Victory For TQL At Flying Pig Marathon
Hills and humidity proved no obstacles for Team TQL in the 2016 Flying Pig Marathon corporate relay.
The team of Chris M., Matt H., Matt S. and Andy K. finished first in 3:04:45 – a 7:04-per mile pace – to easily outdistance the runners up from Beacon Orthopeadics who came in almost 16 minutes behind at 3:20:27.
Matt H. predicted the outcome Wednesday before the race.
“We should win the corporate and I think we will be top three to five in the open,” he said. And indeed, the TQL time would have placed them fifth in the open relay.
The victory resulted in a $1,500 first-prize gift being evenly split between The League For Animal Welfare, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati and the Yellow Ribbon Support Center.
“It was a blast,” said anchor Andy K. “It’s fun to be a part of that whole event. I’ve been doing the Flying Pig for 12 years in one event or another and this is the first time I’ve taken home any sort of championship. It was great.”
In addition to the interview he gave at the end of the race, TV cameras picked up Andy applauding overall marathon champ Sergio Reyes as he ran past the exchange area around mile 20. He said being both competitor and fan is part of the appeal of the Pig.
“You’re cheering for people and getting excited for them,” Andy said. “You keep bouncing energy off each other. I just know that it helps me when I’m running, so I want to give that back. The support at the Pig is the greatest.”
TQL supported the running community by sponsoring the mobile app for the race.
About 25 TQL employees other than the relay team ran Flying Pig events over the weekend.
Among them, Hanna W. completed her first-ever full marathon in 5:52:15. She suffered some knee problems starting around mile 16, but pushed through despite the pain.
Reaching the finish line “was relief but, but more than that,” she said. “It was feeling happy and accomplished, but that last 10 miles it was ignoring the fact I even had a leg, so it was also feeling the pain.
“It was a flood of emotion. It was every emotion on the spectrum. Every negative part of it made it that much happier to finish.”
For complete Flying Pig results, visit here.
Marathons, like careers, take a lot of effort. If you think you have the will to succeed, consider a career at TQL.