Ashton Swinford Eyes Fifth Straight Cleveland Marathon Women’s Division Title
The four-time champion is gearing up for the 2026 University Hospitals Cleveland Marathon.
Running roughly 70 to 80 miles a week is routine for Ashton Swinford, a four-time University Hospitals (UH) Cleveland Marathon champion (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), a five-time marathon winner overall, and a mother of two from Hudson, Ohio.
Between early-morning runs, school drop-offs, and caring for twins, Swinford has built one of the most consistent winning streaks in the history of the UH Cleveland Marathon women's division.
She is returning this spring for her seventh UH Cleveland Marathon appearance and 27th marathon overall.
Swinford's race success would not be possible without the support of her husband, she said.
“We are a team,” Swinford said. “We are both athletes. He's a cyclist. We both understand how important training is to us. There's always a bit of a trade-off with training and watching the kids.”
Much of her training is built around her family’s schedule, she said.
“During the weekdays, I can run when my kids are at school. I take care of them, take them to school, and then have time to run. ”
That consistency has played a key role in her success, though her path to marathon running has been a long one.
From Past to Present
Swinford grew up as a gymnast and later competed in track and field as a hurdler and pole vaulter before shifting her focus to cross country in college.
“When I went to college, I decided to walk onto the cross country team so I could spend more time with my now husband and best friend,” she said. “I was not particularly good at it, but I really enjoyed running long distances.”
That enjoyment turned into consistency.
Swinford has been running nearly every day for the past 17 years, steadily building toward the level she competes at today.
After college, she transitioned into longer races, beginning with half marathons before completing her first marathon in 2016.
“I really enjoyed the new challenge of such a long distance,” she said. “It felt like such an adventure.”
Swinford ran her first UH Cleveland Marathon in 2017.
What started as a local race has since become the foundation of her winning streak. Swinford captured her first UH Cleveland Marathon title in 2022, a moment she still considers one of the most meaningful of her career.
“I wasn't expecting to win the race [in 2022]. I knew I was in good shape, but there are always good competitors,” she said. “I was in second place for a majority of the race, but I took the lead around the halfway mark. … From there, I was running on adrenaline.”
As she approached the finish line, the moment became unforgettable.
“Coming down the straightaway was like everything I’d ever dreamed of,” she said. “There were people lined up on both sides of the street, cheering. There was a banner that said ‘Cleveland Marathon.’ It was the first time I'd ever broken tape.”
“That made me really want to continue running at a fairly high level to chase that feeling again,” she added.
That feeling, along with the support from the Cleveland community, continues to draw her back each year.
“The more times I come to Cleveland, the more recognizable I become. …. I get a few more cheers, which is incredibly encouraging and uplifting, and I feel the support when I come back to the race,” she said.
Now with five marathon wins, four in Cleveland and one at the 2025 Akron Marathon, Swinford credits her success to years of steady progress.
“It's taken 17 years of training, and I get a little bit better each year,” she said. “Consistency can pay off. … If you have a running goal, you have to stick with it. It may take a very long time. I can speak from experience. It's taken so long for me to get to this level.”
Even with the demands of training and racing, Swinford views running as essential to her daily life.
“Running makes me a better parent, and I feel like I'm a better person once I get my running done,” she said.
After each race, she sets a new goal and continues forward, rarely taking extended breaks from training.
For those considering signing up for the UH Cleveland Marathon, whether it is their first race or their next challenge, Swinford offers simple advice: “Go for it.”
“It's so much fun to set a goal and to chase after it. You may surprise yourself,” she said. “It could be totally worth it, and if it doesn't work out, you still will learn from it, and maybe you'll do better next time.”
She also emphasized the flexibility of the race weekend.
“There are different race day options [during] the UH Cleveland Marathon weekend. So you can always adjust your goals if you feel like things aren't panning out,” she said. “In general, I would encourage anybody to set a goal and go after it. It doesn't matter so much if you reach it or not because you focus on the process and learn along the way regardless.”
You can register for the 2026 UH Cleveland Marathon here.