By Spencer de Tenley, Staff Writer

The annual Flying Pig Marathon returns this weekend on May 4. Cincinnati will see runners traverse all around the city with a crowd of supporters throughout. 

Over 40,000 racers will start bright and early in the morning for a myriad of racing events including a 5K, 10K, half marathon and a variety of other races that accompany the full marathon. The full marathon, beginning downtown on Elm Street, has grown to about 5,000 runners since the Flying Pig’s premiere in 1999. Dipping into northern Kentucky and trudging up to Mt. Adams, the race will test the limits of even the most elite athletes with over 1,200 feet of elevation sprinkled throughout the race. 

“The Pig is a notoriously difficult and hilly course, but the organization does a phenomenal job to make each runner feel like they are capable of anything,” senior biology major Lola Perez said. 

The course will feature water stations along the course for the runners and constant entertainment from community partners, local schools and supporters to push the athletes to the finish line. 

“My friend Lydia and I have been following a 20 week pre-race program that has prepared us for race day,” senior nursing major Maggie D’Antonio said. “I’ve been running since grade school and love it so much. I did my first half-marathon last year and so a full marathon has always been on my to-do list.”

Community is a cornerstone of the event. The race amasses over 150,000 supporters each year who cheer all the athletes along the difficult course. Pig Works, the race’s organizing body, seeks to “create fun participatory sporting events for individuals and groups of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds” with the Flying Pig marathon being the pique of the organization’s events. 

Pig Works prioritizes its charitable mission to give back to the greater Cincinnati area. In total, the Flying Piganthropy program has helped raise over $18 million for participating charities during its tenure. Charities have a variety of avenues to fundraise with Pig Works, whether that be partnering, volunteering or adding to the raffle. 

In addition to charitable causes, the race brings in an estimated $22 million in economic impact to the area, according to Pig Works’ website. 

“We are proud of how our event has grown through the years, and honored that so many people, both locally and across the globe, chose to be part of the Flying Pig,” CEO of Pig Works Iris Simpson Bush stated on their website.