Latest reviews by Emily Nickles

(2018)
"Close to home, with easy access? PERFECT!"
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This race was conveniently located about 25 minutes from my home. With the start and finish line in a large mall parking lot, it was easy to get in and out, and there was PLENTY of parking for all participants. This was the 5th year of the race, and while I had heard about some course distance hiccups in years prior, I had no such issues, running only SLIGHTLY over the half marathon distance, which feels pretty awesome considering tangents, including two 180 degree turns.

The course takes you past Turfway Park, a horse race track and the DHL hangar at the airport. Seeing those 747s so close up, is pretty sweet (those are REALLY big airplanes). There is great course support, even with it being fairly rural in parts, and I enjoyed the course and the support.

I definitely will be back, and I may even consider racing it one of these years - rather than just completely enjoy it as a fun race.

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(2018)
"A tough, but beautiful, race"
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This was the pinnacle of my race season. And it did not go as expected. At all. The hills were incredible, making this a very difficult race, but despite my personal struggle, this was a great race. It was tough, but the course takes you through a very cool part of Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine, past a lot of the new restaurants and bars.

There is one aid station, located just past the casino, but that is plenty for a 5K. There is no medal unless you are an age-group winner, but they are incredible Rookwood pottery medals. They also have a race at Washington Park (nearby where there is a finish line festival) for kids!

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(2017)
"Another year, another 14K"
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I have run this race several times now, and every time I run it, I am reminded what a tough course it it. This course winds through downtown Cincinnati, past historic breweries, and up and down a lot of hills.
I definitely recommend running this race and ennjoying the Oktoberfest afterward. It is a fun even with a lot of on course entertainment.

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(2017)
"A new PR"
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I ran this race early in my marathon training cycle, this past July. I have not run a 5K where I was trying to race in several years. They have often just been a hard effort at the end of a long run or something where I was just running with someone else for fun.
But I was trying to run a PR for the first time in years. I felt as though I had grown so much as a runner over the last several years, I felt like I was ready for a 5K PR. I was running the "Beast Challenge" that day, which consisted of a 1 mile, then the 5K, and a 10K to cool down (and round out my long run for the day).
The course was on the bike path in Miamisburg Ohio, with the only real inclines being getting on and off the trail. It was an out and back. The race is smallish, and it also started with a half marathon, but I never felt overly crowded on a bike path.
Bib pick up was at a brewery right near the start finish line (where there was a post race brunch and beers, along with real restrooms to use before and after the race. Things were very well organized and lovely for everyone.

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(2017)
"A Hard Effort, with a good result"
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I love the Flying Pig. It is my hometown race, it was my first marathon, and I enjoy running any event within the race.

This year, I ran the 10K as I was only 3 weeks out of Boston, and I knew that I was not going to be in the best condition coming in. My coach prescribed a hard effort and I executed, coming in at 14s off my PR.

This is a fantastic but difficult course with lots of climbs early (the bridges), but nice flat sections to give your legs a break. I definitely think this is a course you can run a PR on, but not for me this time.

There were plenty of port-o-pottys at the start and finish (runner priorities) with good swag and an enthusiastic crowd, especially considering it is on a separate day from the marathon. I highly recommend this as a race on its own, or consider the 3 or 4-way challenges as part of the weekend!

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