RUNOHIO was introduced at the 1988 Columbus Marathon Expo and was first printed March 1989. My brother, Jeff and my mom, Jean, assisted with the start of the publication. RUNOHIO’s goal when we started was to provide timely running information with the most compete race calendar, results and running news around the state of Ohio. We cover races in and around Ohio, the Ohio High School Cross Country & Track State Championships. Plus, we cover the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and the Track & Field U.S. Olympic Trials and National Championships. A number of ups and downs have occurred since we started RUNOHIO, but this issue starts our 32nd year serving the running community. SunRiseType has provided much of the typesetting and layout for the past thirty years and Chuck Barlett has helped with my web site – www.runohio.com for the past fifteen years.
A lot have happened in the past thirty two years; including my father, Jim, passed away while I was at the Columbus Marathon expo in 1988, my younger brother, Jeff passing away in 2012 and my mom passed in 2018. In 2008 I had 95% blockage in my right coronary artery and had three stents inserted and in 2014 I had 100% blockage in my circumflex coronary artery and had another stent inserted. I think anyone who has faced death whether with a family member or their own life, you become a different person.
I would like to thank Bart Smith for nominating me and the Ohio Association of Track & Cross Country Coaches for selecting me to receive the OAT & CCC Distinguished Service Award. After Jeff passed we both received the Ohio Association of USA Track & Field President's Award for Lifetime Achievement for our involvement in running and with RUNOHIO. http://runohio.com/index.php/news-features/news/46-matt-mcgowan-receives-oat-ccc-distinguished-service-award
Hopefully, you have been able to get in some training this winter and ready for the spring racing season. Hundreds of races are listed in this issue's Race Calendar. (Races have been cancelled for the next month) – Race directors send RUNOHIO your upcoming race later this Spring – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The 2020 RUNOHIO Grand Prix schedule is listed in this issue. I hope to see you at one of these races - http://runohio.com/index.php/grand-prix
RUNOHIO would again like to spotlight the running clubs in Ohio. Please share this information at your next running club meeting and have someone write up a 3-7 paragraph article about your club and we will print it in an upcoming issue.
Good luck to all of the athletes preparing for the track and field season. Hopefully, the weather will be nice. I hope to see you at the OHSAA State Track and Field State Championships in June or another race this Spring.
RUNOHIO is again helping to sponsor the "Oldest Road Race in Columbus" the 43rd annual Columbus 10K – new date of September 5th. My younger brother, Jeff, and I ran the race in the inaugural year, which I won on a hot day when the race started at 6pm and finished on the old Central High School track. I served as the race director for fourteen years. Since 2009 the event has been directed by Andy Harris and Jim Jurcevich with help from RUNOHIO and the Columbus Running Company. https://www.columbus10k.com
Columbus Running Company’s Andy Harris will again direct the Jeff McGowan Memorial 5K August 9th - I hope you will be able to run this year. https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Columbus/jeffmcgowan5k
Congratulations to everyone who ran in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon. Good luck to our Olympic team: Galen Rupp, Jacob Riley, Abdi Abdirahman, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Molly Seidel and Sally Kipyego - http://runohio.com/index.php/news-features/news/52-2020-u-s-olympic-marathon-trials - photos - http://runohio.com/index.php/photos/2020
Don't forget to renew your subscription to the printed RUNOHIO in 2020. If you are not a subscriber, I hope you will be one this year. https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/134218
The next issue will be a mid May – mid June issue and the deadline is May 2nd or later as this issue could be delayed – we will print once racing starts again.
Stay healthy and good luck with everything!
Matt McGowan
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