Olberding Says Flying Pig Marathon Will Draw Record 45,000
The flying pig marathon is heading for its biggest weekend yet, with organizers expecting nearly 45,000 participants across all events. Doug Olberding said, "This will be the largest field ever for the Flying Pig," as runners arrive from all 50 states and more than 30 countries.
Doug Olberding on the field
The turnout stretches across a one-mile race on Friday, then a 5K and 10K on Saturday before the half and full marathons on Sunday. About 6,400 people are expected in the 26.2-mile race alone.
Olberding tied part of the race’s draw to its odd branding and the crowd it pulls from outside the region. "There's curiosity. A pig is the most non-athletic animal you can possibly imagine. Our primary color is pink. It's non-athletic imagery. The color should be wrong, the name should be wrong, but it really all works," he said.
Sunday’s Cincinnati route
The full marathon starts at 6:30 a.m. Sunday and serves as a Boston Marathon qualifier. It also runs on a new route this year after the previous course used a bridge that was demolished in March.
The course goes through Cincinnati, Covington, Newport, Mariemont, Fairfax and Columbia Township, then heads into Mariemont and Fairfax before returning on westbound US-50/Columbia Parkway. The half marathon follows the same outbound course but turns back at Woodburn Avenue and Madison Road.
Closures and Metro service
Road closures begin Thursday, April 30 and continue throughout the weekend. Streets for setup of the start and finish lines are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. Thursday and stay shut through the weekend, while more streets close at 1 a.m. Sunday for staging and the start line.
At 5 a.m. Sunday, additional streets are scheduled to close as needed, and crossings may be allowed with police or volunteer assistance. Metro will maintain bus service during the weekend, though delays are expected.
For spectators, the finish line is at West Mehring Way near Smale Park, where Olberding said, "You can see the winners, that's fine, but I want you to see the athletes that are finishing in five, six and seven hours." He added, "What you will see is an outpouring of every type of human emotion that you can possibly imagine."
