SISTER CITIES EXCHANGE

Celebrating the 14th Year of our Marathon Exchange!

This year, Columbus and Dresden, Germany are celebrating the 35th anniversary of becoming sister cities, a relationship featuring numerous cultural, educational, athletic and business exchanges. This will also be the 14th time that each city officially sends representatives to take part in the other’s respective marathon & ½ marathon.

In partnership with Dresden Sister City, Inc., we have selected five runners to represent OUR race at the October 25 Dresden Marathon & ½ Marathon!

Interested in learning more about Dresden Sister Cities, the exchange, or hosting a runner this fall? Contact Dorit Fratzscher at dresdensistercity@gmail.com

Laurie Bilovesky

Columbus, OH

Originally from New York, Laurie moved to Columbus after college with her husband, Steve, in search of new career opportunities. Over the years, Columbus has become home, and she now proudly serves as an Experience Columbus Insider and volunteers with CAPA.

Laurie's journey into distance running began in 2007 while cheering on runners at the New York City Marathon during a visit with friends. Inspired by the incredible atmosphere, it still took another two years before she decided to lace up her own running shoes. Joining Marathoners-In-Training (MIT) in June 2009 was one of the best decisions she has ever made. What started as a couch-to-half marathon goal quickly grew into a passion for marathon and ultramarathon running. The Columbus Marathon holds a special place in her heart, as it was the site of both her first half marathon in 2009 and her first full marathon in 2012.

Today, Laurie remains an active member of MIT, where she serves as both a pace coach and a member of the Fleet Feet Pacing Team. Each season, she finds joy in helping runners achieve goals they once thought were beyond their reach.

The support of her running community became especially meaningful after Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. From walking her dogs to simply being there whenever she needed them, her fellow runners surrounded her with unwavering kindness and encouragement. Their generosity has given her far more than she could ever repay.

An experienced traveler, Laurie is thrilled to represent the Columbus Marathon as an Ambassador while exploring a new region of Germany—one that came to life through conversations with Victoria during her visit to Columbus. Laurie and her husband Steve hosted Victoria, a Dresden runner, during the 2025 exchange.

Tony Jones

Columbus, OH

Originally from the Chicago area, Tony has called Columbus home since 2008. Here, he has raised his two children as well as met his wife, Susan. Together, they have five children ages 21 - 28. Tony has always enjoyed being active and took up marathon running with the Chicago Marathon in 1997. Since that time, he has run one Ironman, 9 full marathons and numerous half marathons - most of which have been the Nationwide Columbus Half and Cap City. This will be Tony’s first international half marathon. He has German heritage and is excited to travel to Germany to represent Columbus in the marathon exchange program and to learn more about the country’s culture. As a side note, he has been logging extra hours with Duolingo and You Tube videos to learn the German language.

Tony is a graduate of Indiana University and works in the financial services industry. He is currently a personal tax accountant and financial advisor. Tony and Susan have hosted several Dresden runners in the past.

Rachel Marrison

Columbus, OH

Rachel is an Ohio native who connects to “the heart of it all” here in Central Ohio. Rachel ran cross country and track in high school as a way to stay active and connect with friends. When she pursued a career in nursing at The Ohio State University (OSU), she began running longer distances as an outlet for stress and as way to challenge herself. While in school at OSU, she began working as a nurse assistant and fell in love with the pediatric setting. After graduating and becoming a registered nurse, she began her nursing career at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Rachel celebrated her 12-year anniversary at NCH this summer! Through her tenure Rachel has now run numerous half marathons and one full marathon. Rachel has now run the Columbus Half Marathon six times – she even ran once and then went to work night shift the same day! Each mile of the Nationwide Children’s Marathon is meaningful because of our Mile Champions, and Rachel feels the connection is palpable at mile 8 every time she runs by the hospital that she proudly works for and connects to the heart of why this is the most meaningful marathon. After the 2024 Marathon, Rachel started what is now the NCH Running and Walking Club where employees gather weekly to train together and build connection and community.

Rachel is excited to continue building community through the Dresden Sister City Marathon Exchange program, creating connections abroad! She is honored to be chosen to represent Columbus in Dresden this fall, and she looks forward to experiencing their culture during her first trip to Germany.

Marisa Myers

Columbus, OH

Marisa is a statehouse lobbyist, traveler, runner, and all-around dabbler who likes to have a variety of activities on deck. As a former field hockey player, Marisa had a complicated relationship with running. It took a friend teaching her proper training to really start appreciating the sport on its own. She’s run 5 half marathons and the Columbus Marathon; she’s looking forward to adding Dresden as her second full.

Marisa also likes to read (her favorite local spots are Storyline Bookshop and Birdie Books), attend Columbus sporting events and summertime country concerts, play a round of golf, take a ride on her horse, Barbie, and enjoy a wine tasting. She’s a member of Tri-Village Rotary and loves that connection to the community.

Marisa lives in Columbus with her husband, Nathan, and dogs, Buffy and Bailey. She’s most excited to learn about the history of Dresden and soak in all the city’s charm.

Brian Williams

Columbus, OH

Brian Williams is a lifelong runner who did his first marathon while attending The Ohio State University. Since then, he has completed more than 20 marathons along with several ultramarathons in recent years. Running has given him the opportunity to challenge himself, explore new places, and connect with an incredible community of people.

When he's not running, Brian is a technology consultant who enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, their two boys, and their dog. Brian is an avid drummer, soccer player and book lover. Although this will be his first trip to Germany, he is looking forward to learning more about German culture, meeting fellow runners, and, of course, sampling as much authentic German food as possible.