The Flying Pig Marathon is only 4 years old, a relative babe among highly anticipated annual events in Cincinnati. Yet the 26.2-mile race already has demanded and received attention locally and nationally.

        When the Flying Pig takes off a week from today, more than 8,000 people from at least nine countries and 49 states are expected to participate in the marathon, Papa John's Flying Pig 5-mile run and Kids Fun Run.

        That doesn't include at least 3,000 volunteers and tens of thousands of spectators expected to line the course. Last year, 25,000 people attended the postrace victory party.

        “It's not quite at the icon level of a "Taste' or Oktoberfest or Findlay Market Opening Day Parade, but I think it's fast becoming one of the Cincinnati traditions,” said Nick Vehr, vice president of economic development for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.

        “It is amazing how something that's so young has become almost cultural as to who we are and what we do. That just means it's a great, great fit.”

        As local sporting events go, the Pig can't match the history of, say, the Crosstown Shootout, the Xavier-Cincinnati basketball series that started in 1928. Or Opening Day for the Reds, which dates to 1876. Or the Browns-Bengals rivalry, which began in 1970. Even tournament tennis, which eventually led to the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati, started in 1899.

        Still, the marathon has worked its way onto the calendar of significant annual events in Cincinnati, joining Riverfest, Oktoberfest, Taste of Cincinnati, Summerfair and Jammin' on Main, to name a few.

        “You kind of hope that's going to happen, but you're not in this business because you're looking for accolades,” race director Rich Williams said. “You're in it because you love doing it.”

        That said, the Flying Pig has grown each year, from almost 6,200 participants for just the marathon (1999) to 6,814 who were registered through Wednesday.

        The event has developed a national reputation; Runner's World magazine rated the Flying Pig one of the top 20 marathons in the country. The race has gained more sponsors locally and nationally and picked up support in town.

        When Williams, who was appointed to the Running USA Board of Directors in January, meets people and they find out he is the Flying Pig race director, he often will hear such comments as: “My cousin ran it, my sister worked it, and I'm going to help next year.”

        After the inaugural Flying Pig, one runner approached Williams and predicted that, within five years, people would have difficulty choosing between running the prestigious Boston Marathon or the Flying Pig.

        And now?

        “Well, I was at the Marine Corp Marathon this past fall, and a guy walks up to me and said: "Ya know, I've got a tough decision to make this spring. I don't know whether or not I want to do Boston or I want to do the Flying Pig Marathon.' The prediction came true,” said Williams. “He said, "I've been wanting to run your race for five years.' I said, "We only had the third one last spring.'”

        Bob Roncker, owner of Bob Roncker's Running Spot stores, said the Flying Pig has “heightened the awareness of running” in the area. And more people are probably running year-round now,” Roncker said, because training for a marathon takes more time than training for the Heart Mini-Marathon, which had been the city's biggest springtime running event.

        Roncker also says casual runners and nonrunners are paying more attention to the Flying Pig.

        “The interest is as strong as it's ever been,” he said. “In a rather short time, it's grabbed a real foothold in the area.

        “I think a lot of people just like being associated with the event in one way or another.”

Where the Flying Pig ranks

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