Flying Pig Marathon Fueling Plan & Pace Chart

Flying Pig Fueling Strategy

The Flying Pig is one of the most honest marathons in America about what it is: a hilly course that rewards patience and punishes aggression. With 1,074 feet of total elevation gain and the infamous Eden Park climb from miles 5-8, this race is not designed for personal bests. It's designed for runners who know how to race smart on hills. Your fueling strategy needs to be built entirely around the climb.

The course starts along the Ohio River at an elevation of roughly 500 feet above sea level. The first 5 miles are mostly flat, running along the riverfront through downtown Cincinnati. This flat opening is deceptive. The energy is high, the first-mile crowds are packed, and the river path feels easy. Runners frequently go out 15-30 seconds per mile too fast because the flat terrain masks the effort they're about to face. Start fueling immediately. Take your first gel at mile 2, on the flats, while your stomach is fresh and your heart rate is low. You need calories absorbing before The Climb begins.

Miles 3-5 continue along the riverfront with gentle, negligible elevation changes. Take another gel at mile 4.5-5, right before the course turns right and begins ascending toward Eden Park. This is arguably the most important gel of your entire race. The carbs from this gel will be entering your bloodstream as you grind through the steepest sections of The Climb. If you skip it, you'll be running on fumes by the top of Eden Park.

The Climb (miles 5-8) is the signature of the Flying Pig. You turn off the flat riverfront and begin a stair-step ascent up Gilbert Avenue and into Eden Park. Over three miles, you gain approximately 350 feet. The grade isn't constant. It comes in waves: a steep pitch, a brief flat, then another steep pitch. Your heart rate will jump 15-20 beats above your normal marathon effort. Your breathing will deepen. Your legs will feel the accumulated work of 5 miles of running plus a steep climb.

Do not attempt to eat during the steepest sections of The Climb. Your stomach will not cooperate. Blood is flowing to your legs and lungs, not your digestive tract. Instead, use The Climb as a fueling break. Focus on effort management: slow your pace to keep your heart rate under control, shorten your stride, and keep your breathing rhythmic. The runners who try to maintain their flat-section pace through Eden Park blow up spectacularly by mile 12.

Once you crest the top of Eden Park (around mile 8), you enter the hilltop neighborhoods around the Cincinnati Art Museum and Krohn Conservatory. The terrain is rolling but the major climbing is done. This is your critical refueling window. Take a gel immediately at the top of the climb, mile 8 or 8.5. Your heart rate is dropping, the terrain is easier, and your body is desperate for calories after three miles of climbing. Follow it with water from the next aid station.

Miles 9-12 roll through residential neighborhoods on the hilltop. The terrain has moderate ups and downs of 20-30 feet, but nothing approaching The Climb. Use this section to rebuild your fueling rhythm. Take gels at mile 10 and mile 12. If you're targeting 75-90g of carbs per hour, you should have 4-5 gels in by mile 12. The key insight here: many runners are so relieved to be done with The Climb that they coast through this section without eating. That's a mistake. Miles 9-12 are your best fueling opportunity before the long second half.

Miles 13-16 begin the descent back toward the river. You drop roughly 200 feet over these miles, which is good for your pace but hard on your GI system. Downhill running jostles your stomach and can cause nausea, especially if you took gels at the top of The Climb without enough water. Take smaller sips of sports drink through this section rather than full gels. If your stomach is cooperating, a gel at mile 14 works well. If it's protesting from the climb-to-descent transition, stick with liquid calories until things settle.

Miles 17-22 run along the river and through Lunken Airport area. The terrain is predominantly flat. This is your second major fueling window. The flat ground, moderate effort, and distance from The Climb mean your stomach should be cooperative again. Take gels at mile 17, mile 19, and mile 21. Be aggressive here. You burned extra calories on The Climb that you need to replenish, and the flat terrain is ideal for absorption.

May weather in Cincinnati adds a variable that compounds the hill challenge. Temperatures can reach 70-75 degrees by the time mid-pack runners hit miles 15-20, and Ohio River Valley humidity makes it feel hotter. Heat plus hills is the most dangerous combination for fueling. If race morning is warm, shift your second-half fuel plan toward liquid calories. Sports drink and diluted drink mix absorb faster than gels when your core temperature is elevated. Add sodium (500-700mg per hour) to compensate for increased sweat losses.

The final 4 miles (22-26) are flat along the riverfront back to the finish. If you fueled properly through the flat sections and managed your intake around The Climb, you should have energy reserves for a strong finish. Take your final gel at mile 23. The last 3 miles are where the Flying Pig rewards patience. Runners who went out conservatively through miles 1-5, managed their effort up The Climb, and fueled aggressively on every flat section will be passing people who attacked the course and ran out of energy.

The bottom line: the Flying Pig is a tale of two courses. The first 8 miles are defined by The Climb, and your fueling strategy there is about survival and timing. The last 18 miles are about recovery and rebuilding. Fuel before the climb, endure through it, then fuel aggressively on every flat mile that follows. The pig may fly, but your nutrition plan needs to stay grounded in the terrain.