Flying Pig

Hey everyone...haven't posted in a while.

Anybody running the Flying Pig this year? I usually wait until the expo to register...just in case the weather doesn't cooperate.

I did a search...and got nothing for "Flying Pig". There must be someone running.

Thanks,

- Nick

Hi Nick! I'm NOT running, but I'm hardly running these days.

One of my local friends is but I'm not and I don't know how up to date our calendar of events is right now.

Natalie63 wrote:Hi Nick! I'm NOT running, but I'm hardly running these days.

Too bad about not running...I haven't seen any "big bad Wolfe's" on the Little Miami Trail lately.

Hopefully you're able to do something to stay fit!

- Nick

Nick! Good to see you! Here's another 'no, I'm not running the Pig either' but I'd still like to invite you up and over here to the Indy Mini! Have you run it yet? There's always a conflict because both races are the same weekend.

Hey there Dot...great to hear from you too!

I would love to run the Indy Mini...but you know how it is...always a lot of fun to run the "hometown" races. Also travel is so much easier! Let's keep our fingers crossed for great race-day weather!

- Nick

I'm still fit, just having a hard time focusing on running with any regularity. I think I DO need to take a drive out to the trail. I've been thinking about it quite a lot actually. A nice little out-and-back might be just what I need.

Natalie63 wrote:I'm still fit, just having a hard time focusing on running with any regularity. I think I DO need to take a drive out to the trail. I've been thinking about it quite a lot actually. A nice little out-and-back might be just what I need.

You should do it! The trail is nice to visit (as you know I'm sure)...especially after you haven't been there for a while. I get out there almost every weekend...so in some ways...it gets a little old. But still MUCH better than running on the shoulders of roads...watching out for drivers being distracted on cell phones!

By the way...I think that there's a group called the "Friends of the Little Miami Trail" (volunteers)...that have been doing a fair bit of trail improvements. Things like cautionary painting on the trail as you come to intersections, trimming back of a lot of the bushes/weeds/small trees (making things look a bit more open). And some maintenance on the trail itself...such as filling in of some cracks in the pavement (better for cyclists).

- Nick

Natalie63 wrote:Hi Nick! I'm NOT running, but I'm hardly running these days.

"Natalie63" - ??? - what, did you forget your password?

Nick, are you going for 2:45? Last I remember you were trying to break 3 hours, which I am sure you have by now?

JohnP wrote:Nick, are you going for 2:45? Last I remember you were trying to break 3 hours, which I am sure you have by now?

Hey there John...what's up? How did you guess...you must be reading my mind!

I ran a 2:49 at the Pig back in 2010...then I ran a really tactfully STUPID Flying Pig last year...which spoiled what would have been a top-10 finish (8th or 9th place)!

I've "kicked up" my training a bit since October/November:

- more quality miles
- more mid-week longer runs
- doing speedwork with more regularly
- doing longer tempo runs on Saturday's instead of pace runs

Training times & a race I ran about a month ago...suggest 2:45 for the Pig as a possibility. So my goal is somewhere in the 2:45-2:49 range.

Not too bad for someone who will only be about 2 weeks away from being 50 years old at this years Pig!

- Nick

Nick, that is extremely impressive, I hope you hit it, and post here a little more often, it is good to hear from you. A top 10 finish in a big race like that, that would be awesome for you.

JohnP wrote:Nick, that is extremely impressive, I hope you hit it, and post here a little more often, it is good to hear from you. A top 10 finish in a big race like that, that would be awesome for you.

Thanks John...I really appreciate it! As we all know...many times we need all the stars & planets to align...to get that one perfect race day effort/result! I'll be pleased if I break 2:50...and have a top 25 finish. You never know how many "young-speedsters" will show up on race day!

I've really been working/running hard since about last October...so I'm hoping everything comes together on race day!!!

As far as posting. I think that I had an injury or two...and when I'm injured...I hate thinking about running (including posting on forums)...so I probably got out of the habit! I'll try to be more active!

- Nick

Hey Nick, glad you are still marathoning. I thought you might have moved to tri as you know when runners can't pr .......

JohnP wrote:

Natalie63 wrote:Hi Nick! I'm NOT running, but I'm hardly running these days.

"Natalie63" - ??? - what, did you forget your password?

Ha!Ha! I did indeed! My username as well, but I always had trouble logging into this site. Hopefully, I can remember this time.

Jerry wrote:Hey Nick, glad you are still marathoning. I thought you might have moved to tri as you know when runners can't pr .......

Hey there Jerry...great to hear from you. I know what you mean about giving Triathlons a try...if it becomes difficult to PR. I've been focusing on Marathons so much...that I still have plenty of other distances to "explore"...including the track!

But I have thought about taking on the challenge of participating in the Hawaii Ironman someday. Just to finish...no sort of PR asperations!

- Nick

Flying Pig 2013 results:

Finish Time: 2:49:22
Overall Finish Place: 19th
Age Group Place: 1st
Masters Division Place: 2nd (#1 was ahead of me by 21 seconds, just ran out of course to catch him).
Final Mile Challenge: 6:13 (7th fastest final mile of all competitors)...1st in age group.

FYI. Unfortunately I've been sick the past couple weeks (still sick now)...which may have contributed to my "stretch-goal" of getting close to 2:45.

- Nick

Congratulations!! I hope you start feeling better soon. What is next on the calendar?

Congrats, Nick! Excellent!

Congrats! You were too fast to see my GOTR cheer team at either location.

Natalie63 wrote:Congrats! You were too fast to see my GOTR cheer team at either location.

Natalie,

What mile markers were GOTR located? I seem to remember from previous years Flying Pig conversations...that you were with a group at mile 18 just after Mariemont. So when I saw those groups...I was looking for someone who looked like you.

But if you weren't there...then that would be one reason I didn't see you ...or it was because by around mile 18 I was definitely in the "pain-zone"!

Thanks for the congrats!

- Nick

Congratulations Nick, those are simply amazing results.

JohnP wrote:Congratulations Nick, those are simply amazing results.

Thanks John! Like you guessed (amazingly) in your previous post...my stretch goal for the Pig this year was 2:45. Unfortunately...I've been sick for the past 2 weeks (and still am now). I thought maybe with tapering (fewer miles)...my cold had a good chance of clearing up before the race...but it didn't.

So I guess that I was still pretty fortunate to be able to do 2:49...but I still wonder what could have been accomplished if I was 100% heathy. I guess it's just one of those races where everything wasn't perfect.

Thanks again,

- Nick

Julie & Michele,

Thanks a bunch for the kind words!

As far as "what's next". I usually don't run too many races each year. I usually run about 3 races (and I've done two of them already). I usually like to do a Fall Marathon...which is usually the Columbus or Chicago Marathon (of course Chicago is sold out). So I guess what's next is:

- Hopefully a Fall marathon
- Continued "fine-tuning", experimentation, and maybe more miles to try to get faster!

Thanks again,

- Nick

Nice work, Nick! Impressive.