When Pigs Fly!

If you'd have told me 10 years ago that some day I'd enjoy running half marathons someday (and even complete a full marathon!), I'd probably have said something like, "When Pigs Fly!"

Well, folks. Pigs flew. I became a runner, and every year Cincinnati hosts the Flying Pig Marathon Weekend, ironically. While I know it's named after Cincinnati's "Porkopolis" from the mid-19th century when the local meat-packing industry led the country, I prefer thinking that it's named for all those runners like me that never thought they'd be waking up at 4:30 in the morning to run 13.1 miles or more on a Sunday.

Welcome to the racing lifestyle!

I was thrilled that this was a destination race for 3 of my girlfriends who came in from Florida and Illinois for the race. Together we've run multiple half marathons, 5ks, 5-milers, and even a full marathon, plus countless Saturday morning long runs. Frankly, running is just all the more enjoyable with one of these girls by your side.

These 3 girls and my sister all signed up for the half marathon. It was my intention as well, but when the fatigue of the first trimester took me over, my training took a hit. I had to come up with another way to race without racing, and finally roped my other sister and two of her friends into a full marathon relay team. This way I could be a part of race day as a runner but not put my unprepared-self across 13.1 hilly miles.

Race morning we all drove to the race start and dropped off the girls. Michael had a relay team of his own and had come up with the genius plan (yes, babe, now I agree it was genius) of skipping the shuttles and being our own shuttle. When you take the shuttles you depart super early for your transition location which leaves you with a long, lonely wait until your runner shows up. Our personal shuttle worked brilliantly.

The girls still smiling in the first few miles.

We picked up two of Michael's teammates and also dropped off Bud, their starting runner, and we set off to the first transition spot. Michael and I both had leg 2.  Angie was running leg 1 for us girls, too -- a 7 mile run that took her into KY and back to OH and then up, up, up on a long climb. Naturally, Bud came through first and Michael took off on his run. We missed Kim run through in the crowd, but not too much later Angie came through with Christie, and instead of calling it quits after handing over the timing chip, that girl kept running! Christie and I ran together for 2 or 3 miles. It was fun to be racing side by side again! But, alas, then came the split where the Half-ers go left, downhill into the shade (it seemed), while us Full-ers turn right, up hill into the sun.

My leg was just over 5 miles, and when I handed off my timing chip to Runner 3, I simply made a quick phone call and met up with our "shuttle". Super convenient!

We had one last drop-off of Michael's brother for the boys' last leg, and then it was down to the finish line to meet up with all the half marathoners who were done by this point. Congrats, finishers!

There were several personal bests in the group, which is saying a lot since the course is considerably hillier than any running trails in FL or IL. They rocked it! I have to admit, I was a little jealous that I had not put in the miles myself and gone the full half marathon distance with them. There's always next year.

Angie, Sarah, Kim, Moi, Christie & Abby - with Adam and Brenna
My new favorite finishing photo!!

Worth mentioning --

• Angie ran leg 1 and then kept running, all the way to the Half marathon finish line! She had an (unofficial) personal record! 
• Our marathon team finished in 4:55:55... can I now say I've run a sub-5 hour marathon? 
• Special thanks to Sherpa Josh for watching Adam and keeping us updated on the girls' progress
• Extra special thanks to Gramma and Grampa for helping to watch the kids back home

And the tutus, I have to say, are a must for all future races!