Something of a rare breed in the world of road races, Ohio’s New Albany Walking Classic is a walkers-only event that takes between 2,000 and 3,000 walkers each year through the streets of this small city that lies just outside Columbus and the rolling farmland just outside town, where the course becomes hillier in the second half of the race.
Though the event has featured a half marathon in past years (most recently in 2008), the 13.1-mile route has been dropped over the past couple of years. It was brought back by popular demand in 2011 and follows a double-loop out-and-back route that starts and finishes with the 10K, in front of New Albany’s Kiswick Commons on Market Street.
From there — both the 10K and the half marathon begin at 8:00 AM — walkers proceed first along a stretch that takes them west and south toward the New Albany Country Club. Through this section, the race winds past several of the fairways along the country club’s golf course as well as through stretches of its residential neighborhoods.
Walkers will make it all the way south to Lambton Park Road, and then head back toward town and back to the starting line at Kiswick Commons.
The halfway point back at the starting line will also be the 6-mile split; here, walkers who aren’t keeping a pace of 18 miles per minute or better will be asked to finish their race with those walking the 10K. Those completing the 13.1-mile route will then continue on eastward, onto Village Hall Road and Dublin-Granville Road for the second half of the course.
After the next few miles along Dublin-Granville, Kitzmiller Road and New Albany Farms Road, the next stretch will look familiar, as it brings walkers back along the golf course through the country club area which they walked earlier, all the way back to Kiswick Commons for the race finish.
