In the 1800s, Cincinnati was known as a meat packing and processing center. When area farmers herded their pigs through the streets to the processing plants, there were so many pigs in the streets the city got the nickname "Porkopolis." Fast forward to 1986 when the city was celebrating its bicentennial, and the city built the Bicentennial Commons park you'll see along the riverfront in downtown Cincinnati. The entrance to the park is marked with an archway, four smokestacks (representing the city's riverboat history) and four flying pigs on top of the smokestacks, representing the city's "Porkopolis" past. The pig, and especially flying pig, has become the city's unofficial mascot, and from there came the name "Flying Pig Marathon." Besides, would you want to run a marathon named after the city's other nickname, "City of Seven Hills?" Oh no! (This info. came from the daily newsletters I'm getting that count down to the race. that last line was like a punch in the gut!)
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