The inaugural season of the RUNColumbus Race Series includes three events produced by Endo Monkey Racing and directed by Marshall Jackson—Memorial Day 5K, July-4 Miler, and Powell Turkey Trot.
Marshall and his wife Amy have three boys—Jacob, Josh, and Aiden. This active family of five loves hiking and running obstacle races. The boys are also active in baseball and soccer. Additionally, they are co-owners of Endo Monkey Racing, which was established in 2019 after getting requests from potential clients to help put on races to raise money for charity.
How did you become a race director? I was running a 501c3 charity called Fallen 15, and we were doing three races a year to raise money for military families. From there we got involved with the Powell Turkey Trot and I was asked to come on board as the race director and have served in this role for the past four years.
What’s the greatest challenge you face in your role? The coordination efforts and communication efforts are always challenging. Coordinating with multiple entities to make sure everyone is on the same sheet of music is always a challenge.
What’s the greatest reward? Our greatest reward is hosting and executing great community events.
Other than signing up for your race, how can runners support and encourage race organizers? Volunteering is always a necessity and is greatly appreciated. We can always use good people willing to help out.