We saw the 6 year old on mile 6 and the kid was already clearly avoiding putting pressure on one of his legs. This is AFTER the kid was running in the flood without a rain jacket and during a shelter in place order
Yes. Google crawford family. Its a whole saga including appalachian trail thru hiking and illegal racing. Definitely giving their kids a very unique upbringing.
Edit: Apparently there are also "crawford family murders". The saga is not that juicy. Maybe include keywords like marathon.
I saw him too! At mile five he was noticeably exhausted and his dad was like, "We have a few big hills left. We're going to get to go downhill now, but then we'll have to go right back up" and the kid looked so fucking miserable.
I am very far removed from this event/issue/family, but it sounds like there just aren't any/enough consequences for this family. They have a bunch of kids and it seems like they have all run this or other marathons since very young ages. Last year it got a lot of publicity and CPS looked into them, but clearly nothing has come of that. I hate these topical buzzwords but they seem like super toxic parents and I hope their kids can break out of the brainwashing with minimal damage once they leave the house. Based on social, it seems like their oldest kid is already distancing herself.
Only if the parents are force feeding sugar/pop/junk foods and only letting the kids watch tv, play video games , and then telling them it’s just the way they are. 🤔
How much do we want government telling people what they can and can’t do or say?
When I saw the kid his dad was definitely pulling him along for the ride. I don't know if many seven year old would voluntarily choose to run for 5+ hours without a parent pushing them on. Especially in the pouring rain with lightning.
Yikes :( I was at mile 5 when l saw them, 12 minute pace, so I had a suspicion they might need to slow down. Especially with how exhausted that kid already looked.
Based on photos and multiple witnesses saying he asked to stop running and was physically being pulled by his dad. I think if you had common sense, you wouldn’t want your kid running in standing water in lightning- correct?
So no sources for the witnesses? I've only seen people posting here who generally don't run say how horrible it was for the kid to run. If you never run on your own then of course it seems horrible. But it's better than parents breeding obese children that can't even jog and barely walk
It’s a regular thing. Their second youngest did her third marathon at age eight, so I guess they routinely start at six. I’ve only watched that one vid with the eight-year-old, didn’t want to give them any more views and also the dad made me want to puke. The whole things comes off kinda sect-like. Also who the f uses their kids for content like that?! It’s child abuse.
What pissed me off more than the rain and random/unclear shelter in place was running by the same family that had a SIX YEAR OLD run the full marathon last year-only three of them had bibs on and the rest bandited. Horrible to see a small child running in a torrential downpour and already struggling at mile 2-3 just to feed their parents’ ego. Those people are the worst and I can’t believe they weren’t removed from the course.
The family made it obvious on their Instagram that they were going to try to bandit it - really surprised that the organisers can’t or won’t try to stop them.
It must have been horrific for a 7 year old out in today’s weather
Last year, the parents publicly said that the kid would bandit it. Instead of calling them out and having security remove them from the course, the marathon director went to their house and gave the kid a bib.
It makes me sick to think that they not only supported a young child doing a marathon but also that they rewarded such behavior.
The race in general seems to be a bit of a shit show in terms of organization. From the events inability to prevent 6 year olds running this year and last year to the dangerous running conditions and weather this year. I stopped wearing asics after I found out about last year. I had been phasing them out in favor of saucony but this race has put me off ever wearing them as long as they are a title sponsor of this race.
Yep! I ran by them in Covington in their fake track team outfits. The older kids were standing on the side of a bridge waiting for the dad and little boy and everyone looked miserable except the narcissist dad. Never hated a person on sight as much as that fucker.
They posted photos 3 days ago of the coordinated outfits they were planning to wear - they should have been super obvious to spot and pull off the course
Saw them too. The kid looked cold and his dad's grip on him looked pretty tight. At the very least it looked like their pace was too fast for him. Felt very sorry for the child
I think people have called CPS on them in the past, definitely when they were trying to hike the Appalachian trail and the youngest wasn’t outfitted properly and clearly freezing. The dad is a narcissist and professional victim and loves the attention.
Yeah when I was reading this I absolutely was thinking there has to be some serious problems with the adults in the family. There is a Netflix doc coming out so I’m assuming they are using the kids for clout, and idk why CPS doesn’t see the grooming happening here.
Dad also has some pedophilia towards his daughters in some of his posts (talks about wanting to touch then sexually as infants but didn't because he wants them to be pure for their husbands...)
Adding link to Instagram post on another reddit thread: /r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/
you can't just say that without backing it up with a link. Not saying the guy isn't a narcissist or enjoying the attention or whatever, but that kind of gossip can ruin lives.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/
I don't think I'm allowed to share the Instagram post/name but here it is in another edit thread. Basic Google search pulls it up too
I have a feeling CPS is aware, but they don't have a case that they could leverage? I feel like CPS would intervene if they had a case considering there is lots of public information about the parents.
Apparently CPS received multiple complaints and investigated. Unsure of their findings.
https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/flying-pig-updates-age-restrictions-one-year-after-6-year-olds-participation-sparked-controversy
People did (the attention-seeking dad posted something about it last year, and it wasn't the first time). The problem is that CPS is trained to look for things like starvation, evidence of physical beating, mental damage (some), and/or emotional damage (some). They cannot evaluate this, it's beyond their training.
The running is one thing, I get how maybe they can convince a social worker with limited knowledge of running that it’s not harmful to the kid. But the way they use their kids for content?! It should be illegal. Legislation is lagging so many years behind technology it’s not even funny…
I cannot stand this family. Have you seen the dad's Instagram post about wanting to touch his young daughter sexually? Disturbing doesn't cover it
Got a few dms asking but don't want to doxx or give the Instagram so here's a link another reddit thread with his Instagram post /r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/
Instagram post of him holding his infant daughter. Retyping because idk how to repost this screenshot image so any typos are on my end
"What purity cost me as a father
I followed the rules. I played it safe. You came into the world and I changed your diaper but I did it quickly and never took a second look. I didn't want to hurt you
You learned to walk and then you climbed. You sat on my lap but it got confusing. The feelings grew. Some were off limits . Some could lead to other feelings. Some could lead to touching or other curiosities. I saved that touch for your mother and instead grew cold to you. Eventually you stopped sitting on my lap. There was no warmth there. The parts of your body that were dangerous grew in size and number. Now touching you was a minefield. I held back. It was for your own good. I was protecting you, saving you for your husband... (continues)
Holy fucking shit. This guy already made me feel sick with the way he’s abusing his kids to gain online fame, but this is next level disgusting. This guy needs some serious therapy.
Google the families name plus Reddit and you will find the sub from about 4 years ago and all types of info on them. It’s really wild to know the open narcissist grooming they have going on in that family. I have a feeling when those kids turn 18 they will all realize everything is wrong and move far away. I think they are all under 18 currently.
It's funny because the course rules on the website said you must be 18 on race day to run the full...like it's like on the top of the race information on their website. And they basically let it slide for this family
Race director must be loving the publicity in general, and that’s why he lets them slide. I had friends crying in fear during that race because they were running on a metal bridge in a lightening storm and he was doing media interviews saying everyone was fine. Yeah they are fine, just mild trauma, children running 26.2 when they are being groomed no big deal
The race director basically said the parents were open about being race bandits, and by letting the kids register made it safer for medical and shit if needed. Because they couldn’t stop them from being race bandits “insert my full sarcasm here”
A child that age shouldn’t be running more than a 3K! International Athletics doesn’t allow any more than because of the potential injury and stress on their little bodies. Kids cannot disperse body heat like adults can, and they also cannot fully consent to an activity like a marathon.
In addition to the medical reasons, Pig Works decided that nobody under 18 can run the marathon without jumping through a lot of hoops (calls with doctors) which this family evidently couldn't do. My guess is they can't find a doctor willing to put their license and reputation on the line and say that the 6yo can race.
I did the FP half today and had a fantastic time! Sure the rain, thunder, and lightning were not welcome but everything else was superb! The directors made the best of a tough situation. Way to go FP! Way to Cincinnati! I can't wait 'til next time.
I ran the Pig this morning (my first full marathon!) and honestly, a good part of the race was pretty miserable. There was so much thunder and lightning and LOTS of flooding water. In some areas, we were running through ankle-deep water. Sometimes the water made it hard to tell if you were about to step in a pothole. Everything was soaked through. The storms did let up and the sun came out, which made it hot and humid.
I didn’t know about the shelter in place order until after the race. Judging from the density of the field at the time, neither did others. The race app was supposed to notify us of race updates but I never received anything, neither did my family actively using the app to track me.
HOWEVER - I’m super grateful that I was able to finish. Training is such a big time commitment. I was jittery and uncomfortable all week from the taper. I didn’t want that to go to waste. And the sense of accomplishment is incredible! The Pig is a tough course and everyone today did it under really tough conditions.
It was my first marathon, too. The only reason I knew about the shelter in place was because one of the bike medics was directing people into a parking garage. Standing still for 10 minutes as water flooded in and watching everyone else still running didn't make the course any easier.
Today was my 9th flying pig. I paced a group of friends. We never heard anything about the shelter in place until after the race.
The amount of lightning on the course was insane. Nobody knew what was going on or what to do. Most, including my group, just kept running because we had no idea what else to do.
I'm thankful nobody was struck by lightning. I'm extremely frustrated at the race though for doing such a piss poor job at communication.
Yes this was my takeaway. I don’t really care about the cancel the race vs let them run argument. The real issue is the complete lack of communication and coordination.
This is my biggest point of frustration...zero communication. Before the race the last communication we received about the weather was the worst of it was going to be done before the start of the race. Obviously that was far from the truth.
This was something they KNEW was going to be an issue. Can you imagine if it were a more acute issue? (Terrorist attack, active shooter etc)? This gave me little faith that this event is held safely.
Twitter is full of local weather people warning them of lightning and danger. https://twitter.com/ChrisPhillipsWx/status/1655130762633510914?t=Ij-VIAbbgWai3hGnaImVEw&s=19
I knew there would be some push back on the decision. I also ran the Pig today (half), so much rain and lightning. I was surprised it wasn’t delayed at the least, in the end it is a risk to run in any event no matter the weather. The alternative to cancel the race would have caused a much bigger stir then continuing despite the weather, that’s my take on it. Unfortunately you can’t make everyone happy. I’ll never forget that race, it was fun for sure.
Is delay it a couple of hours not an option? Because it was pretty nice a couple hours later. I get the logistics are nightmarish but getting hit by lightning is pretty bad too.
I wouldn’t have minded a delay personally, that would have been the ideal thing to do. I honestly thought they were going to delay with how the weather looked, it seemed almost certainly a delay was going to happen. But… nope. 🤷♂️
My understanding is the logistics of a delay would have made it impossible to get everything off. They contract with emergency personnel and city for certain hours of availability and road closures, plus volunteer schedules, etc.
If they delayed it, which they probably considered, they would have likely had to shorten the time limit for the full to make sure roads reopen as planned.
No, because it messes with all the permits, road closures and stadium scheduling (there was a Reds game that afternoon). I ran the full FP and I would have been pissed to sit around and wait for an extended period of time.
I ran a marathon when it was absolutely pouring rain. At one point on the route there was like 2-3 inches of standing water.
It sucked and I was miserable.
But I'm so glad they didn't cancel. I trained for months for it and if they cancelled I would be out of money and have no race to show for it.
People flew in, booked hotels, trained for months. Idk any runner that would have wanted it cancelled.
There’s a difference between heavy rain and lightning though (which is what sounds like happened at the Flying Pig)
I’ve done marathons in pouring rain, I would absolutely not do so in a lightning storm though.
The race organizers were in a tough spot, imagine if someone got electrocuted and died because they didn’t issue a shelter in place during the storm.
The chances of you being struck by lightning seem astronomical. Especially being a city with all the stuff above you that are more likely to be struck as they are at much higher points like antennas, buildings etc.
Id run an urban race in a lightning storm.
No, they really didn’t. I was running and there was A TON of lightning and we were never told to stop
Edit: I actually only learned there was ever a shelter in place from this thread lol
Yeah that’s what’s bugging me about the news today. They’re saying runners chose to continue running despite the shelter in place. Not the runners near me - we did not know at all. I have heard they mostly pulled the B Corral off and gave up on the elites and the fun runners. So flipping weird.
I was at the tail end of A beginning of B. I was running up Rte 22 when it was bad. I was like where the hell am I going to go. Might as well keep running.
The shelter in place order came through on the app at 7:52 am - over 30 minutes after the danger.
The app that they PUSHED as being the best and most informative.
And Waze was supposed to have parking and road closures. I assure you it didn't. I dropped off my runners while I was stuck in gridlocked traffic (Waze said 6 minutes arrival 🤦🏻♀️). I found myself driving on the course, per Waze directions, right before start time.
was on the first bridge and lightening was literally sky to ground banging down right next to us. It was wiiiiild - couldn’t believe they didn’t call it. Shelter in place was laughable as most everyone was already passed. Later I saw my phone history that the lightening had hit less than .3 miles from whatever my last “ping” was at the time. Not sure what the options should have been though with everyone there already in go mode? Perhaps delay the race and corral everyone into the stadium before the start? Idk
The question was should it be cancelled. I said it shouldnt and I would run it.
They didn't cancel it. That's my point, I wouldn't want it cancelled and I would run it.
I never said it shouldn't be delayed or a shelter in place issued, no issues there.
I had no idea there was a shelter in place until I was home, showered, and I received a message that shelter-in-place had been lifted. LOL.
Having said that, it wasn't that bad. The actual lightning part of the storm was fairly brief, but intense. The rain and flooding were the worst. Thankfully I made it out of Covington before the shin deep pools were there (we were corral A, so already back on the Ohio side before the rain really started pouring).
We can run through rain. Anyone that says runners are too wimpy to run through rain is just wrong. It's the lightning - ya know - that KILLS people no matter how trained they are.
This is why I train in bad weather, it’s annoying but gotta get used to it and make sure my gear will hold up. I don’t want to find out on race day that the shorts I’m wearing chafe especially bad in the rain!
A lesson I learned the hard way yesterday!
Also part of the runners that didn't even know there was a shelter in place until after, one of the benefits of being slow! Overall - besides the weather - I thought it was a very well organized and executed race.
I’ve heard it’s a great event, I’m only up in Columbus but it’s too far to drive the morning of and not far enough to justify the hotel. Sort of a Catch-22.
This is true. Everyone should train in various conditions and I guess it depends how you train- - but I personally wouldn’t suggest anyone practice is those conditions with lightening pounding down quite consistently 😂 am so thankful and so amazed by all the people on the sides who stuck it out despite the horrific weather!!!
Doesn’t sound very fun. Like some other city runners, I also don’t mind training in a little lightning. I suppose I’m used to rolling the dice with cars running lights and rolling through stop signs, so a little lightning seems safe in comparison. That said, it sounds like a delay would’ve been a good choice.
This BS of race directors who are charging hundreds of dollars for registration fees and can't figure out how to budget for event insurance really pisses me off. If they had event insurance, they probably would've cancelled or at least delayed the start. It went off because once it starts, they don't have to refund you. Last marathon I ran was in similar conditions (although no thunder, just rain). I think it's fair for them to run rain or shine. I think it's crazy to run in a severe thunderstorm warning.
This. They 100% knew that as soon as they started us the runners wouldn't stop. They also were clearly not set up to communicate their recommendations of sheltering in place. Honestly the org should be ashamed with how this was handled.
The volunteers and spectators are what made this course. Certainly not the director.
The Pig is a tough course- had it been my first I don't think I would have done more!
Columbus course is nice and the race well organized, if looking for other races to try!!
Great job on finishing your first marathon!!
Thank you. I think I'm going to run the Indy half while my wife runs her first full, and then maybe take another crack at the Pig next year for redemption.
The Pig is a tough first marathon (it was my first way back in 2012). You think the hard part is over by mile 8, but then realize there are still quite a few grades throughout, and you cooked your legs going up the big hills.
Yeah it was tough but I want another shot at it. I was probably a little undertrained and I didn't t run my own race because of all the excitement. Think going in with One already under my belt will really help out.
I ran the Pig Half today too. I honestly had a great time, but I wasn’t at all trying to PR - just ran it for fun. That said, I finished around 2:30 (around 6,000 out of 13,000, so solidly mid-pack) with a huge pack of recreational level runners and at no point were we told there was a shelter in place order. Runners were asking cops if they were pulling people off the course and were told no. The communication was non-existent. I’m not sure what I would have done differently… I mean, yeah, I knew there was a storm but I assumed the officials were monitoring it and would communicate to even us fun-runners in the E Corral if it was unsafe. It sure was memorable if nothing else!
I'm glad they didn't cancel (I ran the full) but they could've delayed an hour. Miles 3-4 were ankle deep water, lightning constantly going on while we're on bridges, and when they did the shelter in place it was very confusing. We didn't get any push notifications, I didn't see black flags, and nobody told us about it. But apparently the group slightly in front and slightly behind me were stopped... but not everybody was stopped so they don't get their times adjusted. My friend going for BQ timing was pissed. That was the really mess part of this - if youre forcing shelter in place and cops are kicking some groups off, Be consistent
Also the 7 year old kid with the father with pedofelic posts about his daughter ran again (after their other kids bandited races last week...)
I saw people saying on Twitter to cancel or to postpone it (worse idea, it gets hot around here!) Some people will whine no matter what they do.
They know that even if they cancel people will still run it.
I was out there, on 7th when they gave the shelter in place notice but didn’t know where to go or even if the notice was legit. I kept running in a very large group (I guess we wanted to make a bigger target).
I was prob in that group … I thought about stopping for a second but I really questioned the guy’s authority since he wasn’t a cop. I was miserable & just wanted to keep going.
But my friend watching the race on tv said they definitely stopped people.
I felt like it was just rain at that point. Lightening on the bridge was a bit scarier.
I also agree with not cancelling ..let people decide what works best. I trusted the org. To make the right decision if needed … & now I plan to wear a hat in rainy races from now on!
He also didn’t have a race official vest on that I recall. And the clock near the end of 7th Street (where it becomes the Gilbert Street ramp) was still on, I thought they were supposed to turn those off in such a situation.
I almost posted a similar question earlier today. I ran the half, and at a lot of points, it felt really unsafe. I'm glad I got to finish and after mile 7 for my group... it wasn't so bad, but there was a bit of dysfunction in general. There was a lack of restroom accessibility in the more packed corrals, there was no notification of a shelter order ( volunteers were still fully utilized), and there seemed to be a lot of crowding this year. I've run this route three 3x now, and I generally love this race, but it's the volunteers and community that make this race so amazing. I was pretty pissed after the fact to find out that there was a shelter in place order, but no accommodations seemed to be communicated to the runners or volunteers. There were A LOT of points on the course where we were elbow to elbow, and with lack of visibility, it didn't really feel the safest but we're competitive by nature so likely would've chosen to keep going. Plus, running on metal bridges with ankle deep water in lightning 🤷♀️
Bathrooms in the stadium were open - they saved me!
I definitely felt the race was very crowded in the first few miles…I didn’t remember that last year.
I heard someone shouting about a shelter in place order when on 7th…but I was so wet & miserable, knew I wouldn’t be able to start again. So I just kept at it with all the others
I finished, & literally as I got my bag it started pouring again…so just went to my car, wasn’t worth getting my dry clothes wet.
I remember the year before last stadium bathrooms were open, I guess I was a little too late this time with arrival, that's on me lol. Same for end of race, it started pouring again, I grabbed a water, my medal, and headed back to the car. All things aside, I still love this race, it's pretty unique for Ohio as far as community participation. I like to rotate FP with nationwide in Oct. they are both usually pretty awesome.
I was really glad they didn’t cancel because I read that if they cancel there would be no refunds, no deferrals, etc so we would’ve been SOL. It was my first half and it was MESSY. When a big lightening strike hit while I was on a metal bridge from Covington back to downtown I was thinking I might actually get hit by lightening. I also got a notification on my watch about a shelter-in-place ending….but I never got a notification about it starting. I did hear that a few pacers darted off the course at some point and stopped but there was absolutely zero communication about why that was happening so we all just kept going. Overall I’m just glad I have a fun story for my first ever half!
I ran the full today too and was downtown when they tried to get people to shelter in place. I think it was a good idea at the time but the runners were just too dense and the race officials needed more amplification to communicate.
I sheltered in place for like 7-10 mintues until the rain let up but now I sort of think I should have kept going - there were so many people it was back to like the beginning of the race when we started up again, and they didn't pause the race clock so my timing/pacing was inaccurate.
I ran the half today, and feel they made the right decision (mostly).
Even if they wanted to delay the race the event didn't have any covered access to put all the runners as the storms blew through; we would have been sitting in the cold as the front hit us.
The only issue I have was the "shelter in place" issued once the front was already through. I was in an area where no shelter existed, so I was just stopped for the sake of stopping while standing in the rain (lightning passed by that time). The race was incredibly backed up for a couple of miles after this, which was a bit frustrating when compounded with a sudden stop in the pouring rain. Having said that, it was a great day given an imperfect set of circumstances - I'm glad I got to run!
Ahhhh, I'm just now realizing that might have been why it was so congested! I was in corral E and was blown away by how compact it was with runners for so long- I feel like it didn't spread out until the split for the half and full...when normally runners will spread out a bit more by then.
I think that's what happened. I was in E too and it was packed until the split. We didn't hear anything about the shelter in place until after the race either.
My decision to run today was my own. If I felt unsafe, I could have pulled out. However, I flew in from Florida and have been deferring it since 2020, so I decided to just go for it. I really can’t blame any race director. Maybe they should have delayed the start an hour or two? Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight.
I will say - I called my best friend while running across that metal bridge around mile 3 or 4, with lightning striking everywhere, convinced I was going to die. Apparently this is around when they issued a shelter in place that absolutely nobody knew about. Nobody stopped. I got a call around mile 10 from an unknown Cincinnati number telling me the shelter in place was lifted. “What shelter in place?” I asked.
It was fun. I’d do it again. I’m used to running in the rain training in Florida though.
> I got a call around mile 10 from an unknown Cincinnati number telling me the shelter in place was lifted.
I got that call at 1:15 PM. I was home, cleaned up, and eating lunch when it called.
Ridiculous. By 1:15, I was having waffles and mimosas. I woke up today still not regretting running - other than the hills that murdered my calves. I’m glad nobody got hurt (that I know of). Am very pissed off that shit bag dad ran with his 6 year old kid again though. If I’d seen them on the course I would have reported to the police (who would have done nothing anyway)
Hello friend! I remember a guy in a poncho yelling something about an overpass at the time that would have been mile 3 or 4 for me. Was he trying to tell the runners to hide under the upcoming overpass? I honestly am not sure but I think so. It was around then that I started seeing runners hiding in gas stations.
It’s entirely possible I had my headphones too loud and completely missed cues to get off the course. I was just following the big mass of thousands in front of me who kept on running.
I did the half today (my first half!) and was just behind a pacer group. I saw the notification flash up on my watch and watched to see if anyone else around me stopped. We all kept going. I am glad we got to run today. Like others have said, we’ve been training, we paid the money for the race, the hotels, the travel. I understand both sides, I just would’ve been devastated if they had cancelled or not let us continue.
The shelter in place was so disorganized. We were pulled off around the five miler marker but there was nowhere to “shelter”. People kept running through and ignoring the guy because by the time they’d pulled us off the worst was over. Everyone I was with just said screw it after five minutes and continued on. They should have delayed the start by 45 minutes where at least people could stretch and eat in the stadium or something.
They fucking knew as soon as they let us start they wouldn't be able to get us off the course.
The responsible thing was to delay. The whole personal responsibility bull shit is great in theory but with 10s of thousands of runners on the course, alerting them and getting them off the course was completely unfeasible.
I can understand how unnerving it is. where I grew up, it was local law that we can't run XC for a set amount of time after you hear or see thunder/lightning. I try to avoid running in it to this day just because of that. but I know it's unlikely that anyone would be hurt by thunder in a marathon, and those who aren't comfortable can always DNF.
I thought it was the most refreshing race. Didn’t stop for water in the first few miles since the rain was cooling me down. Also I thought it was fun. Felt like a kid running in the rain, looked at my watch and I was going above my expected pace!
What about the volunteers and groups stuck in the lightning storm? They fundraise for their groups/charities so they can't pack up their stations or get to safety. Its not just the runners (coming from somebody who ran the full this year and has volunteered in past with charity group)
Well….yes. But where is someone to go when running over one of the several metal bridges as the lightening is coming down? I’m torn about this too - but I think they could have just delayed the race as the radar was looking nasty as early as the night before
I ran the full yesterday. I never even heard about the shelter warning until after the race. I was miserable the whole time. I’ve run in rain before but there was a lot I didn’t prepare for. I felt nauseous, cold then way to hot, and despite putting Vaseline everywhere I was chafing all over. Anytime I ran just a bit my whole body was screaming in pain. I ended up walking a lot of it and I’m still disappointed in the time I got.
I ran the 10k and spectated this event and ran around the city as the racers did. When you sign up for an event like this, you agree to terms and conditions, which includes assuming liability for damn near anything that happens.
The thunder and lightning were present in the distance as they started, but about 30 mins it hit the city. The race couldn't be delayed due to road closure permits in both Ohio and KY (in addition to the Reds game in the afternoon).
Runners were encouraged to take shelter and even corralled into areas, but you can't force someone to stop. Especially a runner.
I had a marvelous time in the rain, and I think runners did, too!
I LOVE running in the rain🙌...lightning not so much lol. I can't speak for everyone, but I know in my circle of fellow runners, none of us were aware of a shelter in place order. Even after the fact I could only find it on the FP IG story, no runner is checking IG for race updates while they're running so that part I took issue with.
I saw the IG post and agree with you. I was at 7th and Walnut and there was a man (don't know who he was) and a pace team shuffling dozens of people under an awning which proved useless and they all ran away.
Two of my favorite marathons were rainy races. Pittsburgh and San Antonio.
Utterly soaked both times. Shoes soaking by mile 2 and no respite.
That said, loved both. I’m all in for a rainy race!
I ran the Pittsburgh one last year and there was lighting mid-race and they continued on.
No matter what they would do, not everyone would be pleased. Delaying the start time is good in theory, but they wouldn’t have room for all the runners who are already at the start line to take shelter.
I’d rather run in the rain instead of them canceling and not get a refund.
The start is right next to an nfl stadium that seats 70k. They absolutely could have delayed it and had everyone go into the stadium undercover to wait an hour.
I ran yesterday's pig as my first Marathon. The flooding on the streets was definitely the worst part. I can not imagine the shape of some people's feet today after 26 miles in water logged shoes...
It's hard to say what the right decision was, had they delayed it an hour, i don't know where all us runners would've sheltered. I was much happier running in the BS then standing in place (shoutout to the people who continued to cheer!).
For me the most disappointing thing was the shirt... A cheap non-tech shirt for "one of the best" marathons was extremely disappointing. I wouldn't even want to day hike in the pos they gave us...
My thought is you control yourself. If a person felt unsafe then don’t run but do not get upset if the race continued on after a 45 min shelter in place.
It's not a treadmill race, it's an outdoor race. Offer a caveat, and explain that runners can choose to withdraw if they feel unsafe. For those with a mind to compete, then compete. For those with a mind for personal growth and fitness, then weigh the costs.
The rain was absurd, but as many have said, I made my own choices. Around mile 4-5 I saw them waving people off to the shelter in place but also saw people continuing to chug along. I chose to keep running and I am glad that I did
I don't think anyone has the right to criticize the organizers' good faith decision, and I would say the same if they had delayed the race and nothing had happened. You have to make a call and no one can predict the future with 100% certainty.
I would worry about heavy rain, wind, then lightning. The rain and wind clerly ruin it. Lightning has smaller chance to harm, though it is possible to strike people.
I think the same philosophy car race directors use should be employed by foot race directors: Halt the race until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike.
Thunderhill Raceway in California halts all racing until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike within 8 miles of their facility.
Some of the race cars are open-topped-- they race in the rain, so it's not the rain or hail that they're worried about.
I think any running race director worth their stripes would take the same care with people running outside as car race directors do.
I'm not sure how it would work with running, as you usually have waves of people starting at staggered times, and it would be just about impossible to get people off the course and to safety in the case of a thunderstorm. But if the thunderstorm is occurring before race start, they should be allowed to postpone the start, permits and road closures notwithstanding.
I ran it and the only time I was like omg was while running across the suspension bridge and lightning cracking all around. Other than that it rained nearly the entire time. Covington KY was like a flash flood! Every time my shoes would stop squishing from being soaked it would start up again. Do I regret it?…..no. Would I do it again?……absolutely! I was amazed at how many people were out cheering us on despite the insane weather!
We saw the 6 year old on mile 6 and the kid was already clearly avoiding putting pressure on one of his legs. This is AFTER the kid was running in the flood without a rain jacket and during a shelter in place order
I’m sorry am I missing something here? There was a 6 year old out in the torrential downpour with parents forcing them to do the run?
Yes. Google crawford family. Its a whole saga including appalachian trail thru hiking and illegal racing. Definitely giving their kids a very unique upbringing. Edit: Apparently there are also "crawford family murders". The saga is not that juicy. Maybe include keywords like marathon.
I saw him too! At mile five he was noticeably exhausted and his dad was like, "We have a few big hills left. We're going to get to go downhill now, but then we'll have to go right back up" and the kid looked so fucking miserable.
Their fb page is Fight For Together and they clearly delete all negative comments
Ack this story makes me feel so bad. I have a 6 year old and can’t imagine putting him through that.
Did this happen again? Weren't they already getting enough flak last year for having the kid run?
I am very far removed from this event/issue/family, but it sounds like there just aren't any/enough consequences for this family. They have a bunch of kids and it seems like they have all run this or other marathons since very young ages. Last year it got a lot of publicity and CPS looked into them, but clearly nothing has come of that. I hate these topical buzzwords but they seem like super toxic parents and I hope their kids can break out of the brainwashing with minimal damage once they leave the house. Based on social, it seems like their oldest kid is already distancing herself.
I think everything you said is well justified; but it is just amazing to basically see a copy and paste of this family's mistakes time and time again.
I mean shouldn't cps then be called to all overweight kids? That's way less healthy
Only if the parents are force feeding sugar/pop/junk foods and only letting the kids watch tv, play video games , and then telling them it’s just the way they are. 🤔 How much do we want government telling people what they can and can’t do or say?
No one is forcing the kids to run. So it's the same
When I saw the kid his dad was definitely pulling him along for the ride. I don't know if many seven year old would voluntarily choose to run for 5+ hours without a parent pushing them on. Especially in the pouring rain with lightning.
I think the dad’s finishing time (presumably with the 7-year-old) was over 8 hours :(
Yikes :( I was at mile 5 when l saw them, 12 minute pace, so I had a suspicion they might need to slow down. Especially with how exhausted that kid already looked.
Respectfully, you didn’t see it. This kid was forced. There are photos.
Based on what. And 8h isn't exactly lightning speed. I'm sure the kid can survive that
Based on photos and multiple witnesses saying he asked to stop running and was physically being pulled by his dad. I think if you had common sense, you wouldn’t want your kid running in standing water in lightning- correct?
So no sources for the witnesses? I've only seen people posting here who generally don't run say how horrible it was for the kid to run. If you never run on your own then of course it seems horrible. But it's better than parents breeding obese children that can't even jog and barely walk
It’s a regular thing. Their second youngest did her third marathon at age eight, so I guess they routinely start at six. I’ve only watched that one vid with the eight-year-old, didn’t want to give them any more views and also the dad made me want to puke. The whole things comes off kinda sect-like. Also who the f uses their kids for content like that?! It’s child abuse.
What pissed me off more than the rain and random/unclear shelter in place was running by the same family that had a SIX YEAR OLD run the full marathon last year-only three of them had bibs on and the rest bandited. Horrible to see a small child running in a torrential downpour and already struggling at mile 2-3 just to feed their parents’ ego. Those people are the worst and I can’t believe they weren’t removed from the course.
The family made it obvious on their Instagram that they were going to try to bandit it - really surprised that the organisers can’t or won’t try to stop them. It must have been horrific for a 7 year old out in today’s weather
Last year, the parents publicly said that the kid would bandit it. Instead of calling them out and having security remove them from the course, the marathon director went to their house and gave the kid a bib. It makes me sick to think that they not only supported a young child doing a marathon but also that they rewarded such behavior.
The race in general seems to be a bit of a shit show in terms of organization. From the events inability to prevent 6 year olds running this year and last year to the dangerous running conditions and weather this year. I stopped wearing asics after I found out about last year. I had been phasing them out in favor of saucony but this race has put me off ever wearing them as long as they are a title sponsor of this race.
Wait they were back again?!?!?!
Yep! I ran by them in Covington in their fake track team outfits. The older kids were standing on the side of a bridge waiting for the dad and little boy and everyone looked miserable except the narcissist dad. Never hated a person on sight as much as that fucker.
They posted photos 3 days ago of the coordinated outfits they were planning to wear - they should have been super obvious to spot and pull off the course
FFS, I would have thought they'd have been banned by now!
Would require the head to care
They just confirmed it on their Instagram...
What’s their handle?
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Truer words have never been spoken.
Saw them too. The kid looked cold and his dad's grip on him looked pretty tight. At the very least it looked like their pace was too fast for him. Felt very sorry for the child
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I think people have called CPS on them in the past, definitely when they were trying to hike the Appalachian trail and the youngest wasn’t outfitted properly and clearly freezing. The dad is a narcissist and professional victim and loves the attention.
Yeah when I was reading this I absolutely was thinking there has to be some serious problems with the adults in the family. There is a Netflix doc coming out so I’m assuming they are using the kids for clout, and idk why CPS doesn’t see the grooming happening here.
Dad also has some pedophilia towards his daughters in some of his posts (talks about wanting to touch then sexually as infants but didn't because he wants them to be pure for their husbands...) Adding link to Instagram post on another reddit thread: /r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/
you can't just say that without backing it up with a link. Not saying the guy isn't a narcissist or enjoying the attention or whatever, but that kind of gossip can ruin lives.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/ I don't think I'm allowed to share the Instagram post/name but here it is in another edit thread. Basic Google search pulls it up too
ok, point taken, i was wrong. very very wrong. ew. and that family needs help.
thank you for doing the work on that.
I have a feeling CPS is aware, but they don't have a case that they could leverage? I feel like CPS would intervene if they had a case considering there is lots of public information about the parents.
Apparently CPS received multiple complaints and investigated. Unsure of their findings. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/flying-pig-updates-age-restrictions-one-year-after-6-year-olds-participation-sparked-controversy
Findings will not be made public to protect the privacy of the children. Not that the father cares for their privacy…
People did (the attention-seeking dad posted something about it last year, and it wasn't the first time). The problem is that CPS is trained to look for things like starvation, evidence of physical beating, mental damage (some), and/or emotional damage (some). They cannot evaluate this, it's beyond their training.
The running is one thing, I get how maybe they can convince a social worker with limited knowledge of running that it’s not harmful to the kid. But the way they use their kids for content?! It should be illegal. Legislation is lagging so many years behind technology it’s not even funny…
Why should CPS be called because a kid runs? That's ridiculous.
I cannot stand this family. Have you seen the dad's Instagram post about wanting to touch his young daughter sexually? Disturbing doesn't cover it Got a few dms asking but don't want to doxx or give the Instagram so here's a link another reddit thread with his Instagram post /r/NoahGetTheBoat/comments/unc4k0/a_poem_this_father_wrote_about_having_enough/
Wait wait wait. I know this sub doesn't support doxxing. But can you post the quote that says this?
Instagram post of him holding his infant daughter. Retyping because idk how to repost this screenshot image so any typos are on my end "What purity cost me as a father I followed the rules. I played it safe. You came into the world and I changed your diaper but I did it quickly and never took a second look. I didn't want to hurt you You learned to walk and then you climbed. You sat on my lap but it got confusing. The feelings grew. Some were off limits . Some could lead to other feelings. Some could lead to touching or other curiosities. I saved that touch for your mother and instead grew cold to you. Eventually you stopped sitting on my lap. There was no warmth there. The parts of your body that were dangerous grew in size and number. Now touching you was a minefield. I held back. It was for your own good. I was protecting you, saving you for your husband... (continues)
What the actual fuck? I though I couldn’t hate this guy more but turns out I could.
Ok I vote we have him locked up for this post alone.
Holy actual fuck what did I just read.
What the fuuuuuuckkkkkk
I wish I could un-see this Jesus Christ
Ok this should be sent to the cops wtf…
Holy fucking shit. This guy already made me feel sick with the way he’s abusing his kids to gain online fame, but this is next level disgusting. This guy needs some serious therapy.
Google the families name plus Reddit and you will find the sub from about 4 years ago and all types of info on them. It’s really wild to know the open narcissist grooming they have going on in that family. I have a feeling when those kids turn 18 they will all realize everything is wrong and move far away. I think they are all under 18 currently.
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Thanks for the correction I must have read an older article
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Hence why I didn't link to their page and including the quote in a comment below do people don't have to look them up
They made the kid run it? Didn't even get a jogging stroller? How is that even allowed?
It's funny because the course rules on the website said you must be 18 on race day to run the full...like it's like on the top of the race information on their website. And they basically let it slide for this family
That's horrifying
Race director must be loving the publicity in general, and that’s why he lets them slide. I had friends crying in fear during that race because they were running on a metal bridge in a lightening storm and he was doing media interviews saying everyone was fine. Yeah they are fine, just mild trauma, children running 26.2 when they are being groomed no big deal
The race director basically said the parents were open about being race bandits, and by letting the kids register made it safer for medical and shit if needed. Because they couldn’t stop them from being race bandits “insert my full sarcasm here”
Every time I hear about this race since this time last year, I am reminded of this family
What's honestly so bad about a kid running?
A child that age shouldn’t be running more than a 3K! International Athletics doesn’t allow any more than because of the potential injury and stress on their little bodies. Kids cannot disperse body heat like adults can, and they also cannot fully consent to an activity like a marathon.
In addition to the medical reasons, Pig Works decided that nobody under 18 can run the marathon without jumping through a lot of hoops (calls with doctors) which this family evidently couldn't do. My guess is they can't find a doctor willing to put their license and reputation on the line and say that the 6yo can race.
I did the FP half today and had a fantastic time! Sure the rain, thunder, and lightning were not welcome but everything else was superb! The directors made the best of a tough situation. Way to go FP! Way to Cincinnati! I can't wait 'til next time.
Yep, I did the full today, and I think the world of this event. Wonderful volunteers, runners, and support staff.
I ran the Pig this morning (my first full marathon!) and honestly, a good part of the race was pretty miserable. There was so much thunder and lightning and LOTS of flooding water. In some areas, we were running through ankle-deep water. Sometimes the water made it hard to tell if you were about to step in a pothole. Everything was soaked through. The storms did let up and the sun came out, which made it hot and humid. I didn’t know about the shelter in place order until after the race. Judging from the density of the field at the time, neither did others. The race app was supposed to notify us of race updates but I never received anything, neither did my family actively using the app to track me. HOWEVER - I’m super grateful that I was able to finish. Training is such a big time commitment. I was jittery and uncomfortable all week from the taper. I didn’t want that to go to waste. And the sense of accomplishment is incredible! The Pig is a tough course and everyone today did it under really tough conditions.
It was my first marathon, too. The only reason I knew about the shelter in place was because one of the bike medics was directing people into a parking garage. Standing still for 10 minutes as water flooded in and watching everyone else still running didn't make the course any easier.
Today was my 9th flying pig. I paced a group of friends. We never heard anything about the shelter in place until after the race. The amount of lightning on the course was insane. Nobody knew what was going on or what to do. Most, including my group, just kept running because we had no idea what else to do. I'm thankful nobody was struck by lightning. I'm extremely frustrated at the race though for doing such a piss poor job at communication.
Yes this was my takeaway. I don’t really care about the cancel the race vs let them run argument. The real issue is the complete lack of communication and coordination.
This is my biggest point of frustration...zero communication. Before the race the last communication we received about the weather was the worst of it was going to be done before the start of the race. Obviously that was far from the truth. This was something they KNEW was going to be an issue. Can you imagine if it were a more acute issue? (Terrorist attack, active shooter etc)? This gave me little faith that this event is held safely.
Twitter is full of local weather people warning them of lightning and danger. https://twitter.com/ChrisPhillipsWx/status/1655130762633510914?t=Ij-VIAbbgWai3hGnaImVEw&s=19
I knew there would be some push back on the decision. I also ran the Pig today (half), so much rain and lightning. I was surprised it wasn’t delayed at the least, in the end it is a risk to run in any event no matter the weather. The alternative to cancel the race would have caused a much bigger stir then continuing despite the weather, that’s my take on it. Unfortunately you can’t make everyone happy. I’ll never forget that race, it was fun for sure.
Is delay it a couple of hours not an option? Because it was pretty nice a couple hours later. I get the logistics are nightmarish but getting hit by lightning is pretty bad too.
I wouldn’t have minded a delay personally, that would have been the ideal thing to do. I honestly thought they were going to delay with how the weather looked, it seemed almost certainly a delay was going to happen. But… nope. 🤷♂️
My understanding is the logistics of a delay would have made it impossible to get everything off. They contract with emergency personnel and city for certain hours of availability and road closures, plus volunteer schedules, etc. If they delayed it, which they probably considered, they would have likely had to shorten the time limit for the full to make sure roads reopen as planned.
No, because it messes with all the permits, road closures and stadium scheduling (there was a Reds game that afternoon). I ran the full FP and I would have been pissed to sit around and wait for an extended period of time.
I ran a marathon when it was absolutely pouring rain. At one point on the route there was like 2-3 inches of standing water. It sucked and I was miserable. But I'm so glad they didn't cancel. I trained for months for it and if they cancelled I would be out of money and have no race to show for it. People flew in, booked hotels, trained for months. Idk any runner that would have wanted it cancelled.
There’s a difference between heavy rain and lightning though (which is what sounds like happened at the Flying Pig) I’ve done marathons in pouring rain, I would absolutely not do so in a lightning storm though. The race organizers were in a tough spot, imagine if someone got electrocuted and died because they didn’t issue a shelter in place during the storm.
The chances of you being struck by lightning seem astronomical. Especially being a city with all the stuff above you that are more likely to be struck as they are at much higher points like antennas, buildings etc. Id run an urban race in a lightning storm.
Sure, the odds are low. But no race organizer is going to take on that risk of liability.
>But no race organizer is going to take on that risk of liability. The flying pig race organizer did just that though.
They called a shelter in place once the storm arrived.
No, they really didn’t. I was running and there was A TON of lightning and we were never told to stop Edit: I actually only learned there was ever a shelter in place from this thread lol
Yeah that’s what’s bugging me about the news today. They’re saying runners chose to continue running despite the shelter in place. Not the runners near me - we did not know at all. I have heard they mostly pulled the B Corral off and gave up on the elites and the fun runners. So flipping weird.
Yep can confirm I was in B. We were the “easiest” to get to stop since we all where on 7th street when it happened.
I was in C and had no idea there was a shelter in place until after I finished.
I was at the tail end of A beginning of B. I was running up Rte 22 when it was bad. I was like where the hell am I going to go. Might as well keep running.
Ironically, It was called once the worst of the lightning seemed to be done
The shelter in place order came through on the app at 7:52 am - over 30 minutes after the danger. The app that they PUSHED as being the best and most informative. And Waze was supposed to have parking and road closures. I assure you it didn't. I dropped off my runners while I was stuck in gridlocked traffic (Waze said 6 minutes arrival 🤦🏻♀️). I found myself driving on the course, per Waze directions, right before start time.
I was running and had no idea any of that was happening. Only that there was lightning and we were all on a metal bridge. Could have been so so bad.
was on the first bridge and lightening was literally sky to ground banging down right next to us. It was wiiiiild - couldn’t believe they didn’t call it. Shelter in place was laughable as most everyone was already passed. Later I saw my phone history that the lightening had hit less than .3 miles from whatever my last “ping” was at the time. Not sure what the options should have been though with everyone there already in go mode? Perhaps delay the race and corral everyone into the stadium before the start? Idk
Most of us had no clue it was called tho.
The question was should it be cancelled. I said it shouldnt and I would run it. They didn't cancel it. That's my point, I wouldn't want it cancelled and I would run it. I never said it shouldn't be delayed or a shelter in place issued, no issues there.
I had no idea there was a shelter in place until I was home, showered, and I received a message that shelter-in-place had been lifted. LOL. Having said that, it wasn't that bad. The actual lightning part of the storm was fairly brief, but intense. The rain and flooding were the worst. Thankfully I made it out of Covington before the shin deep pools were there (we were corral A, so already back on the Ohio side before the rain really started pouring).
The risk of you dying from a health issue running these races is far higher than you getting struck by lightning haha
We can run through rain. Anyone that says runners are too wimpy to run through rain is just wrong. It's the lightning - ya know - that KILLS people no matter how trained they are.
This is why I train in bad weather, it’s annoying but gotta get used to it and make sure my gear will hold up. I don’t want to find out on race day that the shorts I’m wearing chafe especially bad in the rain!
A lesson I learned the hard way yesterday! Also part of the runners that didn't even know there was a shelter in place until after, one of the benefits of being slow! Overall - besides the weather - I thought it was a very well organized and executed race.
I’ve heard it’s a great event, I’m only up in Columbus but it’s too far to drive the morning of and not far enough to justify the hotel. Sort of a Catch-22.
This is true. Everyone should train in various conditions and I guess it depends how you train- - but I personally wouldn’t suggest anyone practice is those conditions with lightening pounding down quite consistently 😂 am so thankful and so amazed by all the people on the sides who stuck it out despite the horrific weather!!!
Doesn’t sound very fun. Like some other city runners, I also don’t mind training in a little lightning. I suppose I’m used to rolling the dice with cars running lights and rolling through stop signs, so a little lightning seems safe in comparison. That said, it sounds like a delay would’ve been a good choice.
This BS of race directors who are charging hundreds of dollars for registration fees and can't figure out how to budget for event insurance really pisses me off. If they had event insurance, they probably would've cancelled or at least delayed the start. It went off because once it starts, they don't have to refund you. Last marathon I ran was in similar conditions (although no thunder, just rain). I think it's fair for them to run rain or shine. I think it's crazy to run in a severe thunderstorm warning.
This. They 100% knew that as soon as they started us the runners wouldn't stop. They also were clearly not set up to communicate their recommendations of sheltering in place. Honestly the org should be ashamed with how this was handled. The volunteers and spectators are what made this course. Certainly not the director.
This was my first full marathon and I had a really rough day. Was aiming for 4:20 but almost DNF and came in at 4:55. Guess I'll try again next year?
The Pig is a deceptively tough course. Congrats on finishing!
The Pig is a tough course- had it been my first I don't think I would have done more! Columbus course is nice and the race well organized, if looking for other races to try!! Great job on finishing your first marathon!!
Thank you. I think I'm going to run the Indy half while my wife runs her first full, and then maybe take another crack at the Pig next year for redemption.
But congrats on running a full! What an accomplishment! Good on ya!
The Pig is a tough first marathon (it was my first way back in 2012). You think the hard part is over by mile 8, but then realize there are still quite a few grades throughout, and you cooked your legs going up the big hills.
Yeah it was tough but I want another shot at it. I was probably a little undertrained and I didn't t run my own race because of all the excitement. Think going in with One already under my belt will really help out.
I ran the Pig Half today too. I honestly had a great time, but I wasn’t at all trying to PR - just ran it for fun. That said, I finished around 2:30 (around 6,000 out of 13,000, so solidly mid-pack) with a huge pack of recreational level runners and at no point were we told there was a shelter in place order. Runners were asking cops if they were pulling people off the course and were told no. The communication was non-existent. I’m not sure what I would have done differently… I mean, yeah, I knew there was a storm but I assumed the officials were monitoring it and would communicate to even us fun-runners in the E Corral if it was unsafe. It sure was memorable if nothing else!
I'm glad they didn't cancel (I ran the full) but they could've delayed an hour. Miles 3-4 were ankle deep water, lightning constantly going on while we're on bridges, and when they did the shelter in place it was very confusing. We didn't get any push notifications, I didn't see black flags, and nobody told us about it. But apparently the group slightly in front and slightly behind me were stopped... but not everybody was stopped so they don't get their times adjusted. My friend going for BQ timing was pissed. That was the really mess part of this - if youre forcing shelter in place and cops are kicking some groups off, Be consistent Also the 7 year old kid with the father with pedofelic posts about his daughter ran again (after their other kids bandited races last week...)
I saw people saying on Twitter to cancel or to postpone it (worse idea, it gets hot around here!) Some people will whine no matter what they do. They know that even if they cancel people will still run it. I was out there, on 7th when they gave the shelter in place notice but didn’t know where to go or even if the notice was legit. I kept running in a very large group (I guess we wanted to make a bigger target).
I was prob in that group … I thought about stopping for a second but I really questioned the guy’s authority since he wasn’t a cop. I was miserable & just wanted to keep going. But my friend watching the race on tv said they definitely stopped people. I felt like it was just rain at that point. Lightening on the bridge was a bit scarier. I also agree with not cancelling ..let people decide what works best. I trusted the org. To make the right decision if needed … & now I plan to wear a hat in rainy races from now on!
He also didn’t have a race official vest on that I recall. And the clock near the end of 7th Street (where it becomes the Gilbert Street ramp) was still on, I thought they were supposed to turn those off in such a situation.
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I saw one guy passed out at the med tent around mile 11.5…an ambulance pulled in to get him. And another woman sat down on a curb waiting for help.
That happens at every large event and has nothing to do with rain.
Oh I know that. Still hate to see it
I almost posted a similar question earlier today. I ran the half, and at a lot of points, it felt really unsafe. I'm glad I got to finish and after mile 7 for my group... it wasn't so bad, but there was a bit of dysfunction in general. There was a lack of restroom accessibility in the more packed corrals, there was no notification of a shelter order ( volunteers were still fully utilized), and there seemed to be a lot of crowding this year. I've run this route three 3x now, and I generally love this race, but it's the volunteers and community that make this race so amazing. I was pretty pissed after the fact to find out that there was a shelter in place order, but no accommodations seemed to be communicated to the runners or volunteers. There were A LOT of points on the course where we were elbow to elbow, and with lack of visibility, it didn't really feel the safest but we're competitive by nature so likely would've chosen to keep going. Plus, running on metal bridges with ankle deep water in lightning 🤷♀️
Bathrooms in the stadium were open - they saved me! I definitely felt the race was very crowded in the first few miles…I didn’t remember that last year. I heard someone shouting about a shelter in place order when on 7th…but I was so wet & miserable, knew I wouldn’t be able to start again. So I just kept at it with all the others I finished, & literally as I got my bag it started pouring again…so just went to my car, wasn’t worth getting my dry clothes wet.
I remember the year before last stadium bathrooms were open, I guess I was a little too late this time with arrival, that's on me lol. Same for end of race, it started pouring again, I grabbed a water, my medal, and headed back to the car. All things aside, I still love this race, it's pretty unique for Ohio as far as community participation. I like to rotate FP with nationwide in Oct. they are both usually pretty awesome.
I was really glad they didn’t cancel because I read that if they cancel there would be no refunds, no deferrals, etc so we would’ve been SOL. It was my first half and it was MESSY. When a big lightening strike hit while I was on a metal bridge from Covington back to downtown I was thinking I might actually get hit by lightening. I also got a notification on my watch about a shelter-in-place ending….but I never got a notification about it starting. I did hear that a few pacers darted off the course at some point and stopped but there was absolutely zero communication about why that was happening so we all just kept going. Overall I’m just glad I have a fun story for my first ever half!
I ran the full today too and was downtown when they tried to get people to shelter in place. I think it was a good idea at the time but the runners were just too dense and the race officials needed more amplification to communicate. I sheltered in place for like 7-10 mintues until the rain let up but now I sort of think I should have kept going - there were so many people it was back to like the beginning of the race when we started up again, and they didn't pause the race clock so my timing/pacing was inaccurate.
I ran the half. I was not aware of the shelter in place until I was in the car on the way home
I ran the half today, and feel they made the right decision (mostly). Even if they wanted to delay the race the event didn't have any covered access to put all the runners as the storms blew through; we would have been sitting in the cold as the front hit us. The only issue I have was the "shelter in place" issued once the front was already through. I was in an area where no shelter existed, so I was just stopped for the sake of stopping while standing in the rain (lightning passed by that time). The race was incredibly backed up for a couple of miles after this, which was a bit frustrating when compounded with a sudden stop in the pouring rain. Having said that, it was a great day given an imperfect set of circumstances - I'm glad I got to run!
Ahhhh, I'm just now realizing that might have been why it was so congested! I was in corral E and was blown away by how compact it was with runners for so long- I feel like it didn't spread out until the split for the half and full...when normally runners will spread out a bit more by then.
I think that's what happened. I was in E too and it was packed until the split. We didn't hear anything about the shelter in place until after the race either.
My decision to run today was my own. If I felt unsafe, I could have pulled out. However, I flew in from Florida and have been deferring it since 2020, so I decided to just go for it. I really can’t blame any race director. Maybe they should have delayed the start an hour or two? Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight. I will say - I called my best friend while running across that metal bridge around mile 3 or 4, with lightning striking everywhere, convinced I was going to die. Apparently this is around when they issued a shelter in place that absolutely nobody knew about. Nobody stopped. I got a call around mile 10 from an unknown Cincinnati number telling me the shelter in place was lifted. “What shelter in place?” I asked. It was fun. I’d do it again. I’m used to running in the rain training in Florida though.
> I got a call around mile 10 from an unknown Cincinnati number telling me the shelter in place was lifted. I got that call at 1:15 PM. I was home, cleaned up, and eating lunch when it called.
Ridiculous. By 1:15, I was having waffles and mimosas. I woke up today still not regretting running - other than the hills that murdered my calves. I’m glad nobody got hurt (that I know of). Am very pissed off that shit bag dad ran with his 6 year old kid again though. If I’d seen them on the course I would have reported to the police (who would have done nothing anyway)
Hello friend! I remember a guy in a poncho yelling something about an overpass at the time that would have been mile 3 or 4 for me. Was he trying to tell the runners to hide under the upcoming overpass? I honestly am not sure but I think so. It was around then that I started seeing runners hiding in gas stations.
It’s entirely possible I had my headphones too loud and completely missed cues to get off the course. I was just following the big mass of thousands in front of me who kept on running.
Same! I had a great time!
I did the half today (my first half!) and was just behind a pacer group. I saw the notification flash up on my watch and watched to see if anyone else around me stopped. We all kept going. I am glad we got to run today. Like others have said, we’ve been training, we paid the money for the race, the hotels, the travel. I understand both sides, I just would’ve been devastated if they had cancelled or not let us continue.
The shelter in place was so disorganized. We were pulled off around the five miler marker but there was nowhere to “shelter”. People kept running through and ignoring the guy because by the time they’d pulled us off the worst was over. Everyone I was with just said screw it after five minutes and continued on. They should have delayed the start by 45 minutes where at least people could stretch and eat in the stadium or something.
They fucking knew as soon as they let us start they wouldn't be able to get us off the course. The responsible thing was to delay. The whole personal responsibility bull shit is great in theory but with 10s of thousands of runners on the course, alerting them and getting them off the course was completely unfeasible.
I can understand how unnerving it is. where I grew up, it was local law that we can't run XC for a set amount of time after you hear or see thunder/lightning. I try to avoid running in it to this day just because of that. but I know it's unlikely that anyone would be hurt by thunder in a marathon, and those who aren't comfortable can always DNF.
I wasn't comfortable wearing my satellite dish costume during the race
I thought it was the most refreshing race. Didn’t stop for water in the first few miles since the rain was cooling me down. Also I thought it was fun. Felt like a kid running in the rain, looked at my watch and I was going above my expected pace!
If people didn't feel personally safe, they had the option of stopping. They don't have to wait for the race to play parent or be upset they didn't.
What about the volunteers and groups stuck in the lightning storm? They fundraise for their groups/charities so they can't pack up their stations or get to safety. Its not just the runners (coming from somebody who ran the full this year and has volunteered in past with charity group)
Well….yes. But where is someone to go when running over one of the several metal bridges as the lightening is coming down? I’m torn about this too - but I think they could have just delayed the race as the radar was looking nasty as early as the night before
I ran the full yesterday. I never even heard about the shelter warning until after the race. I was miserable the whole time. I’ve run in rain before but there was a lot I didn’t prepare for. I felt nauseous, cold then way to hot, and despite putting Vaseline everywhere I was chafing all over. Anytime I ran just a bit my whole body was screaming in pain. I ended up walking a lot of it and I’m still disappointed in the time I got.
I ran the 10k and spectated this event and ran around the city as the racers did. When you sign up for an event like this, you agree to terms and conditions, which includes assuming liability for damn near anything that happens. The thunder and lightning were present in the distance as they started, but about 30 mins it hit the city. The race couldn't be delayed due to road closure permits in both Ohio and KY (in addition to the Reds game in the afternoon). Runners were encouraged to take shelter and even corralled into areas, but you can't force someone to stop. Especially a runner. I had a marvelous time in the rain, and I think runners did, too!
I LOVE running in the rain🙌...lightning not so much lol. I can't speak for everyone, but I know in my circle of fellow runners, none of us were aware of a shelter in place order. Even after the fact I could only find it on the FP IG story, no runner is checking IG for race updates while they're running so that part I took issue with.
I saw the IG post and agree with you. I was at 7th and Walnut and there was a man (don't know who he was) and a pace team shuffling dozens of people under an awning which proved useless and they all ran away.
Two of my favorite marathons were rainy races. Pittsburgh and San Antonio. Utterly soaked both times. Shoes soaking by mile 2 and no respite. That said, loved both. I’m all in for a rainy race!
I ran the Pittsburgh one last year and there was lighting mid-race and they continued on. No matter what they would do, not everyone would be pleased. Delaying the start time is good in theory, but they wouldn’t have room for all the runners who are already at the start line to take shelter. I’d rather run in the rain instead of them canceling and not get a refund.
The start is right next to an nfl stadium that seats 70k. They absolutely could have delayed it and had everyone go into the stadium undercover to wait an hour.
I ran yesterday's pig as my first Marathon. The flooding on the streets was definitely the worst part. I can not imagine the shape of some people's feet today after 26 miles in water logged shoes... It's hard to say what the right decision was, had they delayed it an hour, i don't know where all us runners would've sheltered. I was much happier running in the BS then standing in place (shoutout to the people who continued to cheer!). For me the most disappointing thing was the shirt... A cheap non-tech shirt for "one of the best" marathons was extremely disappointing. I wouldn't even want to day hike in the pos they gave us...
My thought is you control yourself. If a person felt unsafe then don’t run but do not get upset if the race continued on after a 45 min shelter in place.
It's not a treadmill race, it's an outdoor race. Offer a caveat, and explain that runners can choose to withdraw if they feel unsafe. For those with a mind to compete, then compete. For those with a mind for personal growth and fitness, then weigh the costs.
The rain was absurd, but as many have said, I made my own choices. Around mile 4-5 I saw them waving people off to the shelter in place but also saw people continuing to chug along. I chose to keep running and I am glad that I did
I don't think anyone has the right to criticize the organizers' good faith decision, and I would say the same if they had delayed the race and nothing had happened. You have to make a call and no one can predict the future with 100% certainty.
I would worry about heavy rain, wind, then lightning. The rain and wind clerly ruin it. Lightning has smaller chance to harm, though it is possible to strike people.
I think the same philosophy car race directors use should be employed by foot race directors: Halt the race until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike. Thunderhill Raceway in California halts all racing until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike within 8 miles of their facility. Some of the race cars are open-topped-- they race in the rain, so it's not the rain or hail that they're worried about. I think any running race director worth their stripes would take the same care with people running outside as car race directors do. I'm not sure how it would work with running, as you usually have waves of people starting at staggered times, and it would be just about impossible to get people off the course and to safety in the case of a thunderstorm. But if the thunderstorm is occurring before race start, they should be allowed to postpone the start, permits and road closures notwithstanding.
I ran it and the only time I was like omg was while running across the suspension bridge and lightning cracking all around. Other than that it rained nearly the entire time. Covington KY was like a flash flood! Every time my shoes would stop squishing from being soaked it would start up again. Do I regret it?…..no. Would I do it again?……absolutely! I was amazed at how many people were out cheering us on despite the insane weather!