Organizers are expecting a record turnout for the Flying Pig Marathon this weekend.
Nearly 45,000 people will participate across all the weekend's events, which include a one-mile race on Friday, a 5K and 10K Saturday, and the half and full marathons on Sunday.
“This will be the largest field ever for the Flying Pig,” said Pig Works CEO and President Doug Olberding.
People are coming to race in Cincinnati from all 50 states, plus more than 30 countries. Olberding says part of the marathon's international appeal comes from its name, which is a whimsical nod to the city's history.
“There's curiosity. A pig is the most non-athletic animal you can possibly imagine. Our primary color is pink. It's non-athletic imagery. The color should be wrong, the name should be wrong, but it really all works,” Olberding said.
About 6,400 people are expected to do the full 26.2-mile race, which is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. It features a new route this year since the previous course used a bridge that was demolished in March.
The full marathon starts at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. It goes through Cincinnati, Covington, Newport, Mariemont, Fairfax and Columbia Township.
Curious about why people travel far and wide to run in the Flying Pig? Olberding recommends being a spectator at the finish line, on West Mehring Way near Smale Park.
"You can see the winners, that's fine, but I want you to see the athletes that are finishing in five, six and seven hours," Olberding says. "What you will see is an outpouring of every type of human emotion that you can possibly imagine."
He says people spend six to eight months training to accomplish that moment, and each person has their own reason, from using running as a tool to overcome addiction to raising money for a charity.
What roads will be closed?
Road closures begin Thursday, April 30 and continue throughout the weekend. Metro will maintain bus service though some delays should be expected.
Thursday closures
To allow for setup of the start and finish lines, the following streets will be closed on Thursday, April 30 at 6 p.m. and remain closed throughout the weekend:
- Rosa Parks Street closed between Second Street and Freedom Way
Friday closures
- Mehring Way closed between Joe Nuxhall Way and Elm Street (closes at 9 a.m.)
The following streets will close at 6:30 p.m. and reopen by 10 p.m.:
- E Pete Rose Way closed between Broadway and Johnny Bench Way
- Mehring Way closed between Elm Street and E Pete Rose Way
- Joe Nuxhall Way closed south of Second Street
- Ramp LL closed
Saturday closures
On Saturday, May 2 the running of the 10K, 5K, Flying Fur, Kids and Pig Abilities races will take place. The following streets will be affected starting at 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.:
- Mehring Way closed between Freeman Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
- Linn Street closed between Fifth Street and Gest Street
- Gest Street closed between Sixth Street and Mehring Way
- Third Street eastbound closed between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Third Street ramp from southbound I-71- Closed
- Third Street ramp from westbound Columbia Pkwy- Closed
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge closed between Second Street and Third Street
- Roebling Suspension Bridge- closed
- W Pete Rose Way closed between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Central Avenue closed south of Third Street
- Broadway closed south of Fourth Street (Limited access to Third Street)
- Fourth Street closed between Broadway and Pike Street (Single lane maintained resident access)
- Pike Street closed between Third Street and Fourth Street (local access maintained)
- Third Street closed between Eggleston Avenue and Pike Street (local resident access maintained)
- Culvert Street closed between Third Street and Reedy Street
- Reedy Street closed between Broadway and Eggleston Avenue
- Seventh Street closed between Broadway and Culvert Street
- New Street closed between Broadway and Culvert Street
- Sentinel Street closed between Fifth Street and Eggleston Avenue
- Eggleston Avenue southbound closed between Reedy Street and E Pete Rose Way
- Taylor Southgate Bridge closed (reopens at 11AM)
- Elm Street closed south of Freedom Way
- Race Street closed south of Second Street
- Rosa Parks Street closed south of Second Street
- Marian Spencer Way closed south of Second Street
- Joe Nuxhall Way closed south of Second Street
Sunday closures
On Sunday, May 3, the following streets will be closed at 1 a.m. to allow for staging and the start line of the Flying Pig Marathon:
- Mehring Way closed between Central Avenue and Joe Nuxhall Way
- Rosa Parks Street closed south of Second Street
- Freedom Way closed
The following streets will be closed as needed, starting at 5 a.m. Sunday, May 3. Crossings may be allowed with police or volunteer assistance:
- Second Street all access to Second Street will close
- Joe Nuxhall Way closed between Mehring Way and Third Street
- Broadway closed south of Third Street
- Taylor Southgate Bridge closed
- Roebling Suspension Bridge closed
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge closed
- Third Street closed between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Gest Street northbound closed between Mehring Way and Linn Street
- Seventh Street closed between Race Street and Gilbert Avenue (Vehicles from the garage at Seventh and Broadway will be permitted to exit at Seventh Street and continue across Broadway to E Seventh)
- Central Avenue closed between Seventh Street and Sixth Street
- Vine Street closed between Third Street and Seventh Street
- Walnut Street closed between Third Street to Eighth Street
- Main Street closed between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
- Sycamore Street closed between Eighth Street and Seventh Street
- Broadway closed between Fifth Street and Seventh Street
- Gilbert Avenue northbound closed between Seventh Street and MLK Drive
- Gilbert Avenue closed between Elsinore Place and Eden Park Drive
- Eden Park Drive closed between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
- Fulton Avenue closed between Nassau Street and Eden Park Drive
- Art Museum Drive closed between Ida Street and Eden Park Drive
- Lakes Drive closed
- Victory Parkway northbound closed between Eden Park Drive and McMillan Avenue
- McMillan Avenue closed between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
- Woodburn Avenue closed between McMillan Avenue and Madison Road
- Madison Road eastbound closed between Woodburn Avenue and Erie Avenue
- Erie Avenue eastbound closed between Madison Road and Bramble Avenue
- Paxton Avenue northbound closed between Observatory Avenue and Erie Avenue
- Murray Avenue eastbound closed between Erie Avenue and LaCrosse Avenue
- Bramble Avenue eastbound closed between Erie Avenue and Settle Avenue
The race proceeds into Mariemont and Fairfax, then returns on westbound US-50/Columbia Parkway:
- US-50/Columbia Parkway westbound closed between Dragon Way to Beechmont Avenue
- Ramp from Red Bank Road to Westbound Columbia Parkway closed
- Eastern Avenue westbound closed between Columbia Parkway and Stanley Avenue
- Stanley Avenue southbound closed between Eastern Avenue and Kellogg Avenue
- Kellogg Avenue westbound closed between Stanley Avenue and Worth Street
- Riverside Drive eastbound closed between E. Pete Rose Way and Worth Street
- E. Pete Rose Way eastbound closed between Johnny Bench Way and Riverside Drive (may open earlier for garage access)
- Mehring Way closed between Central Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
The half marathon will follow the same course out but will turn back at Woodburn Avenue and Madison Road. The following streets will be closed as needed:
Madison Road eastbound closed between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
M.L. King eastbound closed between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
Gilbert Avenue northbound closed between Eden Park Drive and ML King
Gilbert Avenue southbound closed between McMillan Street and Florence Avenue
Victory Parkway closed between Taft Road and ML King
Alms Place closed between Yale Avenue and Taft Road
Park Avenue closed between Chapel Street and Taft Road
McMillan Street closed between Kemper Lane and Gilbert Avenue
Morris Street closed between Deerfield Place and Gilbert Avenue
Deerfield Place closed to through traffic between Gilbert Avenue and Morris Street
Elsinore Place closed between Reading Road and Gilbert Avenue
Reading Road northbound closed between Central Parkway and Elsinore Place
Central Parkway eastbound closed between Main Street and Eggleston Avenue
Court Street closed between Gilbert Avenue and Eggleston Avenue
Reedy Street closed between Broadway and Court Street
Eggleston Avenue southbound closed between Central Parkway and E Pete Rose Way
Eggleston Avenue northbound closed between Third Street and Broadway
Both races finish on Mehring Way beneath and just west of the Suspension Bridge.
Read more: