It was a Sunday to remember for anyone in running shoes. Nearly two and a half years since the last gathering, a Flying Pig Marathon took place in dry, favorable conditions.
Most of the weekend's nearly 16,000 participants in Flying Pig festivities were ecstatic to be out on an official race course with all of the hype and hoopla involved in a road race.
While virtual events filled the time between 2019 and now, a true runner's high isn't complete without an official finish line (or Finish Swine in this case) along with the accompanying medal.
Alex Gold's smile was a ray of sunshine Sunday just as the morning light pierced through the clouds on this last day of October. The 26-year-old won his first Pig in his second attempt besting his runner-up training partner by a little more than two minutes.
More:Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon: Wire-to-wire win for former resident Caitlin Keen
"We were running along Erie (Avenue) I thought, man this is so cool!" Gold said. "It was beautiful out there and the fall colors made it even more spectacular. I love this city and this race is what made me fall in love with running in the first place."
The morning became more pleasurable when Gold crossed the line ahead of all 1,979 Flying Pig Marathon contestants in 2:26:29 to earn the coveted laurel wreath. Right behind him was his best friend, 25-year-old J.T. MacKay in 2:28: 31.
"So many people we know were on Riverside, which is really cool because it's kind of a pain to get there," Gold said. "It meant a lot because you see the buildings (downtown) and it's like, that's really far away."
Gold met MacKay in the 2019 race and the two formed a bond. Now, he'll be in MacKay's wedding. Gold, originally from Chicago, moved to Peebles (Adams County) in 2019, then closer to town with his fiance recently. Gold finished third in 2019's Pig.
MacKay is from Dayton but lives in Mount Lookout. He tried keeping Gold's pace but needed two bathroom breaks along the way.
"I went after him a little early trying to close the gap," he said. "On Riverside, I was bonking a little bit. I just focused on the back of his (Gold's) head."
Steve Matthews of Evansville was third in 2:29:30, while Cincinnati's Kyle Klingler (2:33:11) and Patrick Johnson (2:36:08) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
The 2017 and 2019 winner, Jack Randall of Cincinnatus Elite, led the race in the early stages but finished at 2:40:51 in his attempt to win a third Pig.
The winningest male in Flying Pig history is Sergio Reyes with five victories. Reyes won in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Paycor Men's Half Marathon
Samuel Montclair of Cary, North Carolina was the winner in 1:09.53, nearly four minutes ahead of second-place finisher Eric Gruenbacher of Loveland. Greg Lemmon finished third.
Montclair, 30, works for a running company and worked the P&G Health and Fitness Expo at the Duke Energy Convention Center in the days before the race. He made his first trip to Cincinnati a successful one.
"This was great!" Montclair said. "The weather was perfect, and the hills, I like running hills."
His time was short of the course record of 1:08.30 but Montclair said it was tough to be disappointed with finishing first.
Pig proposal
Jimmy Meyer of Colerain and Brittany Vezina celebrated their half marathon finish with a full proposal. Toting the ring in his back pouch, Meyer dropped to a knee at the finish, only it wasn't because he was tired. He popped the question after seven months of dating Ms. Vezina of Chicago.
"I'm surprised it happened now, but I'm not surprised it happened!" Vezina said.
Meyer said his plan was in the works for about a month. Wearing a Spider Man shirt, his web was cast.
Spring is just around the corner
This was the first Flying Pig held in the fall. The Boston and Chicago marathons also had fall starts this year in order to get races in for 2021. The 24th Annual Flying Pig Marathon is set for Sunday May 1, 2022. The weekend festivities will begin next April 29.
Recent studies by Xavier University estimate the traditional economic impact locally is $14 million.
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