The Flying Pig Marathon is Cincinnati’s signature distance race and one of the most beloved marathons in the Midwest. The course takes you through the city’s hilliest neighborhoods — including the famous climb up Gilbert Avenue — past the University of Cincinnati campus, through Eden Park with its sweeping Ohio River valley views, and along the riverfront. This is a race that embraces Cincinnati’s topography rather than avoiding it, and the pig-themed spirit of the event keeps runners smiling through the hills.
The early May timing delivers pleasant spring conditions in the Ohio Valley, with temperatures typically in the 50s to 60s. The course is genuinely hilly — runners who train on flat terrain will feel it — but the crowd support is extraordinary. Cincinnati’s neighborhoods turn out in force, with themed aid stations, live music, and the kind of grassroots spectator energy that makes the difference between a race and an experience.
The relay option splits the course into legs that let teams tackle the hills together, adding a social dimension that draws running clubs from across the region. Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood near the finish has become one of the best food and drink destinations in the Midwest, and the post-race party reflects the city’s growing reputation as a craft beer capital.
