08-05-2025
The story of the slowest Flying Pig time ever was written in 2025
If you followed the results of this year's Flying Pig events, you know that two course records were broken – both on the half-marathon course.
What you might not know is that another record was set on the full marathon course that winds its way up and down the hills of Cincinnati: the longest time. Doug Olberding, CEO of Pig Works, told the tale on this week's episode of the That's So Cincinnati podcast.
'There was a gentleman that had fallen pretty far behind, and he was moving very slowly. He did his last mile in 40 minutes – four o – 40 minutes,' Olberding said.
'At one point, I said to everybody that had been there (all day), I said look, if you feel like you're done for the day and you want to go home, you can go. … I think (only) two people left. And we had this group of our interns. I told the interns, 'You guys don't have to stay,' and they were like, 'No, we want to see this guy.'"
To assist runners who are struggling at the end of the 26.2-mile course, a small group of volunteers enters the race at mile 16, Olberding said.
'These three women are almost carrying this guy to the finish line. About 10 yards from the finish line, they let go of him, and he hobbles across the finish line. And we just erupted in cheers. … And I turned around, and this big burly guy that was sitting on a forklift truck was crying, and he said he'd never seen anything like this. He was amazed.
'He finished in like 10 hours and 5 minutes,' Oberding said. 'We think our previous record was 9 hours and 43 minutes, so he beat it pretty good, alright.'
Olberding, who oversaw his first Flying Pig as CEO this year, shared with That's So Cincinnati listeners how officials monitor weather, what time he arrives on race day, and why runners come from all over the world to participate in the Pig.
That's So Cincinnati, The Enquirer's weekly podcast on what's making news in our community, features a who's who of special guests. Listen to it at Audioboom, Apple or your favorite podcast platform.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Flying Pig Marathon CEO Doug Olberding on new record for slowest time
