I am blessed to live in a city that annually hosts one of the best running events in the country. The Flying Pig Marathon Weekend is packed with awesome events, but I will only feature the Half Marathon event. While I have run sections of the course many times over the years, I finally ran the official race last fall on Halloween (delayed from typical spring date due to COVID). I will share with you some insider tips to help you run your best Flying Pig Half Marathon and enjoy the experience of running through the Queen City. If you would like a more in-depth review of the full marathon, check out my review from the 2018 race.
Pre-Race Tips
The P&G Health and Fitness Expo serves as the race packet pickup for the Flying Pig Weekend events. I have always enjoyed attending the expo and seeing all of the vendors. My suggestion for parking is to use the 84.51 garage on Fifth Street, which is less than a block away from the Duke Energy Convention Center. The expo is very organized and you should be able to breeze through the hall and collect all of your goodies. The expo is typically open on the Friday and Saturday before the Sunday race.
The start line for the race is just outside the east gate of Paul Brown Stadium (Who Dey!). There are several parking options for you on race morning if you are going to be driving. My favorite parking spot is Lot B on Pete Rose Way. The lot is fairly new and very large, but the best feature is that it’s covered. This is very handy if you are facing a wet morning waiting to jump into the corrals. Traditionally, the race starts at 6:30am to be able to beat the spring’s warm temperatures. I would recommend getting parked by around 5:30 to give yourself enough time to find restrooms (use Paul Brown Stadium for the best ones).
Flying Pig Half Marathon Course Overview
While most Midwest city races lack hills, Cincinnati is NOT your typical flat race. If you are expecting a Chicago-like elevation chart, you have picked the wrong race. However, if you run an informed and strategic race, you can still produce a very respectable time. Looking at the elevation chart, the race has around 600 feet of elevation ascent. However, with the course being almost a loop, you will get the benefit of the descent as well. The Flying Pig Half Marathon has 5 distinct sections to it and I will give you tips for each section.
Start – Mile 4: The Bridges
The first four miles of the race take you across the Ohio River for a short tour of Northern Kentucky before returning back the Buckeye State. You will head over 3 bridges and each one presents a decent climb. Keep your pace under control and establish a good rhythm. On the downhill sections focus on opening the hips and landing on your forefoot. You will need your quads at full strength later in the race, and avoiding heel striking will help preserve them. If you are doing this race, I would also recommend some strength training in addition to your regular running to help build quad strength.
Segment Ascent: 118 feet
Segment Descent: 87 feet
Mile 4 – Mile 5.5: Downtown
This is one of my favorite sections of the race. After coming off the final bridge and weaving through a little industrial area, you then make a right onto Seventh Street and roll through downtown. This mile-long stretch goes by quickly with the large crowd support. Be careful on pace as the excitement can easily push you along faster than you may want. This stretch is pretty much pancake flat. This is a good time to evaluate your fitness level and mentally prepare yourself for the hills to come. Most of all, soak in the crowds and enjoy this stretch!
Segment Ascent: 29 feet (147 feet cumulative)
Segment Descent: 21 feet (108 feet cumulative)
Mile 5.5 – Mile 8: The Climb
After you complete the mile-long stretch through downtown you will make a gradual left onto Gilbert Avenue and begin the toughest stretch of course. If you have done some hill training during your build up, you should be well prepared for this section. Overall, the gradient never gets much above 6%, but at 2.5 miles long, it will test your resolve. Luckily, the crowd really supports you through this stretch (look for Elvis by the conservatory!). I personally love this stretch through Eden park as you get some great views of the Ohio River. The key here is to keep your effort consistent. Aim to lower your pace a little to sustain your effort. There are enough spots where the course flattens out to recover before starting to climb again. Take advantage of those sections to get yourself relaxed and recovered.
Segment Ascent: 347 feet (494 feet cumulative)
Segment Descent: 58 feet (166 feet cumulative)
Mile 8-11: The Descent
As you come to the top of the hills, the full marathon course departs and continues its journey further east. Turning onto left MLK drive, you get a little reprieve with some downhill, but the rolling portion does have a little more climbing at the beginning of this stretch. However, a little after mile 9 you will begin your quick and rapid descent back into the city. You will easily be able to make up time on this steep downhill as you drop close to 200 feet just between mile 9.5-10.5. Once again, try to avoid pounding your heels, as your quads will thank you later. This stretch can shred your quads and joints if you aren’t careful.
Segment Ascent: 91 feet (585 feet cumulative)
Segment Descent: 316 feet (482 feet cumulative)
Mile 11 – Finish: Give It All You Got
A little after mile 11, the course flattens back out as you enter back into downtown. This can be a long 2 miles if you pushed too hard on the downhill miles. However, this final stretch does involve some gradual downhill (especially Eggleston), so time can certainly be recouped over this final stretch. One tip is to stay on the right side of the road as you come down by the casino. A lot of people end up running extra distance staying on the left side and running the extra large bend. Stay focused on running the tangents and you can shave lots of time compared to other runners. The finishing straight along Mehring Way is exciting and packed with people cheering you onto the finish. Enjoy the final downhill push to the finish!
Segment Ascent: 29 feet (614 feet cumulative)
Segment Descent: 146 feet (628 cumulative)
Flying Pig Half Marathon Conclusion
Overall, the Flying Pig Half Marathon is a great race. Some may find it challenging with the large elevation gain. I do believe it can be a fast race for those who have properly trained and understand the course. For a mid-sized city, the Flying Pig pulls off an event worthy of comparison to the big city races. The crowd support is tremendous and the event is extremely well organized from start to finish. I hope that you can run your best race and fully enjoy everything Cincinnati has to offer!
