5-06-2024 10:06pm

Flying Pig Marathon Twice as Nice for Jason Salyer

Beth Callahan Editor

Story contributed from Game Day Communications

CINCINNATI, OH -- For the second year in a row, Jason Salyer of Tipp City is the men’s division winner at the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, which celebrated its 26th running on Sunday, May 5. In the women’s division, 26-year-old Olivia Anger of Bellbrook, OH, won in a time of 2:43:23, the second fastest time recorded for a women’s division winner behind Tatyana Pozdnyakova’s 2:34:35 in 2002.

The 33-year-old Salyer won in a time of 2:26:01, more than a minute faster than his winning time last year of 2:27:10. Much of the race was a back and forth between Salyer and the second-place finisher, 23-year-old Adam Beucler of Hudson, OH, who finished in a time of 2:26:53. Third was two-time Flying Pig Marathon winner Jack Randall of Cincinnati. The 29-year-old finished in 2:27:34.

“Adam and I had five or six lead changes,” Salyer said. “I’d never raced Adam before, I’d heard of him and knew he was a talent. Every time I took the lead from him, I never felt that lead was safe, and when he took the lead from me, I told myself I had to stay in contact.”

In the women’s division, Anger won her first Flying Pig Marathon, but she’s no stranger to Pig events. The PhD student at the University of Cincinnati won last year’s Flying Pig Toyota 10K in 35:53.

“It’s amazing seeing the city of Cincinnati come together to support all the runners,” she said. “In Cincinnati, you know when it’s Flying Pig weekend because for the whole weekend, people make a fun festival out of it. The community really invests in making this such a wonderful event. I couldn’t have done it without the city of Cincinnati cheering me on. It was amazing.”

Second in the women’s marathon division was 31-year-old Brooke Wildermuth of Cincinnati in 2:51:41. She also won a Flying Pig event last year, the Queen City Running 5K, in a time of 16:47. Third was 29-year-old Daniela De Aguiar of Columbus in 2:59:32.

In the Paycor Half Marathon, 23-year-old Jonathan Harley of Cincinnati was first with a time of 1:10:44. Second in the division was 32-year-old Eric Gruenbacher of Loveland in 1:12:08. Gruenbacher also came in second in last year’s Paycor Half Marathon. Third in the male division was 28-year-old Jersson Pachar of Cincinnati in 1:14:08.

In the female division, 29-year-old Jules Madzia of Cincinnati came in first in a time of 1:19:52. Second was 20-year-old Claire Curtsinger of California, KY in 1:20:42 and third was 33-year-old Megan Francus of Cincinnati in 1:21:41.

“It’s an incredible course,” Madzia said. “The crowds the whole way, but especially through Eden Park, are amazing. For me, no matter how bad I feel, when they are cheering, you kind of forget how you feel.”

In Saturday’s events, 31-year-old Zac Holtkamp of Alexandria, who came in second in the 50 West Mile Friday evening, won the Toyota 10K men’s open division in 32:15, with 27-year-old Max Hoffman of Columbus second in a time of 32:49. Third was 20-year-old Carson Rewiski of Onsted, Michigan, in 33:30.

In the women’s open division, 33-year-old Emily Zimmerman of Dayton, Ohio, finished first in a time of 37:38, while 26-year-old Madeline Trevisan of Cincinnati was second in 38:28 and third was 35-year-old-Megan Kahn of Loveland in 39:58.

In the Queen City Running 5K, 19-year-old Chip Smith of Westerville, Ohio, was the top male finisher in 15:48, with 42-year-old David Riddle of Cincinnati second in 15:53 and 22-year-old Christian Leach of Monroe, Ohio, third in 16:17. On the women’s side, 28-year-old Bukola Pereira of Glendale, Ohio, won in 18:40, with 31-year-old Mary Craig of Newport second in 18:43 and 34-year-old Bridget Zimmerman of Newport third in 19:17.

In the Bounce Flying Fur dog event, top placers were Jimmy Chisholm in 6:38, Samuel Hall in 7:08, and Pacer-the-Dog in 7:09. Also held on Saturday were the Cincinnati Children’s 26th Mile, Flying Piglet and PigAbilities presented by Ohio Valley Goodwill.

Flying Pig weekend kicked off with the 50 West Mile, part of the TQL Beer Series of events. In the elite men’s division, top three placers were 23-year-old Jonathan Harley of Cincinnati, winning in a photo finish over former Flying Pig Marathon winner Holtkamp and 29-year-old Alex Gold of Cincinnati, another former Flying Pig Marathon winner, all with a time of 4:21.

In the women’s elite division, 30-year-old Katarine Smiljanec of Covington won in a time of 5:01 over 34-year-old Katie Ruhlman of Dayton, Ohio in 5:09 and 31-year-old Flannery Musk of Louisville in 5:11.

For the entire Flying Pig weekend, 39,245 participants were registered. That includes: