Daniel Tancredi's Staging Area

I love this race. I wasn’t sure at the start whether I would even be able to run a mile without horrible hamstring pain that was caused by a recently aggravated injury (piriformis syndrome), so I was worried about that while other runners were worried about the weather. I decided that if I found out I could run without pain, I would take it easy. I found out early in the race that I would be fine, so I ran with joy through a thunderstorm that pounded the course soon after the start. Kentucky streets were flooded, but with over 10,000 fellow crazies running through it, this year’s race was even more fun than last year’s, which is saying a lot because the Flying Pig is a blast. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and the amazing volunteers, numerous aid stations, and supportive crowds, who showed up in large numbers despite the weather. Ate a big donut, a gift from a spectator, near “the turn” (dividing half and full marathoners) and also enjoyed a serving from the bacon station in the Mariemont neighborhood. The expo at this race is the best I’ve seen for any race. This year I had to rush through it in a hurry, which turned out to be easy. The race shirt this year was not made of technical fabric, but I will enjoy wearing it as just a regular t-shirt. The Flying Pig Medal is epic, as always. The course photos began to be available the next day. The recovery area is exceptional, like almost everything about the Flying Pig that matters to me for a big city marathon. Love the Flying Pig and plan to come back again next year, as this course is worth traveling from California to attend, and apparently 4 other marathoners from my small city (Davis) agreed, as they were there, too!

Very scenic point-to-point course with memorable start running across Shasta Dam, descending steeply to Sacramento Rail Trail, a nicely maintained paved trail for runners and bikers alongside the beautiful Sacramento River. Race is organized by local running organization and although a low-key and small race, it’s well organized and the volunteers are friendly and helpful. There are not many spectators, but the runners seemed to be more experienced than in the big city marathons I’ve run and there was good camaraderie among the runners and volunteers. This is an ideal race (or supported long-run) if one is looking for a beautiful and peaceful run through lovely scenery and with little fanfare. I was caught off-guard by the frequency and steepness of some of the hills, somehow expecting it to be milder than it actually was, but I’ll know better next time. My Garmin Fenix 6 estimated that the total ascent was 750 feet. My other two marathons (Cincinnati and Kansas City) were both over 1,000 feet, but I knew those were going to be hilly. I run along the river trails in Sacramento frequently and somehow thought this course wouldn’t be as tough as it actually was, so I’m rating the Difficulty as 4 / 5 as a warning to others! The finish line was at the iconic Sundial Bridge, and had some fun amenities for the runners–including vegetable soup, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and apple pie. There were also medical volunteers and massages available. I ran the race about 15 minutes slower than I expected and went to my nearby hotel to shower, before realizing that I had forgotten to pick up my drop bag. It turned out the finish line amenities were still available then, so even runners finishing about 6.5 hours later will find support, which is nice. The hotel at the finish line (Sheraton Redding Hotel at Sundial Bridge) was very good and has a nice restaurant. The shuttle bus to the start was also a good deal and comfortable, and the Shasta Visitor Center was a nice warm place to wait until the 8 am start. All and all, a really wonderful and well-organized small marathon, even though I ran it slower than I had expected. Course swag includes a beautiful finisher’s medal and a useful shirt.

First class race support, with over 20 hydration stations and treats along the way from the great folks in Cincinnati. Wonderful experience for an out-of-towner, with easy access to the airport and race from the race hotel.