Flying Pig Marathon

[mickeysgal]

We're thinking of running the 1/2. Has anyone run the Flying Pig? Loads of fun? Would you recommend it or do it again?

 

[Bookwood]

I have done the flying pig (3 yrs ago this year) and I think it would be a fun race- for us it poured and the starting corrals were underwater before we even got there, so not nearly as much fun as it could be. It's a bit hilly with some great views somewhere between mile 8ish and 10ish which I'm sure would be even better if the sun wasn't liquid. The expo was great and the community there really supported the race. Had a fun time even in the pouring rain!

I'd say do it

 

[mickeysgal]

No one else has run this race?

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I asked about it on another forum and it was highly recommended. I am really considering doing the Marathon this year. The medal is cute, and like a lot of races, the medal gets larger based on the distance and the full marathon has a very nice lanyard.

 

[queen mimi]

I am thinking of doing it this year. My son says that I travel all over the country to do half marathons and one of the best in the country is in my own hometown and I haven't done it! Cincinnati is very hilly. I hear from friends who have done it that the worst ones are at the beginning. Towards the end it is downhill. Depending on how I do in the Princess and the impending birth of a new grandson will determine if I do the race.

 

[jimandami]

Although I haven't done it, I have many friends who have and it's a great race with great crowd support. We don't run it for 2 reasons: 1) I train on tons of hills and don't want to race on them! 2) We run the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon and it is the same weekend.

 

[Interrobang]

My husband has run the 1/2 pig and had a great time. He also does fulls though so 1/2 is a happy, easy distance for him. I also have friends who've run both the half and the full. It is a great party. Lots of supporters, lots of energy. My husband says the food after is beyond fabulous (compared to Columbus that basically gives you a banana and a chocolate milk). The first half is super hilly though. I can ask my husband if you have any specific questions. I think he's running it again this year.

 

[robynslp]

My "dream" is to do Indy on Saturday and Flying Pig on Sunday. With my thyroid removal this spring, I'm thinking its a bad idea.

 

[jimandami]

My "dream" is to do Indy on Saturday and Flying Pig on Sunday. With my thyroid removal this spring, I'm thinking its a bad idea.

I had a friend who did that last year and did the full Pig on Sunday too!

 

[mickeysgal]

My husband has run the 1/2 pig and had a great time. He also does fulls though so 1/2 is a happy, easy distance for him. I also have friends who've run both the half and the full. It is a great party. Lots of supporters, lots of energy. My husband says the food after is beyond fabulous (compared to Columbus that basically gives you a banana and a chocolate milk). The first half is super hilly though. I can ask my husband if you have any specific questions. I think he's running it again this year.

Many of you have mentioned it being hilly - some say super hilly. We now live in the Atlanta region so we're sort of used to it. Here, even in the subdivisions, you're either going up or down - hard to stay on an even surface here. Not that I want to race like that...but is it a crazy first half of the half due to it being so hilly?

 

[jimandami]

Hills are all relative, ya know? I have heard people call the WDW marathon or the ToT hilly and well, that's just funny! I live in the Cincinnati area and we are also always either going up or down. Having said that, there is a fairly large, steep hill between miles 5-8 that often gets people. I think whether or not to do the race is a matter of preference. Is your goal to run a fun, but somewhat challenging course in a new city? Then yes, run the Pig. If you goal is to train really hard and PR for a 1/2 marathon this spring, then no, I wouldn't recommend the Pig. Does that make sense? For me, when I run a race, I typically want to race it full out, so DH and I choose flatter courses, like the Indy Mini-marathon (which is ton of fun and I highly recommend).

 

[mickeysgal]

Hills are all relative, ya know? I have heard people call the WDW marathon or the ToT hilly and well, that's just funny! I live in the Cincinnati area and we are also always either going up or down. Having said that, there is a fairly large, steep hill between miles 5-8 that often gets people. I think whether or not to do the race is a matter of preference. Is your goal to run a fun, but somewhat challenging course in a new city? Then yes, run the Pig. If you goal is to train really hard and PR for a 1/2 marathon this spring, then no, I wouldn't recommend the Pig. Does that make sense? For me, when I run a race, I typically want to race it full out, so DH and I choose flatter courses, like the Indy Mini-marathon (which is ton of fun and I highly recommend).

I think you opened up a can of worms. Now we're looking at this one. Hard to decide!

 

[jimandami]

I think you opened up a can of worms. Now we're looking at this one. Hard to decide!

We will be there! It's the largest 1/2 in the country and just a lot of fun!

 

[mickeysgal]

We will be there! It's the largest 1/2 in the country and just a lot of fun!

And free beer at the end from what I understand!

 

[jimandami]

And free beer at the end from what I understand!

True! Just a warning though....it is Mich Ultra!

 

[wiigirl]

And free beer at the end from what I understand!

Sweet!

 

[Mama_Dis]

I ran it last year. I loved it, it's my kids favorite medal of mine! The crowd support is awesome, lots of music and fun. The first half is hilly- not like rolling hills of KY, but HILLS, there is at least one that goes up toward an area that people go to get a view of the city skyline, so it's a pretty steep incline, but once you get through that it is good! The Expo was great as well, lots of info on tons of different races/coupons/freebies etc.

 

[mickeysgal]

We will be there! It's the largest 1/2 in the country and just a lot of fun!

Decision made - it will be Indy this year. Will do the Flying Pig next year. Friends decided to meet us there and run their first 5k there. We're doing the mini-marathon (1/2). Hope it has a good expo. I'm becoming an expo addict.

 

[RunRookie]

I am definitely running The Pig this year cuz it is the 20th anniversary of the race weekend and they are offering a new 3-Way and 4-Way Challenge to the race.

I am doing the 3-Way Challenge: a 10K and 5K on Saturday followed by the Half on Sunday. Kinda like an easier Dopey!

 

[mickeysgal]

I am definitely running The Pig this year cuz it is the 20th anniversary of the race weekend and they are offering a new 3-Way and 4-Way Challenge to the race.

I am doing the 3-Way Challenge: a 10K and 5K on Saturday followed by the Half on Sunday. Kinda like an easier Dopey!

I saw that they were offering that. A bit too challenging for me still - I'm working on it though. To be honest, it was a tough decision to choose between the two. Wish they were spaced out so that we could do both. Please come back to this thread and let me know how it went! Good luck!