COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Jim Kinard crosses the finish line of the Columbus Marathon on Sunday, he will make history.
He ran his first Columbus Marathon in 1980 among 2,500 participants. Now 43 years later, he's the only person in a field of 12,000 participants to cross that same starting line every year.
"Being the only one to do every one is quite the honor," Kinard said.
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon is traditionally held on the third Sunday in October. This year marks the 12th year since Nationwide Children’s Hospital became the title beneficiary of the event, and it's raised more than $12 million for the hospital.
50 years ago, Kinard was on the receiving end.
"I had a son who was actually a patient there for a little while," Kinard said. "He had a clef pallet and had surgery there."
Kinard is part of a "legacy running group" that shrinks every year.
"The group will go away sometime soon, I suspect, because we'll all be too old," he said.
"People kept sticking around because everybody wanted to keep going. No one wanted to drop off," said Darris Blackford, the race director. "It's quite an accomplishment, quite an honor, I would think."
Blackford said the commitment to show up every year for decades is worth celebrating.
"You're also just working out your schedule. You might have people's birthdays and weddings or other things that you're just out of town," he said. "It's a lifestyle; it's health and wellness, and that's really what this event is all about."
"I think just trying to stay healthy and show up is the name of the game for all of us now as we get older," Kinard said.
The marathon takes place this Sunday, Oct. 15. and starts at North Bank Park.