Flying Pig Marathon

For many years, Cincinnati was known as "Porkopolis"; this nickname came from the city's large pork interests.{{cite book |author=Clark, S. J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-hB6AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA334 |title=Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788–1912, Volume 2 |publisher=The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company |year=1912 |pages=334 |access-date=May 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327031927/https://books.google.com/books?id=-hB6AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA334#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |url-status=live}} In 1988, the city built a park, Bicentennial Commons, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the city's founding and commissioned British artist Andrew Leicester to create a sculpture for the entrance. Leicester came up with four steampipes, a nod to the city's riverboat history, each topped with a winged pig; the wings are a nod to General Electric Aviation, a major presence in the city.{{Cite web |last=Ogwude |first=Haadiza |title=How the Flying Pig went from a bar napkin to 'one of the most brandable' races in the US |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2023/05/02/flying-pig-marathon-how-get-its-name-when-did-start/70135291007/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Enquirer |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2011-08-05 |title=Where does the Flying Pig come from? |url=https://edc.pl/aviation/where-do-the-flying-pig-comes-from/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=EDC :: Engineering Design Center |language=en-US}} Initial reaction was derision, but the city soon embraced the "Flying Pigs", using it as a symbol and a brand. The marathon was named after them.{{Cite web |last=Monk |first=Dan |date=2016-05-01 |title=Pork producers: How the Flying Pig logo was born |url=https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/eureka-moments-the-serious-strategy-behind-cincinnatis-silliest-logo#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=WCPO |language=en}}

The marathon was first held in 1999 when Elly Rono of Kenya and the University of Southern Indiana (and a future 2:10 marathoner), won in the men's division.

In 2002, overall female winner Tatyana Pozdnyakova of Ukraine set the course record with a finishing time of 2:34:35 (achieved at the age of 47).

In 2006, overall male winner Cecil Franke set the course record with a finishing time of 2:20:25.

In 2011, legally blind runner Amy McDonaugh won the race in the women's division without a guide and with a time of 2:58:14.{{efn|McDonaugh was "completely blind in her right eye and her vision [was] 23/100 in her left eye with no peripheral sight".{{r|mcdonaugh}}}}{{Cite web|url=https://podiumrunner.com/events/legally-blind-runner-wins-flying-pig-marathon/|title=Legally Blind Runner Wins Flying Pig Marathon|date=2 May 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/running-dialogue/legally-blind-runner-wins-women-flying-pig-marathon-cincinnati-amy-blog-entry-1.1625031|title=Legally blind runner wins the women's Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati - GO AMY!|website=New York Daily News }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/features/story/_/id/6601404/marathoner-amy-mcdonaugh-blind-ambition|title = Blind ambition|date = June 2011}}{{r|2011.enquirer}}

In 2020, the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of either running the race virtually or transferring their entry to a later year.{{Cite web |last=Mcdonel |first=Maggy |date=2020-06-26 |title=2020 Flying Pig Marathon canceled |url=https://www.fox19.com/2020/06/26/flying-pig-marathon-canceled/ |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=fox19.com |language=en}} The race was postponed and offered virtually in 2021 as well.{{Cite web |last=Mcdonel |first=Maggy |date=2021-02-17 |title=Flying Pig Marathon postponed |url=https://www.fox19.com/2021/02/17/in-person-flying-pig-marathon-postponed/ |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=fox19.com |language=en}}

The race course starts in downtown Cincinnati and crosses the Taylor-Southgate Bridge over the Ohio River into Northern Kentucky, where it travels through Newport and crosses westward over the Licking River via the Fourth Street Bridge into Covington. From Covington, the route takes the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge back over the Ohio River into Cincinnati. After looping westward the first leg ends east of downtown in Eden Park, a distance of {{convert|6.84|mi}}. The race course then makes its way east through East Walnut Hills, O'Bryonville, and Hyde Park and ends after {{convert|5.16|mi}} at Richards Industries on Wasson Road. The third leg goes east to the village of Mariemont before looping back to head towards the river; it ends in Linwood, having traversed {{convert|7.67|mi}}. The final leg is {{convert|6.55|mi}} to the finish line downtown. The last {{convert|7|km|mi|abbr=on}} of the fourth leg follow the Ohio River Scenic Byway (US 52) along the Ohio River, heading downtown toward the finish line.{{cite web|url=http://flyingpigmarathon.com/events/marathon/ |title=Marathon Course Description}}

In recent years, the Flying Pig has included a 5K race, a 10K race, and a half marathon and a 2-mile "Flying Fur" event for dogs and humans. The 5K and 10K are held on the day before the marathon. The half marathon starts and finishes at the same locations as the full marathon, and is held on the same day as the full marathon.

In 2024 USA Today named the marathon the best in the US; the newspaper called out the scenic course and the race organizers' sense of fun with the pig theme as being attractive to runners.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-05 |title=Best Marathon (2024) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards |url=https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-marathon-2024/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=10Best |language=en}}

Key:{{pad|5px}}{{legend2|#CCFFCC||border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}} Course record (in bold)

• Big Pig Gig
• When pigs fly

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://flyingpigmarathon.com/}}
• [https://eu.cincinnati.com/picture-gallery/news/2019/04/29/winners-cincinnatis-annual-flying-pig-marathon-1999-2018/3618493002/ Photographs of winners (1999 to 2018)]

Category:Marathons in the United States

Category:Sports competitions in Cincinnati

Category:1999 establishments in Ohio

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1999

Category:Annual sporting events in the United States

Category:May