First off, a history and some back story
The Cincinnati Turkey Day 10k is the oldest race in the region at 109 (and counting). I’ve never run it. At a bar for a running party, I joked with another runner that I was going to run it someday. His reply was a dead-pan “no you wont.” I was taken back by the statement (and he had done that intentionally) until he said “you can’t run it, it’s a 6 mile parade.” Since then (and even before then), I’ve run the Honor Run Half Marathon and let the season end there and ran 10k on Thanksgiving Day as a lame sign of support for my brothers and sisters in running shoes dealing with the clustefuck that is the Cincinnati Turkey Day 10k. But being the largest road race day in the country, I kinda felt left out.
Enter Facebook Targeted Advertisements. The images below aren’t the ads I could find when I decided to type this out, but the guy was on one, and going to the website, you see the pic of the cinnamon roll below (images from Ohio Runs / Cincinnati Hungry Turkey Half & 5k).
Post-race pastries are second only to alcoholic beverages when crossing the finish line. 
I hope they comped this guy’s registration.
Since half marathons are now a ‘just for fun’ thing’ (WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK HAPPENED TO ME??? :-D), I got permission from she who must be obeyed and signed up. For a cinnamon roll. The pullover looks nice too, and the medal is nice (but it’s another medal).
Recent Past
Fast forward to the evening of November 20, 4 days prior to race day, and an email goes out claiming the start/finish has been moved from Armleder Park to the Lunken Playfield…
More History…
Prior to 1945, THE airport in Cincinnati was Lunken Airport. However, in 1937, it was inundated with floodwaters, getting it the nickname “Sunken Lunken” and paving the path for the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to start development as a commercial airport in 1945 (originally established as a military training facility in 1942). Since then, a multi-use path has been constructed around the airport, and some years after, a connection was made with Armleder Park, which is north of the airport. The connection is made below a bridge over the Little Miami River. I know this area can flood. Moreover, I know the Ohio River is high because I run next to it all the time, and it’s been high.
So I expected the reason was because the race was going to become a clusterfuck and have to stay to one side or the other of the Levee due to flooding.
It appears I was incorrect (not a complaint!). We’ll still cross through the flood-able area between miles 4 and 5 and back between miles 8 and 9.
Course Overview and Plan
It’s been a long time since I’ve run around the airport, and the last time I bicycled around it was October 12, 2015 (thanks Endomondo!). The path is not incredibly wide anywhere, but I’m also not really going for a PR. Of course, the last time I said that, I had a break-out 5k that became a PR that stood for a year or two. Most of the path is boring with occasional views of the airport, but I expect there to be little activity given that the airport primarily serves corporate jets.
The first mile is mostly flat with a little hill towards the end around the Lunken Terminal when the path goes from street level to floodwall level.
Mile 2 to 4.5 is mostly flat. And boring. This is where there’s occasional views of the airport.
Mile 4.5 to 5.4 goes down 40-50 feet and back up, down will be steeper than up.
Mile 5.4 to 7.7 is mostly flat. It’s in a park with few tall trees or shade, although that won’t be a major concern.
Mile 7.7 to 8.6 goes down 45-50 feet and back up, but this time up will be steeper than down. This will be the hardest part of the race.
Mile 8.6 to 12 is mostly flat. And boring. This is where there’s occasional views of the airport.
Mile 12 to 13.1 starts with a little downhill around the Lunken Terminal when the path goes from floodwall level to street level. Fortunately, that little hill is in the right spot to tee up a nice finishing surge.
My main concern is course congestion on the return trip, but it’s only a mild concern. I think that most of the pack will be on the 5.4 – 7.7 loop while I’m on the return track, so I think most of the second half will be single direction with the exception of a few walkers.
There’s water stops throughout (at 1, 2.5, 5.4, 7.7, 10.6, and 12.1… I expect I’ll skip 1 and 12.1). Fueling will be via Gatorade Endurance Gels using the same schedule as the Honor Run. And I’ll be wearing my AfterShokz, since I expect that there will be next to no crowd support outside of the start/finish area. The weather looks like it might cooperate. Or be rainy, one or the other, but much warmer than 22 degrees!
Here’s to what might be a great race.