CTC Newsletter Ep. V
- Kyle Klingler
- May 1
- 7 min read
Quote:
"Everything you ever wanted to know about yourself, you can learn in 26.2 miles." - Lori Culnane
Intro:
The best weekend in Cincinnati is almost upon us! Flying Pig weekend is just a few days away and the city is buzzing with excitement. It finally feels real once you see the course signs set up throughout the city. Hope everyone is ready to crush it and blaze across the Finish Swine. For anyone who may not be racing, make sure to get out there and show some support. This weekend is a celebration of everyone in the city and is truly a reminder how amazing this community is. The fan support throughout every part of the course goes such a long way!
I still have nightmares of the humidity that we had last year, but this year's weather is shaping up pretty nicely! Maybe a little rain, but hopefully not too much. Good luck to everyone and CTC will be cheering you on out there!
Cincinnati Running News:
Join the official post Flying Pig party at Fifty West! Live music, Fleet Feet pop-up, custom finisher posters, beer, and more! Check out this awesome event and cap off a great racing weekend! Official post Flying Pig party
The Hyde Park Blast registration is open! Sign up for the 4 mile now and kick off summer racing! All proceeds go to The Cure Starts Now! Registration and more info: Hyde Park Blast
The Hyde Park Blast Elite 5k application is also open. Head over to our event page for more info! Elite Page
Run United is hosting a Post Pig shakeout from Esoteric Brewery on May 8th. Check it out for some easy miles on sore legs and meet some new people!
Beyond Exercise is offering 50% off Running Form and Stride Analysis, now through May 7th! Contact them for more info: Beyond Exercise Contact
Cincy Run Club presents Cool Down Session on May 17th. Running, coffee, and music all in one. Check it out here: Cool Down Session
The 49th annual Memorial Day Race will be held at Lunken Playfield on May 26th! Did you know this is the second oldest running race in the city? Only the Thanksgiving Day Race is older! Join in on a historical Cincy race! More info: Memorial Day Race
The spring event for Girls On The Run is on May 10th! This is an amazing program and event that has made an impact on countless young girls. Check out more info here: GOTR
Wild Pace Society is hosting 5Run3 Day at Hyde Park Square on May 13th at 6PM. Check their Instagram @wildpacesociety for more info.
Cincy Runner Spotlight: Frank DeJulius
This month's spotlight shines on Frank DeJulius, the owner of Fleet Feet Cincinnati. Overseeing seven stores across the city and surrounding areas, Frank has spent more than a decade shaping and supporting Cincinnati’s awesome running community. From footwear to races to training groups, his influence has been instrumental in building the thriving running environment we see today. Nonetheless, he still finds time to stay competitive and train in the running and triathlon scene. Check out his own words below:
"My name is Frank DeJulius, my wife Stacey and I are the owners of Fleet Feet Cincinnati. We have seven stores in southwest Ohio. We started back in 2013 when we acquired the original Fleet Feet Cincy store in Blue Ash. Before that I spent 6 years working in running stores in several different states in the country. As a life long runner and endurance athlete was attracted to the run specialty business at a young age because of the combination of really great shoes and gear, high end customer service and the massive community involvement. To me it was the best kind of business I could see myself building. And growing up a few hours north, Cincinnati was the perfect town to set roots. Having spent significant time in running communities all over the US, I truly believe Cincinnati has one of the best.
Anchored by the Flying Pig weekend we have so many amazing annual races of all distances, but beyond that the variety of running groups and clubs throughout town has made running so accessible for all abilities. I love this because I believe that the more runners there are in the world, the better off we’ll all be. At Fleet Feet, our goal is to be the best resource for local running and we do that by hosting many free community events, training programs, supporting dozens of local running events every year and of course by offering the best local service and selection of specialty running shoes, clothing and gear in town. It is personally a privilege everyday to serve local runners, walkers and anyone seeking more comfortable shoes. And I know that our team in all seven of our stores feel the same way. It’s a privilege to serve.
As the owner of Fleet Feet it’s very important for me to continue my running. I committed to myself years ago that I would never let owning a running store get in the way of actually running and racing. I still run a good amount and have always enjoyed not only running but bike racing and triathlon. I compete quite a bit every year and am just as competitive as I was 20+ years ago. Being part of the endurance community is as much a joy for me as it is to support it. Finally the CE partnership is a special one for me. It’s been so awesome to watch Kyle and Jack build an amazing community of high end athletes and people over the years. I feel like I’ve gotten a front row seat to seeing their vision come to life the last couple of years. This is why it’s so easy to support their efforts through Fleet Feet. CE exemplifies exactly the type of community we seek to serve and we see it as a privilege to do so."
Shout out to Frank for continuing to push the running scene forward! Check out a Fleet Feet near you next time you need a new pair of kicks or some gear and they'll be sure to hook you up!
Cincy Running Historical Moment: The Flying Pig Marathon debut
On May 9th in 1999, the Flying Pig Marathon kicked off for it's inaugural race. The planning and execution that went into making this race happen was a massive effort, largely thanks to Bob Coughlin, the race founder. 6150 runners started the race. This was the second largest field ever for a US Marathon debut.
Sommer Settell won the race on the women's side in 2:58:10. She was 22 at the time and a senior at the University of Cincinnati. She had played other sports during his high school years at Summit Country Day and had just gotten into running during college.
On the men's side, Elly Rono won in 2:21:15. Elly is from Kenya and came to the U.S. to run at Southern Indiana University. He was the NCAA D2 champion in cross country and track and graduated with a degree in mathematics the day before the Pig!
The 1999 year had a similar but slightly different course than the Pig that we know and love today. Originally, the course finished at the Museum Center. The finish has since moved to the river by the Roebling bridge.
Overall, the first Pig was a $750,000 project that took countless people to make happen. 26 years later, it's recognized as one of the best marathons in the world and is a true shining star for the city of Cincinnati. It's now a weekend long celebration with races and events for everyone and it continues to grow each year!
Thanks again to Bob Ronckers for keeping records of a lot of this in his blog and for graciously allowing me to reiterate it in my own. Check out his other post on the origins and creation of the Pig prior to the 1999 race happening here: https://gcincyrunhistory.blogspot.com/2016/04/v-1-10-some-notes-on-origin-of-flying.html
Strava Segment Highlight: The Last Mile
Nothing better than reaching the home stretch of the Flying Pig. The finish line doesn't feel real until you start to round Great American Ballpark and see the Roebling in the distance.
Hopefully, everyone is ready to crush this final mile and reach that Finish Swine!
Training Tip:
Don't underestimate water in the marathon. I know that sounds way too obvious, but you likely need more than you realize. I recommend hitting every water stop through out the race even if you just get a little sip. Also, especially if it's on the warmer end, take a cup and pour it on your head or shoulders. Keeping your body temperature down relaxes your heart rate and your overall effort level. So use more water than you think you need!
May Local Races:
5/2-4 - Flying Pig Marathon Weekend - Cincinnati
5/9 - Kilgour 5k - Kilgour Elementary School
5/10 - Forest Hills 5k - Nagel Middle School
5/10 - Girls On The Run 5k - Paycor Stadium
5/10 - Magnify Your Run/Walk - Winton Woods
5/17 - Silverton Color Run - Ficke Park
5/17 - Tiger Trail Run 5k/10k - French Park
5/18 - Dirt Days Trail Series - Mt. Airy
5/24 - The Candy Race 5k - Sawyer Point
5/24 - Wiedemann Mile - Wiedemann's Brewery
5/25 - Jack and Jill Up the Hill 5k - Sawyer Point
5/26 - Memorial Day Race 49 - Lunken Playfield
5/31 - Redlegs Run - Great American Ballpark
5/31 - Gift of Adoption 5k - Loveland Bike Trail
Outro:
Thank you everyone for reading and good luck to all those participating in the upcoming Pig weekend! Have a blast and enjoy the celebrations afterwards! See you in the next episode.
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