The Flying Pig Marathon runs through more than a dozen Cincinnati neighborhoods, and four other communities. Only one has changed its name for the event. O'Bryonville is, for the next week, O'Piggyville, in an attempt to draw spectators for the race.
Flying Pig Director Iris Simpson Bush says it's appropriate because the race has its roots in the neighborhood.
"Bob Roncker's Running Spot was the running store in town. That's where the genesis of the Pig started; across the street at O'Bryon's," she says. "That's where the course was developed. Actually the foundation was laid with a beer after a lot of the early-on runs."
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Simpson Bush says all the neighborhoods along the course route turn out to support the race, but O'Piggyville is taking it to a new level. She says it could launch competition between different neighborhoods.
"I was wondering if that doesn't make a lot of sense for years to come," she says. "I would have to acknowledge lots of the neighborhoods: Hyde Park has been amazing. Mariemont has been amazing. But this is the first neighborhood to step up and actually rebrand itself, rename itself for Flying Pig Week."
Flying Pig events start Friday night with a one-mile race Downtown, near the riverfront. On Saturday, there's 5K and 10K races, and the full and half-marathons are Sunday.
