Born to Run: Toyota Renews Sponsorship of Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon
Any idiot can run. It takes a special kind of idiot to run a marathon. It also takes a special kind of car manufacturer to sponsor marathons, and for the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, that car manufacturer is Toyota. The Japanese company might be moving 1,600 jobs from nearby Erlanger, KY, but its presence will remain strong in Ohio’s Queen City, thanks to its renewed sponsorship of the 2015 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon.
The marathon, which is held the first weekend of May each year, has enjoyed partnership with Toyota since 2004. This year’s marathon weekend saw bigger-than-ever numbers, with over 36,000 participants and approximately 150,000 supporters taking part in the race festivities. With the help of Toyota and other sponsors, the Flying Pig organization has raised more than $12 million to support local charities since its 1999 inception.
Runners can take part in one of any number of races held over the weekend. Saturday’s races include a 5K, plus the Toyota 10K and plenty of other family-friendly events. The half-marathon and marathon are held the following day, and attract runners from across the country, as well as across the world. The Toyota 10K, saw its ninth running this year, and Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall took first place with an impressive finishing time of 30:32.
Ryan Hall wins the Toyota 10K at the 2014 Flying Pig Marathon
Scott Wracher, general manager of Toyota Motor Sales’ Cincinnati region, commented, “The Toyota 10K has become a premier event as part of the Flying Pig Marathon festivities, and we are ensuring it continues into the future. Toyota is invested in the Cincinnati area with the permanent home of our regional sales office, and we are committed to supporting causes and events that are important to the community.”
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.