It was a weekend of full-circle moments and hometown pride at the 2024 Paycor Flying Pig Marathon, as two familiar faces claimed victory in the half-marathon event.

Simon Heys, a Wilmington native and former Pig Works intern, didn't just come to see old friends—he came to win. And that's exactly what he did, crossing the finish line in 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 58 seconds. "I really wanted to go after it," Heys said. "I definitely came in with a goal to win, and I'm just happy to get it done."

For Heys, the victory was especially sweet. An all-state runner at Wilmington High School, he went on to run track at Wilmington College, where he became a four-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference runner for the Quakers, winning the conference championship just over a year ago. "It's just a full-circle moment," he said. "I've worked hard in a lot of aspects, mostly the running side of things. It was just a really special day."

On the women's side, McNicholas High School graduate Amanda Zerhusen delivered a performance that was nearly record-breaking. The current Mount St. Joseph sophomore finished the half-marathon in 1:19:50—just one second off the course record set by Madeline Trevisan a year ago. Zerhusen and Trevisan ran side-by-side for the first five miles before Zerhusen used the incline on Vine Street and the climb into Eden Park to establish a decisive gap. "I kind of just expected to come out here and run it," Zerhusen said. "I knew my time, that I wanted to place between 1:20 and 1:25."

Zerhusen's performance was all the more impressive given she just finished her outdoor track season on May 1. She credits her coaches, Adam Cokonougher and Justin Bland, for allowing her to run high mileage during the season. This year's race was a significant improvement from her 2025 half-marathon time of 1:30:42, which she completed coming off an injury.

But for Zerhusen, the win was about more than just the time. Her father, John—a runner himself and a graduate of Purcell Marian High School and Xavier University—was out on the course. "I'm sure he was out there somewhere, so to be right behind him was amazing," she said. As she returns to school this fall, her goals are clear: make it to regionals and keep building on a hometown victory that will be hard to top.