Back to Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon Information & Reviews
D. W. from Middletown, OH
(5/7/2008)
"GREAT, BUT NOT AS GREAT!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my 4th Pig and 6th marathon overall. I would rank it 4th out of the 6 and 4th out of the other Pigs. The "Finish Swine" change was not a good one. The area after the finish was much more disorganized than it has been in the past. I almost walked through with my chip still on my shoe. Finding my medal was even a chore. I definitely prefer the course as it has been for the past four years. On the positive side, the support on the course was as great as it always is. It is always a reward to reach the Hyde Park cheering section after the big climb. The people of Cincinnati are great fans and great people! | |
M. K. from Florida
(5/7/2008)
"Overall, excellent marathon experience" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The reviews are right - this was a great, fun marathon. My 1st FP and my 3rd overall; hilly throughout, especially the 1st half, and I trained in flat FL, but you can manage the hills if you slow down and run smart. Crowds were great; organization was great; free stuff rocked! Very nice FP tote bag, tech shirt, poster and towel for all 26.2-mile runners. Water/Gatorade stops were literally just about every mile and were very well-stocked, there were great volunteers, and there were fun music, bands, etc. throughout the course. Tons of port-o-potties throughout. Very cool finisher's medal! Only bad part was the boring highway stretch around mile 18-19 or so. This would be a hard course on which to run a PR. | |
D. H. from Northern California
(5/6/2008)
"Scenic, easy for spectators, wonderful crowds" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The 2008 race was wonderful. Great support at the expo and on race day. Plenty of amenities (a.k.a. porta-potties) and course markings/monitoring were spot-on. Police were helpful and friendly throughout. Yes, there were rolling hills, but that is good for your muscles. And don't forget to visit the multitude of FREE museums. Mt. Adams is a great place for veggie burgers and brews before and after the race. The only reason the "spectators" don't get 5 stars is that there was no wall of Wellsely Women, a la Boston. But with scream teams and bands (about 1 per mile), and the rest mostly covered with spectators, it was a great help for the runners. | |
A. B. from Detroit, MI
(5/6/2008)
"A hilly but fun marathon, with beautiful views" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon. I am a slow runner (over 6 hours), so my only complaint is that the last stretch (miles 20-26) were sort of ghetto and all the entertainment was gone. Course was still open until 7 hours. Only a few (but very nice) spectators were around, and the flag to get your picture taken in front of in the finish line was already taken down (and finish party being dismantled)! The course is very hilly, and yes there is a big hill up to Eden Park, but please note that the rest of the course is rolling hills, right up to mile 26! The organization was excellent, the aid stations were plentiful and did not run out even at the end, and the spectators were great. Good swag at the expo! Course stays open for 7 hours and other runners were super nice. Cincinnati is a beautiful city; it is a very scenic course. Loved the ice cream for finishers. The city was easy to traverse and park in. Tape your name to your shirt, and they will all cheer you on by name! | |
Kris Acker from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
(5/6/2008)
"A fantastic event with hills." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first time running the Flying Pig and I would definitely do it again. The course - though certainly not flat - was awesome. The view at the top of Mt. Adams was incredible, the water stations were excellent, and fan support was plentiful and noisy. Even with the extra distance because of the fire, it is a must-do(the fire simply added to the flavour of the event). The city was well-prepared and supportive. The people of Cincinnati were friendly, helpful and encouraging. Great job. | |
D. P. from St. Louis
(5/6/2008)
"Great event" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved my run up (and down) "Mount Cincy!" It was a great event, with lots of enthusiastic support; I can't wait until '09! The race started later due to a house fire around mile 20 on the course - not a big deal. It was a bit hard to hear the the announcer once we were in the starting area, but the name alone makes this one a "must- run!" | |
J. B. from Bloomington, IN
(5/6/2008)
"A superior event" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The 2008 Flying Pig was a wonderful destination marathon. Everything about it was first-rate, from the shirts to the parking to the outstanding support along the course. The course itself went through a lot of pretty neighborhoods for most of the race (by the time it hits the "duller" parts, I was too focused on finishing to notice). The route was hilly, but that added to the course's appeal, to me. The only down part of my race was that the half marathon started at the same time as the full (all on a narrow street), so it took me a long time before I was able to run comfortably without weaving (approximately six miles or so). But it's a big party race, and what I lost in time was made up for in spirit at the aid stations and along the whole route. I will do it again. | |
E. H. from Cincinnati, Ohio
(5/6/2008)
"Cincinnati Rocks!" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The 2008 Flying Pig Marathon was my 5th marathon experience and my 4th Pig. What can I say? I love the Flying Pig and Cincinnati! Overall, the course is beautiful, the crowd support is great, organization is excellent, the volunteers are phenomenal and the well- stocked water stops are super. This race truly showcases all of the good in Cincinnati and makes me proud to call it home. I will definitely run the Pig next year! | |
K. C. from Pittsburgh, PA
(5/6/2008)
"Fun course, great crowds" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first Flying Pig (27th overall), and I really enjoyed the race. I was surprised by the amount of crowd support. The course was really interesting, and I liked running across bridges, through downtown, and then into surrounding tree-lined neighborhoods. I wish they could get rid of the part where you run along a highway, but... Did anyone else notice the squished snake? The police officers did a great job, and the people were very happy to have us running on their streets in the early morning. My complaints are minor: 1)I was confused at the finish area; I wasn't sure which way to go back to my hotel. I walked all the way past the baggage pickup before I realized I needed to go all the way back. I expected to get runners' instructions in my packet and I didn't. 2) The chip removal was disorganized; they didn't seem to have enough scissors. 3) The host hotel- The Millenium- was not as good as it should be. They didn't have much of a breakfast available,and the beds were not comfortable. | |
dane plunkett from pittsburgh pa
(5/5/2008)
"A great experience for runners at any level" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I have read reviews of this race on this web page, but the organization and crowd support (as well as the on-course entertainment) were better than I anticipated. This is a first-class race suitable for marathoners from beginners to advanced. There are definitely hills on this course which need to be dealt with in training. Many thanks for the great crowd support. This event speaks very well for this city and its friendly people. |
Quick Links
Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools