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Why the Columbus Marathon Works

 
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Manage episode 489242484 series 3032718
Content provided by Tim Fulton. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Tim Fulton or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Marathons are more than just races—they’re complex productions, community rituals, and, at times, catalysts for civic pride. In this week’s episode, I sat down with Darris Blackford, longtime race director of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon. We discussed how the event evolved from a tourism initiative in 1980 to one of the country’s most respected independent races—and how Darris went from running it as an amateur to running it as a professional.

We explored the behind-the-scenes logistics of staging a 15,000-person race through multiple municipalities, what makes Columbus’s marathon structurally and financially unique, and how technology—from GPS watches to real-time runner tracking—has reshaped the race experience without replacing the purity of putting one foot in front of the other. Darris also shared insights on elite runners, nonprofit partnerships, and why fireworks beat flyovers every time.

Shownotes:

Transcript on page 2.

The post Why the Columbus Marathon Works appeared first on The Confluence Cast.

  continue reading

217 episodes

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iconShare
 
Manage episode 489242484 series 3032718
Content provided by Tim Fulton. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Tim Fulton or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Marathons are more than just races—they’re complex productions, community rituals, and, at times, catalysts for civic pride. In this week’s episode, I sat down with Darris Blackford, longtime race director of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon. We discussed how the event evolved from a tourism initiative in 1980 to one of the country’s most respected independent races—and how Darris went from running it as an amateur to running it as a professional.

We explored the behind-the-scenes logistics of staging a 15,000-person race through multiple municipalities, what makes Columbus’s marathon structurally and financially unique, and how technology—from GPS watches to real-time runner tracking—has reshaped the race experience without replacing the purity of putting one foot in front of the other. Darris also shared insights on elite runners, nonprofit partnerships, and why fireworks beat flyovers every time.

Shownotes:

Transcript on page 2.

The post Why the Columbus Marathon Works appeared first on The Confluence Cast.

  continue reading

217 episodes

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