:42:48
Sara Polatas, North Canton, OH
2:43:41
1/2 Marathon Male
Kimutai Cheruiyot, Kenya
1:02:45*
Nelson Oyugi, Kenya
1:03:45
Tyler McCandless, Boulder, CO
1:05:12
1/2 Marathon Female
Susan Jerotich, Kenya
1:11:50*
Hellen Jepkurgat, Kenya
1:12:11
Andie Cozzarelli, Raleigh, NC
1:12:50
Marathon – Wheelchair Male
Patrick Monahan, Ireland
1:36:32
*Event record
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE 2015 EVENT
THE PEOPLE
24 Miracle Mile Patient Champions have shared their stories to inspire
19,000 athletes (12,000 in the 1/2 Marathon and 7,000 in the full Marathon)
3,000 volunteers work race day to make this marathon possible
All 50 states are represented by our athletes
More than 100 bands and entertainers add extra cheer
There is a 27-member marathon team and 11-member marathon board of
directors. Combined, they have put in approximately 10,000 hours of
planning
Approximately 60,000 people attend the Health & Fitness Expo
Approximately 100,000 spectators cheer on athletes on Race Day
THE CLEAN UP
In a trend that is literally sweeping the nation's marathons, clothes
discarded by runners are being picked up by Goodwill volunteers
Last year, more than 8,000 lbs. of clothing was collected at the
Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon and diverted from
landfills
The clothing is sold at the expo the following year
Every dime of the proceeds supports programming for people with
disabilities and other barriers, including those with insecure housing
situations, veterans, people returning to the workforce and unemployed
and underemployed youth.
THE SUPPLIES
250,000 White Castle cups of water to quench thirst
250,000 Cups of Lemon-Lime Gatorade
That totals more than 23,000 gallons of fluid given to athletes during
the race.
19,000 granola bars, pretzels, chips, yogurt, bananas and chocolate milk
to replenish at the Finish Line
600 portable bathrooms for relief
24,000 Clif Shot energy gels to refuel (vanilla, mocha and raspberry
flavored)
96 portable generators to power the course
THE COURSE
1 Angel Mile to honor, remember and celebrate the angels of Nationwide
Children's who have already finished their race
1 Encore Mile, for the patients who lined the 2012, 2013 and 2014
Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
20,000 feet of fencing (nearly 4 miles) along various parts of the course
201,600 watt sound system to rev up runners at the Start Line
20 ClifBar and New Albany Walking Club members
27 permits throughout five different police jurisdictions close down 26.2
miles of roads
About The Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
The 36th Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon will
be held on Sunday, October 18, 2015 and will have the capacity of 7,000
full Marathoners and 12,000 1/2 Marathoners. The Nationwide Children's
Hospital Columbus Marathon is the 17th largest marathon in the United
States. For more information, visit www.columbusmarathon.com or call
614.421.7866.
The 37th annual Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon and 1/2
Marathon will take place Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016. For more information on
today's race and full race results, visit www.columbusmarathon.com.
About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Ranked 9th of only 12 children's hospitals on U.S. News & World Report's
2015-16 "America's Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll," Nationwide
Children's Hospital is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit
freestanding pediatric healthcare networks providing wellness, preventive,
diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and
adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide
Children's has a medical staff of 1,100 and nearly 10,000 employees
providing state-of-the-art pediatric care for one million patient visits
annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State
University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's physicians train the
next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research
Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National
Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities.
Nationwide Children's remains true to the original mission since its
founding in 1892 of providing care regardless of a family's ability to pay.
More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.
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