| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| H (° F ) | 70 | 64 | 61 | 78 | 82 |
| L (° F ) | 57 | 39 | 42 | 47 | 57 |
| Powered by Dark Sky | |||||
Overall I really enjoyed this race - the crossing between states/across bridges was a nice distraction from the elevation changes. The first few miles were uphill, but the view of … MORE
Overall I really enjoyed this race – the crossing between states/across bridges was a nice distraction from the elevation changes. The first few miles were uphill, but the view of the river was great from the top.
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This was my first marathon and it pretty much kicked my butt. I'm not sure if I just wasn't as prepared as I needed to be or if it was … MORE
This was my first marathon and it pretty much kicked my butt. I’m not sure if I just wasn’t as prepared as I needed to be or if it was the humidity and late morning heat (almost every long training run had been done in temps at or below 32 but it got up to around 60 that morning) but it just wasn’t my day.
I had run the Flying Pig half marathon back in October 2021 and had a great experience so I decided to give this a try. Having run the first half, I knew the hills well so I was prepared for that. Most of my training runs were done in the Mariemont area with a few in Oakley/HydePark, so I had familiarity with what to expect on the back half as well. Regardless, at about the 14-15 mile mark, I knew I was in trouble and spent the next 11-12 miles alternating running and walking.
The course is challenging with a fair amount of rolling hills scattered throughout. The toughest hills are around miles 6-8 as you make your way up through Eden Park but the payoff view makes it all worthwhile. And generally, if you take your time and don’t try to go too fast, those hills really aren’t that bad if you’ve trained in a somewhat hilly area. I found on-course entertainment to be a little lacking. There were a few bands scattered around but not too many but that doesn’t really bother me as I usually have music playing softly through my earbuds.
In many areas, crowd support is phenomenal! The starting area, 5th Ave, Eden Park, Hyde Park and Mariemont are all standouts. There are stretches where it’s a little more sparse, especially around mile 17-18 or so as you’re coming out of Mariemont along Columbia Parkway as well as parts of the final 6 miles through Eastern Ave and Riverside Dr.
The expo is huge and swag is great. It usually includes a shirt, magnet, poster and some type of bag (not a plastic one, but more like a backpack). After finishing, the after party along the river is wonderful. Smale Riverfront park is large enough that even with the stage for the band, several beer trucks, multiple tents, etc., there’s still room to spread out, crash in the grass and recover! I’m sure I’m biased since it’s my hometown race but I’d highly recommend it!
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I started running again during the Covid shut down and this was my first in person event. i was nervous and excited and a little bit scared, but the organization … MORE
I started running again during the Covid shut down and this was my first in person event. i was nervous and excited and a little bit scared, but the organization was amazing. i loved the entire weekend from the swag bag pickup at Duke Energy center to the shorter events on Saturday. The Flying Fur with pups running was the CUTEST thing! The crowd support and aid water/aid stations were amazing. It made me want to come back every year. I even signed up for the FULL marathon for the 25th running in 2023.
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This is a big race with lot’s of crowd support. If I lived out there I would run this one every year. There are some steep climbs mid distance for … MORE
This is a big race with lot’s of crowd support. If I lived out there I would run this one every year. There are some steep climbs mid distance for the half marathon. But the view from the top is worth it.
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The Flying Pig is more than just a race, it’s a weekend of fun events. I did the Skyline challenge which was a 10K and 5K on Saturday and the … MORE
The Flying Pig is more than just a race, it’s a weekend of fun events. I did the Skyline challenge which was a 10K and 5K on Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday. Very affordable.
The Marathon itself is a great race. Starts by the stadiums and river in Cincinnati before crossing over to Kentucky for a couple of miles and than back to Cincinnati. Miles 5-9 are a challenging uphill section but then the rest remains slow rolling downward hills to the finish. There is a section with limited shade closer to the finish that can be challenging on a hot sunny day.
The crowd support is fantastic and the aid stations are plenty at every mile.
The swag is great. For doing the challenge I received 4 shirts and a medal for every race plus a Challenge Medal.
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I absolutely loved this race and would qualify it as my favorite race ever. It was a challenging course definitely because of the hills. But the expo was amazing, and … MORE
I absolutely loved this race and would qualify it as my favorite race ever. It was a challenging course definitely because of the hills. But the expo was amazing, and the atmosphere was also amazing. Lots and lots of spectators cheering everyone on and the after-race party was tons of fun. If I was able, I would do this race every year for sure. It was well organized and well run. Cincinatti was also a blast and be sure to ride the electric scooters around to explore the town.
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Race expo was huge and had a good variety of vendors. Be ready to pay for parking wherever you go. Race morning was in corrals which was nice, however I … MORE
Race expo was huge and had a good variety of vendors. Be ready to pay for parking wherever you go. Race morning was in corrals which was nice, however I don’t think anyone was checking bibs to confirm corrals. My one big complaint was that the 2 hour pacer for the half went out way too fast. I made the decision to try to start slower knowing that the hills were coming in the middle of the race, but the pacer went out at 8:30 pace for the first 3 miles. Needless to say I completely died during the hills. I do love the pig theme and would do this race again so I can improve on this course. Cincinnati is a really nice city!
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Every good thing you’ve heard about The Flying Pig Marathon is true. The race is exceptionally well organized. Every detail is attended to. It’s not just obvious things like race … MORE
Every good thing you’ve heard about The Flying Pig Marathon is true.
The race is exceptionally well organized. Every detail is attended to. It’s not just obvious things like race route and communication and aid stations (though those things are excellent); it’s the little details, too, like a greeting committee at the airport, or a carefully organized gear drop bus brigade.
The city of Cincinnati is beautiful…far more charming than I expected. From the iconic bridges (can we please celebrate America’s builders?) to quaint neighborhoods to pockets of small town “Main Street” tucked along the race route, there wasn’t a mile of this race that passed without something to admire about Cincinnati.
A few notes to help other runners:
* Race started at the Bengals football stadium, which meant TONS of indoor restrooms…no waiting in long lines for a porta-potty
* The well-organized gear drop bus brigade made it easy to drop my belongings before the race and pick them up after. Super helpful, since I was headed to the airport after the event.
* Hydration stations at least every mile (a HUGE plus), and Gatorade AND water at every single one.
* The famous crowd support from the community is exactly as advertised. I don’t think I ran 100 yards without a cheering spectator all day. Maybe once. But still done. Well done, folks of Cincinnati.
* The medal is HEAVY…a high quality medal. The race shirt was kinda “meh,” but wah wah. I give the swag a B-.
* Can’t comment on mid-race porta-potties…didn’t need ‘em, so didn’t look for ‘em.
* Love the snacks at aid stations (official AND unofficial). Yes, I took the bacon at mile 15. When in Rome. Hard pass on Oreos, but love that it was an option. Saw gummy worms, orange slices, Swedish fish, Skittles, Girl Scout cookies, and more. Skipped the beer. Took the Jell-O shot. Because why not?
* Availed myself of the professional stretching. Good call. Made that flight home after the race tolerable.
* Note to self: Don’t rush out of the post-race recovery area. Get the free food. I wasn’t feeling great and just skipped it. Wish I had at least grabbed some pizza. The fruit cup and banana were fine, but I think there was more recovery nourishment available, and I just bypassed it.
* A few decent restaurants and bars within a few blocks of the race. Not a ton, but enough to tide you over if you don’t wanna travel far for grub and drinks. I recommend the Belgian place or the rooftop bar at The Blind Pig.
Okay, lots of words. Sorry. I had a great time in Cincinnati, and I highly recommend the race to ANY marathoner.
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This was my first official 10K! I'm from Indy and we stayed the night in a nearby hotel. Everything was easy to get to and I love the commitment to … MORE
This was my first official 10K! I’m from Indy and we stayed the night in a nearby hotel. Everything was easy to get to and I love the commitment to the pig theme. Hilly race at times, but not too steep of an incline except for that last mammojamma!
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I definitely recommend this race and would love to go again in future years, but with a longer distance. I loved the 5k as it was beautiful and challenging but … MORE
I definitely recommend this race and would love to go again in future years, but with a longer distance. I loved the 5k as it was beautiful and challenging but I was disappointed in the swag. I know I only participated in the 5k but I expected a little more swag in my packet than just my bib and t-shirt. I loved the expo and my medal too, but again the free swag at the expo was catered to men and I would have loved some more female friendly free swag too.
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I did the 3 way Challenge with extra cheese and boy it was a challenge! All of the courses involved hills but the half had the longest hill I have … MORE
I did the 3 way Challenge with extra cheese and boy it was a challenge! All of the courses involved hills but the half had the longest hill I have ever climbed in a race but the view at the top was amazing. I love that the course takes us into Kentucky and we cross many bridges over the Ohio River. This was such a fun weekend, the crowd support during the races are outstanding. The expo was top notch so much and a lot of freebies. With doing the challenge there was a lot of swag and I ended up with 5 medals. The After Party area and activities were awesome. Cincinnati is so picturesque and with so much to do we wished we had more time to explore. So yes, I am thinking about doing this again even though it did darn near eat me alive – ha! Would I do the challenge again? Not sure about that but if you are trying to decide I recommend you do it – the post race(s) high is immense!
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Because I live in California, this race was most likely a "one and done" for me. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a … MORE
Because I live in California, this race was most likely a “one and done” for me. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a marathon in Ohio. I have nothing but positive things to say from start to finish. If I lived closer, this would likely be a yearly event for me.
My friend and I easily found metered street parking right outside the convention center for the expo on Saturday. The expo was large with a nice variety of vendors. In addition to the race shirt, marathon participants received a nice travel bag (great for my return flight home). There were also free posters available that you could have signed by the artist. People running their first ever marathon received an additional shirt and a sign to pin to their back.
On race morning, we had no trouble getting to one of the designated parking lots. There were plenty of porta potties spread out around the entire venue. I loved that the corrals were referred to “pig pens.” There were even porta potties in each of the “pig pens.”
I highly enjoyed the course. There are a lot of hills, but they are long and gradual. None were steep enough to cause me to adjust my pace or run/walk ratios. The long gradual downhills felt great to run.
The course support was great. Although my friend and I did not partake in the bacon, we were highly amused by the infamous bacon aid station. At another station, participants were handed small toy balls and encouraged to try to throw them into a basket. My friend and I both missed, but enjoyed a good laugh at the experience. Later in the race, volunteers were handing out cool wet towels.
I loved that the Finish Line said Finish Swine. It helped me finish with a big smile on my face. Finishers were handed a bag with various snacks. There were also a variety of vendors selling food. The official beer at the finish was Michelob Ultra, but a local brewery brought out several kegs of their beer that participants could help themselves to. The finish venue was at a park overlooking the Ohio River which provided scenic photo opportunities.
My friend and I had no difficulty walking back to our car once we were ready to leave.
The medals featured a flying pig and were nice and heavy. A great addition to my 50 states display! When I got home, I dropped my medal onto the hard concreate causing a dent. I reached out to the race to inquire about purchasing a replacement for my display. They mailed me a replacement free of charge.
I can’t speak highly enough of this event. It is a “must run” for anyone who lives near Cincinnati or for anyone looking to run a marathon in Ohio.
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If the hills on this race course don't kill you, you will absolutely love the Flying Pig. Excellent crowd support, great atmosphere, lots of fun. That being said, I think … MORE
If the hills on this race course don’t kill you, you will absolutely love the Flying Pig. Excellent crowd support, great atmosphere, lots of fun. That being said, I think this is the toughest course I’ve run. It is not easy. But it was a blast and I plan to run it again for sure! I stayed in one of the suburban hotels overnight, but I’m not sure I will do that again. I will probably stay downtown next time. We thought we found good parking on race morning, but later received a bill in the mail for $80 for parking.
For how much it cost to park downtown, I think next time I will get a downtown hotel. But other than the parking, everything was great. Nice swag, too. Runners even get a frameable poster. The Flying Pig lived up to its reputation as a very fun race.
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This was my first marathon and it was an amazing experience. The whole city gets excited for this marathon weekend so there are a ton of fans, the expo and … MORE
This was my first marathon and it was an amazing experience. The whole city gets excited for this marathon weekend so there are a ton of fans, the expo and celebrations at the end are fun, and the race itself is hard but worth it. As a first-timer, everyone is cheering for you and supporting you.
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If you want hills, then this race is for you! The crowds at all the mile markers (even Elvis) were always very helpful and very supportive. The swag and expo … MORE
If you want hills, then this race is for you! The crowds at all the mile markers (even Elvis) were always very helpful and very supportive. The swag and expo and after party is not bad at all. I hope to run the marathon there (2nd one) next year for the 25th anniversary.
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The crowds are just unreal! I have been on the sidelines cheering for years and finally got my own 13.1 under my belt! Crowds were supportive and energetic. I felt … MORE
The crowds are just unreal! I have been on the sidelines cheering for years and finally got my own 13.1 under my belt! Crowds were supportive and energetic. I felt it was a very well organized production and seemed to run so smoothly. Everyone is so friendly!
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Great but challenging course!! Lots of hills! Great expo and swag!!! Scenic views of Ohio river and downtown Cincinnati. Many different race lengths and options all weekend!!! MORE
Great but challenging course!! Lots of hills! Great expo and swag!!! Scenic views of Ohio river and downtown Cincinnati. Many different race lengths and options all weekend!!!
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Great expo! Nice swag and shirt, I thought it would be pink, though. Nice signs around town about the race. I loved the course and the live entertainment, friendly volunteers … MORE
Great expo! Nice swag and shirt, I thought it would be pink, though. Nice signs around town about the race. I loved the course and the live entertainment, friendly volunteers and ample aid stations. Beautiful weather and scenery. I loved the hills because they gave my calfs a break from all the pounding on a flat course. Great start and finish line festivities and hot, delicious pizza at the end.
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This was my 2nd half marathon of 2022. I knew the course would be hilly, and trained the best I could, but a few colds derailed me training some (thankfully … MORE
This was my 2nd half marathon of 2022. I knew the course would be hilly, and trained the best I could, but a few colds derailed me training some (thankfully not COVID). So my goal going into the race was to finish – no time goal.
I had registered back in November, so I’d been looking forward to this trip for a long time!
It was my first “normal” expo, and I really enjoyed it. The volunteers were super-friendly, great merchandise available to commemorate the event, and so much race swag! My suitcase was packed.
I was a little overwhelmed on Sunday morning trying to find the baggage check buses, but a few runners let me tag along and made sure I ended up in the right spot.
Lots of fears about rain on race day were taken over by the humidity. It was warm at the start, and I tried to be conservative in pace before I reached the hills. And well, the hills definitely disappoint. I just kept moving, and knew we’d eventually get to mile 10!
Course support was awesome, especially the cop who high-fived runners and blew his whistle everytime, and those handing out tissues and oranges.
I was on my own, so after finishing, grabbed my stuff, my celebratory beer, and then headed back to my hotel.
It was a great experience, and has me itching to travel for more races. And I’ll be back at the Pig again in a few years…gotta conquer those hills!
I also recommend joining the race’s Facebook group – so much good information was shared!
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OK, so you've likely read about the hills. Yep - they are there - not the worst in the world but not easy. Parking, however, was by far the easiest … MORE
OK, so you’ve likely read about the hills. Yep – they are there – not the worst in the world but not easy. Parking, however, was by far the easiest of any big race I have done. Crowd support was good…with a lot of parties going on that didn’t seem to notice there were runners…but hey, whatever it takes to party on a Sunday morning…. best part for me was ample porta-potties before during and after – hey, some of us have to recon with that aspect of long runs. Yes, they did have bacon along the way as well as many other fun treats. Swag was disappointing….the shirt was very plain nothing special and probably not something I will ever wear…just grey with print on it. The extra swag was a zipper recycle grocery bag. Big deal….I’m guessing they are saving money for a big splash next year with the 25th – I hope that is why this year’s swag was B flat. It was a one and done for me, but there sure are loyal followers, so maybe I’m just a curmudgeon….and I’ll leave it at that!
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Little bit of elevation
Overall I really enjoyed this race - the crossing between states/across bridges was a nice distraction from the elevation changes. The first few miles were uphill, but the view of … MORE
Overall I really enjoyed this race – the crossing between states/across bridges was a nice distraction from the elevation changes. The first few miles were uphill, but the view of the river was great from the top.
Tough Course, Tough Conditions
This was my first marathon and it pretty much kicked my butt. I'm not sure if I just wasn't as prepared as I needed to be or if it was … MORE
This was my first marathon and it pretty much kicked my butt. I’m not sure if I just wasn’t as prepared as I needed to be or if it was the humidity and late morning heat (almost every long training run had been done in temps at or below 32 but it got up to around 60 that morning) but it just wasn’t my day.
I had run the Flying Pig half marathon back in October 2021 and had a great experience so I decided to give this a try. Having run the first half, I knew the hills well so I was prepared for that. Most of my training runs were done in the Mariemont area with a few in Oakley/HydePark, so I had familiarity with what to expect on the back half as well. Regardless, at about the 14-15 mile mark, I knew I was in trouble and spent the next 11-12 miles alternating running and walking.
The course is challenging with a fair amount of rolling hills scattered throughout. The toughest hills are around miles 6-8 as you make your way up through Eden Park but the payoff view makes it all worthwhile. And generally, if you take your time and don’t try to go too fast, those hills really aren’t that bad if you’ve trained in a somewhat hilly area. I found on-course entertainment to be a little lacking. There were a few bands scattered around but not too many but that doesn’t really bother me as I usually have music playing softly through my earbuds.
In many areas, crowd support is phenomenal! The starting area, 5th Ave, Eden Park, Hyde Park and Mariemont are all standouts. There are stretches where it’s a little more sparse, especially around mile 17-18 or so as you’re coming out of Mariemont along Columbia Parkway as well as parts of the final 6 miles through Eastern Ave and Riverside Dr.
The expo is huge and swag is great. It usually includes a shirt, magnet, poster and some type of bag (not a plastic one, but more like a backpack). After finishing, the after party along the river is wonderful. Smale Riverfront park is large enough that even with the stage for the band, several beer trucks, multiple tents, etc., there’s still room to spread out, crash in the grass and recover! I’m sure I’m biased since it’s my hometown race but I’d highly recommend it!
First in person half
I started running again during the Covid shut down and this was my first in person event. i was nervous and excited and a little bit scared, but the organization … MORE
I started running again during the Covid shut down and this was my first in person event. i was nervous and excited and a little bit scared, but the organization was amazing. i loved the entire weekend from the swag bag pickup at Duke Energy center to the shorter events on Saturday. The Flying Fur with pups running was the CUTEST thing! The crowd support and aid water/aid stations were amazing. It made me want to come back every year. I even signed up for the FULL marathon for the 25th running in 2023.
Time to take off
This is a big race with lot’s of crowd support. If I lived out there I would run this one every year. There are some steep climbs mid distance for … MORE
This is a big race with lot’s of crowd support. If I lived out there I would run this one every year. There are some steep climbs mid distance for the half marathon. But the view from the top is worth it.
Great Weekend at The Flying Pig!
The Flying Pig is more than just a race, it’s a weekend of fun events. I did the Skyline challenge which was a 10K and 5K on Saturday and the … MORE
The Flying Pig is more than just a race, it’s a weekend of fun events. I did the Skyline challenge which was a 10K and 5K on Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday. Very affordable.
The Marathon itself is a great race. Starts by the stadiums and river in Cincinnati before crossing over to Kentucky for a couple of miles and than back to Cincinnati. Miles 5-9 are a challenging uphill section but then the rest remains slow rolling downward hills to the finish. There is a section with limited shade closer to the finish that can be challenging on a hot sunny day.
The crowd support is fantastic and the aid stations are plenty at every mile.
The swag is great. For doing the challenge I received 4 shirts and a medal for every race plus a Challenge Medal.
Favorite Race Ever
I absolutely loved this race and would qualify it as my favorite race ever. It was a challenging course definitely because of the hills. But the expo was amazing, and … MORE
I absolutely loved this race and would qualify it as my favorite race ever. It was a challenging course definitely because of the hills. But the expo was amazing, and the atmosphere was also amazing. Lots and lots of spectators cheering everyone on and the after-race party was tons of fun. If I was able, I would do this race every year for sure. It was well organized and well run. Cincinatti was also a blast and be sure to ride the electric scooters around to explore the town.
Love the Theme!
Race expo was huge and had a good variety of vendors. Be ready to pay for parking wherever you go. Race morning was in corrals which was nice, however I … MORE
Race expo was huge and had a good variety of vendors. Be ready to pay for parking wherever you go. Race morning was in corrals which was nice, however I don’t think anyone was checking bibs to confirm corrals. My one big complaint was that the 2 hour pacer for the half went out way too fast. I made the decision to try to start slower knowing that the hills were coming in the middle of the race, but the pacer went out at 8:30 pace for the first 3 miles. Needless to say I completely died during the hills. I do love the pig theme and would do this race again so I can improve on this course. Cincinnati is a really nice city!
As good as advertised
Every good thing you’ve heard about The Flying Pig Marathon is true. The race is exceptionally well organized. Every detail is attended to. It’s not just obvious things like race … MORE
Every good thing you’ve heard about The Flying Pig Marathon is true.
The race is exceptionally well organized. Every detail is attended to. It’s not just obvious things like race route and communication and aid stations (though those things are excellent); it’s the little details, too, like a greeting committee at the airport, or a carefully organized gear drop bus brigade.
The city of Cincinnati is beautiful…far more charming than I expected. From the iconic bridges (can we please celebrate America’s builders?) to quaint neighborhoods to pockets of small town “Main Street” tucked along the race route, there wasn’t a mile of this race that passed without something to admire about Cincinnati.
A few notes to help other runners:
* Race started at the Bengals football stadium, which meant TONS of indoor restrooms…no waiting in long lines for a porta-potty
* The well-organized gear drop bus brigade made it easy to drop my belongings before the race and pick them up after. Super helpful, since I was headed to the airport after the event.
* Hydration stations at least every mile (a HUGE plus), and Gatorade AND water at every single one.
* The famous crowd support from the community is exactly as advertised. I don’t think I ran 100 yards without a cheering spectator all day. Maybe once. But still done. Well done, folks of Cincinnati.
* The medal is HEAVY…a high quality medal. The race shirt was kinda “meh,” but wah wah. I give the swag a B-.
* Can’t comment on mid-race porta-potties…didn’t need ‘em, so didn’t look for ‘em.
* Love the snacks at aid stations (official AND unofficial). Yes, I took the bacon at mile 15. When in Rome. Hard pass on Oreos, but love that it was an option. Saw gummy worms, orange slices, Swedish fish, Skittles, Girl Scout cookies, and more. Skipped the beer. Took the Jell-O shot. Because why not?
* Availed myself of the professional stretching. Good call. Made that flight home after the race tolerable.
* Note to self: Don’t rush out of the post-race recovery area. Get the free food. I wasn’t feeling great and just skipped it. Wish I had at least grabbed some pizza. The fruit cup and banana were fine, but I think there was more recovery nourishment available, and I just bypassed it.
* A few decent restaurants and bars within a few blocks of the race. Not a ton, but enough to tide you over if you don’t wanna travel far for grub and drinks. I recommend the Belgian place or the rooftop bar at The Blind Pig.
Okay, lots of words. Sorry. I had a great time in Cincinnati, and I highly recommend the race to ANY marathoner.
Great First Race!
This was my first official 10K! I'm from Indy and we stayed the night in a nearby hotel. Everything was easy to get to and I love the commitment to … MORE
This was my first official 10K! I’m from Indy and we stayed the night in a nearby hotel. Everything was easy to get to and I love the commitment to the pig theme. Hilly race at times, but not too steep of an incline except for that last mammojamma!
So much fun and very well organized
I definitely recommend this race and would love to go again in future years, but with a longer distance. I loved the 5k as it was beautiful and challenging but … MORE
I definitely recommend this race and would love to go again in future years, but with a longer distance. I loved the 5k as it was beautiful and challenging but I was disappointed in the swag. I know I only participated in the 5k but I expected a little more swag in my packet than just my bib and t-shirt. I loved the expo and my medal too, but again the free swag at the expo was catered to men and I would have loved some more female friendly free swag too.
Cincinnati Flying Pig - So FUN!
I did the 3 way Challenge with extra cheese and boy it was a challenge! All of the courses involved hills but the half had the longest hill I have … MORE
I did the 3 way Challenge with extra cheese and boy it was a challenge! All of the courses involved hills but the half had the longest hill I have ever climbed in a race but the view at the top was amazing. I love that the course takes us into Kentucky and we cross many bridges over the Ohio River. This was such a fun weekend, the crowd support during the races are outstanding. The expo was top notch so much and a lot of freebies. With doing the challenge there was a lot of swag and I ended up with 5 medals. The After Party area and activities were awesome. Cincinnati is so picturesque and with so much to do we wished we had more time to explore. So yes, I am thinking about doing this again even though it did darn near eat me alive – ha! Would I do the challenge again? Not sure about that but if you are trying to decide I recommend you do it – the post race(s) high is immense!
When Pigs Fly
Because I live in California, this race was most likely a "one and done" for me. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a … MORE
Because I live in California, this race was most likely a “one and done” for me. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a marathon in Ohio. I have nothing but positive things to say from start to finish. If I lived closer, this would likely be a yearly event for me.
My friend and I easily found metered street parking right outside the convention center for the expo on Saturday. The expo was large with a nice variety of vendors. In addition to the race shirt, marathon participants received a nice travel bag (great for my return flight home). There were also free posters available that you could have signed by the artist. People running their first ever marathon received an additional shirt and a sign to pin to their back.
On race morning, we had no trouble getting to one of the designated parking lots. There were plenty of porta potties spread out around the entire venue. I loved that the corrals were referred to “pig pens.” There were even porta potties in each of the “pig pens.”
I highly enjoyed the course. There are a lot of hills, but they are long and gradual. None were steep enough to cause me to adjust my pace or run/walk ratios. The long gradual downhills felt great to run.
The course support was great. Although my friend and I did not partake in the bacon, we were highly amused by the infamous bacon aid station. At another station, participants were handed small toy balls and encouraged to try to throw them into a basket. My friend and I both missed, but enjoyed a good laugh at the experience. Later in the race, volunteers were handing out cool wet towels.
I loved that the Finish Line said Finish Swine. It helped me finish with a big smile on my face. Finishers were handed a bag with various snacks. There were also a variety of vendors selling food. The official beer at the finish was Michelob Ultra, but a local brewery brought out several kegs of their beer that participants could help themselves to. The finish venue was at a park overlooking the Ohio River which provided scenic photo opportunities.
My friend and I had no difficulty walking back to our car once we were ready to leave.
The medals featured a flying pig and were nice and heavy. A great addition to my 50 states display! When I got home, I dropped my medal onto the hard concreate causing a dent. I reached out to the race to inquire about purchasing a replacement for my display. They mailed me a replacement free of charge.
I can’t speak highly enough of this event. It is a “must run” for anyone who lives near Cincinnati or for anyone looking to run a marathon in Ohio.
Whole city turns out for the Flying Pig!
If the hills on this race course don't kill you, you will absolutely love the Flying Pig. Excellent crowd support, great atmosphere, lots of fun. That being said, I think … MORE
If the hills on this race course don’t kill you, you will absolutely love the Flying Pig. Excellent crowd support, great atmosphere, lots of fun. That being said, I think this is the toughest course I’ve run. It is not easy. But it was a blast and I plan to run it again for sure! I stayed in one of the suburban hotels overnight, but I’m not sure I will do that again. I will probably stay downtown next time. We thought we found good parking on race morning, but later received a bill in the mail for $80 for parking.
For how much it cost to park downtown, I think next time I will get a downtown hotel. But other than the parking, everything was great. Nice swag, too. Runners even get a frameable poster. The Flying Pig lived up to its reputation as a very fun race.
Best experience I could have asked for
This was my first marathon and it was an amazing experience. The whole city gets excited for this marathon weekend so there are a ton of fans, the expo and … MORE
This was my first marathon and it was an amazing experience. The whole city gets excited for this marathon weekend so there are a ton of fans, the expo and celebrations at the end are fun, and the race itself is hard but worth it. As a first-timer, everyone is cheering for you and supporting you.
Fantastic race!
If you want hills, then this race is for you! The crowds at all the mile markers (even Elvis) were always very helpful and very supportive. The swag and expo … MORE
If you want hills, then this race is for you! The crowds at all the mile markers (even Elvis) were always very helpful and very supportive. The swag and expo and after party is not bad at all. I hope to run the marathon there (2nd one) next year for the 25th anniversary.
Best crowds!
The crowds are just unreal! I have been on the sidelines cheering for years and finally got my own 13.1 under my belt! Crowds were supportive and energetic. I felt … MORE
The crowds are just unreal! I have been on the sidelines cheering for years and finally got my own 13.1 under my belt! Crowds were supportive and energetic. I felt it was a very well organized production and seemed to run so smoothly. Everyone is so friendly!
Great race!!!
Great but challenging course!! Lots of hills! Great expo and swag!!! Scenic views of Ohio river and downtown Cincinnati. Many different race lengths and options all weekend!!! MORE
Great but challenging course!! Lots of hills! Great expo and swag!!! Scenic views of Ohio river and downtown Cincinnati. Many different race lengths and options all weekend!!!
Loved Everthing about the Flying Pig
Great expo! Nice swag and shirt, I thought it would be pink, though. Nice signs around town about the race. I loved the course and the live entertainment, friendly volunteers … MORE
Great expo! Nice swag and shirt, I thought it would be pink, though. Nice signs around town about the race. I loved the course and the live entertainment, friendly volunteers and ample aid stations. Beautiful weather and scenery. I loved the hills because they gave my calfs a break from all the pounding on a flat course. Great start and finish line festivities and hot, delicious pizza at the end.
Oh the hills!
This was my 2nd half marathon of 2022. I knew the course would be hilly, and trained the best I could, but a few colds derailed me training some (thankfully … MORE
This was my 2nd half marathon of 2022. I knew the course would be hilly, and trained the best I could, but a few colds derailed me training some (thankfully not COVID). So my goal going into the race was to finish – no time goal.
I had registered back in November, so I’d been looking forward to this trip for a long time!
It was my first “normal” expo, and I really enjoyed it. The volunteers were super-friendly, great merchandise available to commemorate the event, and so much race swag! My suitcase was packed.
I was a little overwhelmed on Sunday morning trying to find the baggage check buses, but a few runners let me tag along and made sure I ended up in the right spot.
Lots of fears about rain on race day were taken over by the humidity. It was warm at the start, and I tried to be conservative in pace before I reached the hills. And well, the hills definitely disappoint. I just kept moving, and knew we’d eventually get to mile 10!
Course support was awesome, especially the cop who high-fived runners and blew his whistle everytime, and those handing out tissues and oranges.
I was on my own, so after finishing, grabbed my stuff, my celebratory beer, and then headed back to my hotel.
It was a great experience, and has me itching to travel for more races. And I’ll be back at the Pig again in a few years…gotta conquer those hills!
I also recommend joining the race’s Facebook group – so much good information was shared!
Very Good, But Didn't Quite Meet the Hyp
OK, so you've likely read about the hills. Yep - they are there - not the worst in the world but not easy. Parking, however, was by far the easiest … MORE
OK, so you’ve likely read about the hills. Yep – they are there – not the worst in the world but not easy. Parking, however, was by far the easiest of any big race I have done. Crowd support was good…with a lot of parties going on that didn’t seem to notice there were runners…but hey, whatever it takes to party on a Sunday morning…. best part for me was ample porta-potties before during and after – hey, some of us have to recon with that aspect of long runs. Yes, they did have bacon along the way as well as many other fun treats. Swag was disappointing….the shirt was very plain nothing special and probably not something I will ever wear…just grey with print on it. The extra swag was a zipper recycle grocery bag. Big deal….I’m guessing they are saving money for a big splash next year with the 25th – I hope that is why this year’s swag was B flat. It was a one and done for me, but there sure are loyal followers, so maybe I’m just a curmudgeon….and I’ll leave it at that!