Though not typically the premier race of Flying Pig Weekend, the Queen City Running 5K has the most on the line for a pair of Bengals.
Ted Karras and Dalton Risner, offensive linemen for the Cincinnati Bengals, will have a friendly competition as both big men run the 2026 5K.
After Risner’s offseason training went viral, thanks to social media posts from his wife, Whitney, Karras challenged him to race the 5K. Karras suggested the loser buys dinner for the victor, but eventually upped the ante to a $3,100 donation to charity – $1,000 for each mile of the race.
Risner, in his second season with the Bengals, said he didn’t know how big a deal the Flying Pig Marathon was before coming to Cincinnati, but was excited to participate in the event.
“For a good cause, of course, I’ll come running,” Risner said. “It was a no-brainer. I’d never run 3.1 miles, so I wasn’t overly thrilled about that, but when he (Karras) said it was going to these organizations that were making a difference, that’s what made it a no-brainer.”
Both Bengals will be running to support The Cincy Hat, the charity founded by Karras in 2022. Their unique, Cincinnati-themed hats have raised over $2.5 million for programs assisting with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Karras, who ran in the 5K last year, said he’ll be wearing a special hat to commemorate the 2026 Flying Pig.
Karras ran the 5K in 29 minutes last year and is convinced he’ll prove victorious over his new teammate.
“I do think I’m going to beat him,” Karras said with a laugh.
Risner is embracing the challenge. He’s been working on his distance running and said his best mile time is under eight minutes.
“Our times are probably going to be atrocious, but we get to go put our best foot forward and see what happens,” Risner said. “If I get under 28 minutes, I’ll be very happy.”
Does the guard think he can take down his center competitor? Risner didn’t quite have the same confidence as Karras but was clearly having fun with the competition.
“Honestly, he might,” Risner said, laughing after hearing Karras’s comments. “I’m anxious to see how well he runs, so I have no idea. You should all check it out.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals linemen compete for The Cincy Hat in Flying Pig 5K
Reporting by Chase Souder and Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
