I ran Lincoln barefoot and would rate the course highly as to barefoot friendliness. The only bad spot was a section of the bike path that was very bad chip seal but fortunately there was good grass alongside onto which one could run.

Organization in this race is top notch. The water stations were plentiful and the water cups even had lids with straws in them. Very nice!!

The course is incredibly flat with a good portion of it an out and back.

I had a great time and would consider returning for a PR.

This was my first Lincoln marathon and I was truly impressed from the organization, to the course and the fans everything was wonderful. All of the water stations were well stocked with drinks and support. The course was fair and challenging. I ran a PR. The roses at the finish were a very nice touch. If you want a well organized marathon in terrific city then Lincoln is for you. I will be back next year.

Great course - relatively flat. Great weather. Friendly people running it. I actually really liked the second half being out and back. It was a good change of pace to see runners coming toward you. Good aid stations (although a little far apart on the first half). Downtown close to start/finish so you can walk from your hotel. Plenty of post-race massage tables available. Only real negatives: 1) No food - only water - at the finish line (apparently food was on the other side of the stadium quite a ways away in the opposite direction from downtown). 2) The finish definitely needs to be on the football field like other marathons (Detroit, South Bend, Memphis, etc.)and not outside the stadium. Definitely recommend it if you're looking for a smaller marathon.

My 9th marathon, in my hometown, and I (finally) qualified for Boston. Everything came together in Lincoln. Starting with Beardsley talking at the expo - inspiring, an awesome marathon (free) poster, perfect weather, and a course that was lined with hometown spectators, varied with beautiful neighborhoods, parks, and flat stretches as well as gentle rolling hills. The water and Gatorade with STRAWS and TOPS were brilliant and I wish all races provided them. The only downside was that they did not provide energy gel (luckily I brought my own) and there is not a topography map available. I suggest that you drive the course the day before to get a feel for where the hills are.

I ran Lincoln to check off State #25 and was truly impressed. Having 29 years of experience pays off... organization and volunteers were wonderful. Neighborhood residents were out in full force. Everyone was enthusiastic and supportive. Water stations were well manned and stocked. Post-race food was real food, and a real treat in a real dining room!

Coming from Florida, found easy hills challenging but doable. Thanks for a great race!

This was my second half-marathon. My first was in Omaha in 2004. I blew that time away. New PR. A lot of the reason has to do with the great course. It's nice and flat with only a few small hills thrown in for some variety. :)

My only negative would have to be the portions on the course that were on the bike trails. This race had way too many people to try to squeeze onto a 6 foot-wide bike trail. It got pretty crazy getting past the slower folks during those parts of the course. Otherwise, a fantastic race!

...I would have preferred a banana or some broth. I was a late sign up and am glad I came. The free pasta-thon, lunch/celebration, and massage were great. The start/finish were also handled very well. However, the course was a bit rough in that: a) there was too much concrete, b) the back half loop had very little crowd support, and c) I was forced to see the leaders cruise by me as they effortlessly passed Mile 23 while I was 8 miles behind them. Talk about demoralizing for us poor plodders! The expo is also kind of non-existent. The event is really geared toward the 1/2 crowd and they do a very good job at it. Not sure I'll be back, but as a new resident of the Cornhusker State I think it's the best there is. I'm certainly open to other opinions, but in the meantime I sure am going to miss Twin Cities.

This was my first marathon, and overall a good experience. Here's the good and the bad:

Pros:
- relatively flat course
- aid stations with cups that have lids and straws! (other race organizers take note)
- free post-race massages
- nice, early spring weather
- enthusiastic volunteers (THANKS!)

Cons:
- not a terribly scenic course
- not a great deal of crowd support (although the people that were watching were very enthusiastic)

We got nearly perfect weather (40's at start, upper 50's at finish) for this flat and fast course. The only problem with the course, in my opinion, is at the turn-around at mile 20 where I wish they would run it around the lake; instead it goes up a side road and then back. The volunteers were great and well organized and enthusiastic. Thanks, Lincoln, for a great experience.

I just finished the Lincoln Marathon this morning. It was a GREAT race - I PRed and qualified for Boston with several minutes to spare. Nice flat course, beautiful scenery, well-organized. The volunteers and water stops were perfect - I had everything I needed and I loved the ideas of straws. The pasta-thon the night before was a nice way to meet people and I loved that they included the entire family - same goes for the post-race lunch/awards ceremony. I was from over three hours away and I was amazed at how many "welcome to Nebraska" and "we're happy to have you" comments I received. Longest post-race massage I have ever received (probably 15-20 minutes), easy start, nice medal, original shirt, fast results, very welcoming campus.

Only 2 problems - I had some difficulty spotting the mile markers during the first ten miles - I think I maybe only saw 3-4 of the first ten. Also, I wouldn't recommend the Motel 6 given on the website - I'm not a hotel snob, but it was pretty low-end, though the cheap price was nice.

Overall, I highly recommend it and rank it a 9+ out of 10!