Swine Flew

Or so the legend goes in Cincinnati, the site of my next half marathon on Sunday. The Flying Pig Half Marathon is a race that's been on my calendar for several years now. One of the best organized races in the United States, it draws participants from all 50 states and has an unsurpassed reputation as being "walker friendly".  I can't wait to "Do the Pig" on Sunday.

If you're wondering how a city like  Cincinnati, so steeped in common sense midwestern values, came to name its signature marathon event the "Flying Pig" here's the scoop. In the 19th century, Cincinnati was a major agricultural hub in the region, with livestock and produce regularly docking in the city. Pigs were a major source of income for farmers, and pigs were regularly strutted through the city streets on their way to  the slaughterhouse. Indeed,  so many pigs traveled through Cincinnati that the city gained the reputation and nickname of  "Porkopolis." 

In 1988, to celebrate its bicentennial, Cincy embarked on a major renovation of its riverfront area including a  "Bicentennial Commons" park. The entrance to Bicentennial Commons features four smokestacks, for the city's riverboat heritage, with four flying pigs on top, "in honor of the spirits of the pigs who gave their lives so that the city could grow".

So there you have it.  Swine flew and still fly in Cincinnati.

 

 

Comments

[Nancy]

This history does raise the question of a vegetarian's role in this race. Will you be celebrating the pigs going to slaughter or is it a protest walk?

Hail flying pigs!