This was my third in-person marathon and the most fun I've ever had on race weekend. It's hard to be nervous when you're surrounded by Pig-themed everything :D

To kick off the weekend, there was a large banner at the airport welcoming Flying Pig runners. When we got to our hotel (Hyatt Regency), we mentioned we were here for The Pig and they gave us some snacks with a little note wishing us good luck. The hotel is right across the street from the Expo which was super convenient.

We actually stopped by the expo twice - Friday to pick up my packet (along with the free backpack, t shirt and poster), and then again on Saturday to shop for swag (there is A LOT of awesome Pig stuff for sale). Walking around town we saw a lot of other runners with their Pig swag and it was so fun to feel the excitement of the entire city.

Race morning was super easy since I stayed at one of the host hotels. It was about a half mile walk to the start area, which was bumping with music and a DJ.

The corral (Pig Pen) set up was another awesome thing about this race. In other large races, people often line up in the faster corrals even if they don't belong there, causing bunching at the start. The Pig Pens at the Flying Pig are strictly enforced - there was only one way in to each pig pen, with a race volunteer checking your bib before allowing access. I was in the second pig pen and I felt like I had plenty of space at the start.

The course "flies" through many different neighborhoods, and it was nice to see the different themed support stations. I think there is some type of vote after the race for which cheer station was the best - so the crowds were really getting into it! The race does thin out after the half and full split off, but there was still a lot of support. My favorite part was around miles 15-16, we ran through one neighborhood that had pig balloons and decorations all over, people were camped out in their yards cheering and offering water and Gatorade, etc.

One thing you'll definitely want to be prepared for is hills. Uphill AND DOWN! I prepared a lot for the uphill climb from miles 5-8, and it honestly went by smoother than I expected. But the massive downhills afterwards were what killed my quads and knees. I had to slow down a lot the last 10K because I was in so much pain.

Once I crossed the Finish Swine, a volunteer came up to me with a Gatorade and uncapped it for me as she could tell I was really hurting. The volunteers placed the medal around my neck and it was off to the "recovery" area to grab my slice of pizza and other snacks. Then, onto the post race party to meet my family. There was a lot going on at the after party, including a giant blow up Pig, different photo ops and a free PT adjustment by the Fleet Feet tent.

Even though the course absolutely destroyed my legs, I would definitely come back. The Pig theme made everything 10x more fun, and I absolutely loved how nice everyone was - the other runners, the volunteers and the people of Cincinnati. Plus, it was super easy logistically to get around. If you do this race make sure to join the Flying Pig Marathon Community Facebook group to connect with other runners and learn some tips from the Pig veterans.