Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon: Watch as Jason Salyer wins men’s race
Watch as Jason Salyer crosses the finish line as the 2024 Flying Pig Marathon winner
He’s still got it.
In February, Jason Salyer was doubting his ability as an elite runner after failing to finish the Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. Salyer found his groove over the last few months and returned to glory by repeating as the men’s Flying Pig Marathon champion.
“It’s a day of redemption,” Salyer said. “It was a real struggle for me mentally and emotionally. I questioned my ability. I dug deep today, I believed in myself, I paced myself very well. I just felt really strong at the end. I’m very thankful for the course support, family support and overall community support from here and back home.
“There were days I thought maybe I just didn’t have it anymore. I had to focus on being the best version of that day. I didn’t worry about time today. I just focused on effort.”
Salyer is the first back-to-back men’s full marathon champion since five-time winner Sergio Reyes won three straight from 2012-2014. The 33-year-old Tipp City native let all of his emotions out as he neared the finish “swine,” pumping up the crowd before breaking the tape in 2:26:01, over a minute better than his winning time a year ago.
“For people who don’t know me and see that emotion, they might think I’m cocky, kind of arrogant or a jerk. That’s not what it was,” Salyer said. “There was a lot of built-up energy and emotion that I was finally able to release.”
Salyer went back and forth with 23-year-old Adam Beucler to the tune of a half-dozen lead changes.
“Every time I took the lead from him (Beucler), I didn’t know if that lead was gonna stick. When he took the lead on me, I just told myself to stay in contact and that it’s a long race,” Salyer said.
Near the 22nd mile, Salyer finally got separation and was able to pull away for a 52-second victory. Two-time champion Jack Randall finished third at 2:27:34.
“It’s so tough to repeat,” Salyer said. “You never know who is going to show up to this event. This was Adam’s first time running. He just moved into the area. You have a general sense of who is going to show up,” Salyer said. “It’s rewarding because it’s a competitive race, it’s a large race and it’s No. 1 in America.”
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Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.