08/26/2026
Check out Saint Mark's member, Scott Milburn's running journey (and sign up for the Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) 5K if you are a runner (or even if you're not)
It was around this time last year that Scott Milburn, a member of CRIS’ Board of Directors, decided to take up running (at the ripe young age of 56). His first attempt? He recalls, “I couldn’t make it to the end of the block without stopping to catch my breath–and I live in the middle of the block.”
Still, as a CRIS board member, he felt he ought to participate in the CRIS 5K last October. He ended up walking half of it. In his words, “It killed me.”
But something clicked. He loved it so much that he signed up for a 5K every two weeks for the rest of 2026. Also that fall, he set his sights even higher: he applied for a slot in the 2026 New York City Marathon — one of the hardest races in the world to get into.
He won the slot. “I felt like the dog that caught the car,” he says.
Now, just over a year after his first organized race–the CRIS 5K–he’s run three half marathons.
While Scott’s CRIS 5K experience will look and feel a lot different to him this year, the purpose behind the run is still the same: showing up and standing in solidarity with our refugee and immigrant neighbors here in Central Ohio.
Whether you’re a runner, a walker, or there to support, participating in the CRIS 5K helps make our community stronger and more welcoming.
Make sure to join us for this year’s CRIS 5K on Saturday, October 3rd. Learn more and register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Columbus/CRIS5K