A wave of runners takes off from from Seventh and Elm at the start of the third annual Flying Pig Marathon (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        The third annual Flying Pig Marathon looked much like the second, as Rudolf Jun and Rebecca Gallaher defended their 2000 championships Sunday in downtown Cincinnati.

        Jun, 29, a native of the Czech Republic who lives in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., ran the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 28 minutes and seven seconds. That was about five minutes behind his winning time of 2000 (2:23:04), as Jun is recovering from pulled thigh muscles sustained six weeks ago.

        Gallaher, 26, who went to Princeton High School and now lives in Monterey, Calif., won the women's race in 2:50:50. The Sharonville native was on a record pace after the 20-mile mark, but slowed down and missed her Pig record time of 2:49.32 from last year.

Rebecca Gallaher

Rudolf Jun

        Despite the 6:30 a.m. start, many people came out to cheer the marathoners along the course that started and finished downtown, but wound through Cincinnati neighborhoods and Northern Kentucky. There was no official attendance figure, but race organizers said crowds along the route were larger than in 2000.

        Unlike last year, when Jun was never challenged, second-place finisher Mark Lawson (Salt Lake City) ran with Jun until the 23-mile mark. At that point, Jun pulled away and won by nearly two minutes.

        “Since I had been hurt, I knew I would not get the course record,” Jun said. “I usually don't start hurting until a few miles left, but I could feel it for the last half of the race today.”

Runners get some relief as they are sprayed with water on Eastern Ave. on mile 15. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Jun and Gallaher both were awarded $2,000 for winning, up from last year's $1,600 apiece. Both fell short of the $5,000 bonus for breaking the respective course records.

        Gallaher fell behind early but soon overtook the women's field, winning by nearly nine minutes.

        Race director Rich Williams estimated that more than 6,500 entrants competed, from nine countries and 43 states.

Flying Pig results, photos, stories

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