Ohio’s Pace Per Mile Report for Week of February 13, 2012

This is Sara from wordstorunby.com reporting on the Ohio race scene for Pace Per Mile Radio. It may be the season of love with Valentine’s Day literally just around the corner, but this Ohio Reporter is talking Zombies!  

That’s right, Zombies. On October 06, the Zombie Buffet 5Kis coming to none other than Columbus, Ohio. This is a unique road race that puts you right in the middle of a Zombie apocalypse where you will come face to face with the undead in a “run for your life!” Don’t worry, though, if you don’t “use your legs and lose your brains,” or flags, actually, you can still continue on as one of the undead in a race to claim the most flags before finishing. Hurry over to zombiebuffet5k.com for details and alternate locations – registration opens March 5!  

And, while it may not be the Zombie apocalypse, Cincinnati is gearing up for Pigs – Flying Pigs that is. The 14th Annual Flying Pig Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay are taking place on Sunday, May 06. Why a flying pig you ask? In the 1800s when riverboats piled on the Ohio River, Cincinnati was a center of Western commerce. Agriculture was a prime source of revenue in the area and boats filled with livestock would dock in the city to sell their wares. Hogs were a major source of income for farmers and so many were brought in by boat and marched through the streets to be processed it literally became known as a “Porkopolis.” In 1988, when Cincinnati celebrated its Bicentennial, the city decided to renovate its riverfront area to include a “Bicentennial Commons.” The designer created four smokestacks for the city’s riverboat heritage with four flying pigs on top, reflecting the spirits of the pigs who gave their lives so that the city could grow. Today, the “Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon” logo, swag and medals are prized possessions for runners from across the country and globe, so much so that Runner’s World magazine has dubbed it the “best named” marathon in the country. Don’t wait to register to claim your part of Cincinnati history, visit www.flyingpigmarathon.comtoday for complete details. 

Are you still trying to decide if you want to run the Columbus Marathon on October 21? Don’t wait; registration is open and filling up fast! The marathon recently announced the 2012 full-marathon course will include a run through Ohio Stadium. It’s the same flat, fast course our marathoners have come to love, but this year, runners and walkers will enter the stadium from the southeast corner and head down the same ramp that Ohio State football players use to take the field. Then, participants will cross in front of the south stands before exiting the stadium via the southwest ramp that OSU opponents use. There’s no better time than now to be a Buckeye!

Until next time, you can find me at wordstorunby.com to share your race day stories or offer feedback. Thanks for listening to Pace Per Mile Radio and see you at the next mile marker.

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