Flying Pig Marathon?

Anyone done it? Looks net downhill. Not expensive...talk to me about it, endurance runners

Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,745 Member
    I have friends who have done it. It's hilly, so not a great PR course, but is a lot of fun according to the friends who have done it more than once.
  • RunnerGirl238
    RunnerGirl238 Posts: 448 Member
    Ugh. I want a PR course. The elevation map is misleading
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    I’m doing it this year
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    Ugh. I want a PR course. The elevation map is misleading

    A number of us did the Revel Mt Charleston marathon in Las Vegas in 2018 with the intent of setting PR's and in some cases qualifying for Boston. It is a downhill race, so very popular as a BQ event. Three of our six marathoners BQ'ed at that race. (I did the half). One word of caution: The downhill race is very tough on your quads, particularly if you haven't done lots of downhill training.
  • RunnerGirl238
    RunnerGirl238 Posts: 448 Member
    I do a lot of hill training. Where I live is quite hilly. I’d just love any run without an average elevation gain of 300-600 feet haha
  • albryce744
    albryce744 Posts: 22 Member
    I live in cinci and have done the half several times (1/2 and full are pretty much together for the 1/2). It's hilly here, and the half has at least one good climb. It's also loads of fun.
  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    I ran it years ago, and it is my favorite marathon. Nice course, well organized, plenty of crowd support
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    edited January 2020
    I've run the full three times and the half twice. All of the hills for the full are in the first half, which is nice, but I would not consider it to be a PR course. If you are looking for a PR course in that region, I would definitely recommend Columbus. I ran both my full and half PRs there. It is not as "fun" as the Pig, but there is still good crowd support and it's a well organized race.

    ETA: Even though the Pig has some pretty substantial hills at the beginning, I don't think there is a net elevation gain, as it finishes and starts very near the same place. If you are someone who prefers hills to flat, you might like it. There is a pretty big climb around mile 5 through 7 though. Total elevation game per my Garmin was around 900ft.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    I may be running it this year (there's a large group from my club that is running it). Or I may run Pittsburgh again. Or maybe Broad Street again. I'll figure it out before May.

    FWIW - I'm targeting Richmond in November for my PR/BQ attempt.
  • RunnerGirl238
    RunnerGirl238 Posts: 448 Member
    Richmond is a great run. I’m doing Richmond in November. Not to bq....so far from that
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    edited January 2020
    Not sure where you are, but Wineglass (NY) is also net downhill (and not hilly). A friend of mine just signed up for one through a tunnel in WA that is straight up downhill (second fastest BQ route). I’m doing New Orleans in 2 weeks-looks like the only elevation is a few bridges and overpasses (not big ones but all near the end).

    But for flying pig specifically, I have friends who have done it. They loved the race/event but said it’s hilly.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I've done New Orleans -- it was flat.

    (So's Chicago, but that's not 'til October.)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I've done New Orleans -- it was flat.

    (So's Chicago, but that's not 'til October.)

    Thank you. I’ve run the New Orleans course virtually 6-8 times now and the only thing that even seems like a blip for elevation are a few bridges/overpasses (can’t tell which) between mile 22 and 24. It’s nice to have confirmation that it really is that flat. Thank you!
  • RunnerGirl238
    RunnerGirl238 Posts: 448 Member
    I tried to get into Chicago this year but didn’t get in. Super bummed.
  • reginakarl
    reginakarl Posts: 68 Member
    The Tunnel marathons advertise as Pr and are downhill.

    I recommend looking at the Whistlestop marathon, which is in October. It is also downhill and you could BQ in it also. I ran that half in 2018 and it was beautiful. Red maple leaves fell around me as I ran on the old railroad track, now filled in with crushed stone.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    I'm not a marathon runner but as a Cincinnatian, I'll say that you should only eat Skyline AFTER the race.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    The pig festivities are so much fun! I hope you decide to do it, the whole weekend is awesome :)

    @Carlos_421 a lifesaving tip, tbh LOL
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,458 Member
    As a kid, we had a dog named Flying Pig. Every time this thread rises on my feed, I think of that dog.

    My dad used to call her in by standing on the patio and yelling, “Sooooo-EEEEEEE!!! Pig, Pig, Pig!!!!”

    She was a fat little thing and would come running, going airborne in anticipation of dinner, hence the name.

    We lived in true 70’s Brady Bunch suburbia. We always had something wierd and interesting going on in our backyard. Our neighbors’ curtains twitched allll the time, lol.