CINCINNATI — While Cincinnati’s streets bustled with the usual Sunday morning traffic, the runners typically taking over for the marathon were scattered throughout the region. They still did the training, went the distance, earned the medals, but without the fanfare, the crowds or the experience.
One group of trainers wanted a little more for their pupils and converted the Scenic Little Miami Trail into their course, setting up a start and finish line and provided encouragement along the route. In a way, the Flying Pig Marathon, though virtual for spring 2021, would still give runners a taste of the racing experience.
Aseem Kumar crossed the finish line a little before 11 a.m. After three hours, 49 minutes and 26.2 miles, he had another marathon under his belt and a new personal record to celebrate.
“I had my running buddies with me so yeah, it went well,” he said.
He’s been training since January, but in February he learned the Flying Pig would run the marathon virtually for the second year in a row.
Still, he kept training.
“It keeps you going. It keeps you healthy and that’s the best you can do,” he said.
He was one of more than 200 runners who trained with Fleet Feet in Cincinnati for the spring races and one of roughly 150 who stuck it out for the full and half marathon.
After months of hard work, Jen Loving, one of their trainers, said she wanted to make the experience special for the runners, so she helped Fleet Feet set up a marathon course the morning of the virtual race.
“Being able to be with your run buddies that makes all the difference in the world,” she said. “So even though we’re virtual and it’s not the full Pig experience we’re still having fun. We’re still out with our run buddies and we’re still getting the miles in.”
Instead of downtown Cincinnati, the runners started off of Highway 50. Instead of thousands, runners left in waves of a few dozen at most to prevent crowding on the trail.
What the course did have was a timer, cheerleaders, music and your typical Raceday festivities. To the relief of many runners, the trail course couldn’t recreate the infamous hills along the Flying Pig route.
Kumar admits that might be one of the reasons he was able to make such a great time. Now he said his focus shifts to crossing the next finish line.
“I will run the Flying Pig in October,” he said.
On Friday, the Flying Pig announced those races will be in-person and as a former Pig runner himself, Kumar said he’s looking forward to getting back to the course.
“The crowd support, the terrain, that’s the whole experience,” he said. “It actually trumps everything so I’m really looking forward to it. That’s my favorite race so far.”
Cincinnati’s in-person Flying Pig races will take place starting Oct. 29 with the marathons running on Oct. 31.