Lincoln Marathon - Race Reviews

This was our first race back post-Covid and we couldn't have chosen a better one. We've found any race that's organized by a running group is typically done very well and this was no exception. This is the longest running marathon in Nebraska and Lincoln is a great city to visit. Unfortunately, they had to cancel the Expo due to Covid. The course provides a nice tour of the city and normally finishes in the Lincoln Memorial Stadium (where the Cornhuskers play) though we finished in the track & field stadium. The half and full run together for entire time until right at the end where anyone doing the full can see and hear the finish line party as you trudge away to do another 13.1! Lincoln has a lot of nice greenways. You run on them some, but there is more street running with coned off traffic. The last half of the marathon is primarily an out and back. The aid stations were very good and well stocked. I'd describe the fan support along the course as strong. The swag included a medal, t-shirt, and marathon themed face mask (let's hope that ends up being a one-time keepsake)! Lincoln is a fun college city. The downtown area around the Historic Haymarket is always hopping, a very fun atmosphere. There are lots of other attractions in the area, the zoo was particularly enjoyable. And we actually escaped from an Escape Room for a change! You can get a good feel of the race, place and taste from our YouTube video at Race The Nation.

Lincoln is likely not your idea of a destination marathon. Maybe it should be. The course, 1st half was full of positive energy from the city. You even run past Nebraska's unique 14 story state house. The 2nd half was a semi lonely stretch out and back finishing up in Memorial Stadium, home of the Cornhuskers football team. Loved hearing my name and town announced over the loudspeaker as I approached the 50 yard line. CHOCOLATE Milk, fountain Pepsi products, gatorade, were a nice touch right off the field under the bleachers. Medal was great compared to to years ago, mediocre by todays standards, but you don't run a marathon for the medal anyway. Right?

I was worried about the the last half of the race after reading previous comments on this site but must say I was pleasantly surprised! I would have liked a little more shade on the back half but overall I enjoyed the course! Spectators and volunteers were amazing throughout...couldn't have survived the hot day without them. Thank you Lincoln for a wonderful experience!!!

From registration to results and everything in between was so smooth, communication was superb, volunteers are the best in the busness, and community support was off the charts. This city is very proud of the it's name, with T-shirts, medals and awards all dispIaying Abe Lincoln. I believe he would be very proud of this event. I even had a great burger at Honest Abe's. I only gave 3 stars for the course, which is really nice, but just for me too much concrete for this 63 year ol' body.

The wave start is nice, unless you're a back of the pack runner. Then you start 45 minutes after everyone else and can guarantee you will not have water stops or course support for the back half of the race. They were closing down water stations by mile 5 and by mile 11 there were no more volunteers/course signs. Thank goodness for random strangers with coolers of water and ice. Got to finish line with an hour left before the course closed and they'd taken down the finisher photo spot and most of the recovery stations.

I was very happy with the Lincoln Marathon. Although the temps were rather hot during the 2nd half of the race, they did a great job providing plenty of fluids along with cups of ice as well. The course is ok through out the town, but the fans more than made up for an ok course. The community really comes out and cheers you on. The finish in Cornhusker stadium is cool. Well done Lincoln!

Top Ten Reasons to Run Lincoln (Despite the mentally-tough 6.5 mile finishing out and back and the 2017 hot temperatures)! 10) Spectators galore 9) Catching a Cornhusker baseball game on a beautiful Friday evening on marathon weekend 8) Vincenzo's Ristorante in Haymarket District for pasta loading 7) The beautiful neighborhood along Sheridan Road during miles 4 and 5 6) Pretty flat 5) It's well-established and therefore well-organized...2017 was its 40th anniversary 4) Huge participation by Lincoln Police Department managing intersections 3) Zillions of amazing and friendly volunteers and National Guard- this is a real community effort that they are proud of 2) Cups of Gatorade and water at aid stations have lids and straws making it so easy to drink while running 1) Finishing on the 50 yard line of the University of Nebraska football stadium - awesome

No point advertising a 6 hr limit when the 5:30 pace team can't start until 45 minutes after the gun. That being said, don't let anyone turn you away at the half marathon split point. Ignore them and go for it. You'll be fine.

I highly recommend the half. The runners get to wait in the Cornhusker indoor practice facility before the race. You can see the wave starts from the facility, minimizing the time waiting out in the elements. It rained in 2016. They provided lid covered w/straws drinking water, to cut down on contaminated water. The volunteers were great. Spectators were great considering the rain. A few rolling hills through out. You finish the full and half the football field. They provided very detailed race results. I found out I passed 117 people, that was a stat I was never given before this race.

Kudos to Lincoln Track Club for putting on a fine event from packet pickup to the free post-race meal and awards ceremony in the Cornhusker Club. Runners AND their families are treated to a free spaghetti feed on Saturday evening and another free meal for them and their families after the race. Food was surprising good for such a large gathering. I was toward the end of the pack, but there were still people out there playing music for the runners. The community really supports the race when it goes through the residential areas early in the race. The race started at 7 a.m. and my corral didn't start until 7:35 a.m., but I knew that would be the case, so I didn't have to stand in my corral that long. Plenty of pre-race porta potties. Even though my interest in Husker football has diminished like my foot speed, it was still a charge to sprint through the tunnel and race to the 50-yard-line at Memorial Stadium.

The 2016 race was cool and rainy, but crowd support in the first half of the race was excellent. The half marathoners outnumber marathoners 8 to 1, so crowd support dies out after mile 13. Still, volunteers cheerfully staff the food stations and most have Gatorade (in cups with straws), orange slices, and sports gels. The finish on the 50 yard line in the Cornhusker's stadium is tremendous and post-race food and support was strong. The city of Lincoln takes pride in hosting this race and it shows. Overall, a well organized race that I would recommend to anyone.

I recommend this race for the half, but I'm not a fan of the full. 90% of the runners do the half, so there's a lot more support and spectators on the first half of the course. That part is also much more scenic and shaded. The second half of the course is an out-and-back along a bike trail, with minimal shade. Slower runners will have a 30-45 minute delay before crossing the starting line, which is a concern for those who are worried about the heat. There's also a fair amount of congestion on the first half of the course, especially around the 10k mark.

I ran as part of the National Guard team and was put up in a motel very near the start/finish line so I cannot speak for parking. The course was decent and was lined with spectators pretty well throughout the half-marathon. The design of the course is well thought out to allow any full marathoner to switch to the half if they should choose to. 2nd half had less spectators but by no means empty. Police support at intersections was fantastic. The finish line became a bit congested after the medal but prior to reaching the refreshments and they may need to widen this area out a bit. After that little bit of congestion it was very well organized with medical and massages. I would say one of the best organized finish areas that I have seen thus far.

This race,while billed as the Lincoln Marathon is really a half marathon race with some full marathon participants thrown in. Of the nearly 10,000 finishers, nearly 9000 finishers were for the half. The second half of the course is sparse, aid stations too far apart, and not many runners. As part of my 50 state quest (30 marathons completed) I selected Lincoln but in hindsight should have selected another Nebraska race. Not enough focus on the full marathon.

Really enjoyed my first marathon experience. Pros: The runners, fans, and organizers were all friendly Aid stations were stocked; water and gatorade provides all with lids & straws Starting at finishing at Memorial Stadium was a good experience. Tons of fans for the first half Interesting route the first half Pacers with very visible signage made it easy to get in the area you needed to be in Massage afterwards was awesome Cons Pretty crowded, particularly the trail piece early on The back half of the race was really boring with few spectators to cheer you on Somewhat difficult parking situation at the University, although probably should've located a shuttle

Good organization, excellent crowd support, nice course-although it is NOT flat. I ran New Orleans, that's what flat is, LOL! But the few rolling hills are easy enough to deal with. oh and row of National Guardsmen standing at attention at the end-kind of makes you feel good :) Pros: -Good organization -Not gimmicky -Excellent traffic support by the police! -National Guardsmen handed out long stem red roses to female finishers..and the men that wanted them I guess :) -The Medal is a Big Penny! (yes the medal is only about the size of a half dollar, but if it was bigger it would look cheezy I think)definitely one of the neater ones I've gotten. -Free massage at the end of the race -Excellent water/fuel support -Relatively flat, rolling hills no big deal even if you didn't train for them -Crowd support was fabulous and friendly and there were people almost everywhere. -Out and back was ok because you could see the National guard team members Hauling butt to qualify and it was encouraging -Nice tech-T, the sizes for women are in actual womens sizes which is super nice, but seemed big. They had a table for trading sizes, but I couldn't trade for a small because they had none for trading, so if you're small...sign up for small! -Expo hotel was awesome, pool with Hot Tub, staff was knowledgeable Cons: -The trail. Oh that trail. While it would be a wonderful running trail alone or with 3 runners, I was with the 4:20 pace group and it was a clustered mess. If your a middle of the pack runner, try to be patient through this part, passing is dangerous along the uneven grass on the side. -The free massage ended too early for the later runners. I finished around 4:30 and as I was getting massaged they were asking their massage volunteers to please stay a little longer for the slower runners. Maybe they could have shifts for them? (but they were AWESOME to volunteer anyways and I got a good light post run massage) -Some people complained about the unpredictable weather. Was in the 80's the prior weekend and low 40's for race. Seemed perfect to me for race weather, ran the whole thing with earmuffs on because of the wind though. Overall good experience, worth the trip.

I'd definitely tell friends to run the Lincoln Half. The spectators were amazing (second only to Fargo), thick all along the Half route and genuinely engaged and cheering. As a UNL graduate, I like being back in Lincoln. The trail along Hwy 2 was congested, but I knew what to expect and just passed people on the grass. Packet pickup was a cluster at 6:00 Saturday night. Simple logistics could solve that bottleneck. Expo needs to be held in separate or larger room. Absolutely need Half Marathon medals. It's not fair to the Fullers when a Halfie like me gets a Marathon medal. Would make a killing if they sold Half shirts, stickers, etc. along with the full stuff. Shirts were poor quality, but I had a good enough time at the race and have enough race shirts, that it's not a big deal to me. Overall, Lincoln has a great thing going. They're at a point where they need to respond to the growth, though, not squander it. A big race is totally different than a small race, and they haven't caught up yet.

I ran Lincoln this past Sunday for the first time. Great small marathon. Good course with some rolling hills. Great spectator support. I ran for the National Guard time trials and it was awesome seeing all the troops out there supporting the race and giving out water/gatorade. Very nice dry fit women's race shirt. I have to agree with the previous comments regarding the narrow bike path. There were 10,000 runners this year and about 6,000 of then ran the half marathon. There was congestion on that narrow bike path. The finish was the coolest finish- running into the Husker stadium to the 50 yd line as the announcer called out my name and where I was from. Medal was nice but they could make it a little larger. This was my 8th marathon and the saddest little medal...size of a medal I get from a local 5k or 5 miler. Overall great race. I will be back to do it again next year.

I agree with many others that the course along Hwy 2 needs to be looked at as well as the second half of the course. Being my first marathon I didn't know what to expect. Very congested on Hwy 2 bike path. Not enough support on second half, both fans and food/water. My goal was to finish, and I did under the time allotted, but at the finish, there was no food left, no announcer, no massage, no nothing... Please have medical staff around for us fools that come in after 5 hours, we are most likely in more need of help than the faster, in shape runners that are done in under 3 1/2 hours. Maybe you should tell the hoard of 1/2er's to leave a little fuel for the marathoners still to come in.

When the course hits the bike path, there has always been a congestion problem. I don't understand why you don't move this part to Hwy 2, which goes along the path. Just close one side of the Hwy and congestion wouldn't be a problem. There isn't that much traffic at that time of day anyway. This would eliminate the need to restrict the race to 10,000 runners and generate more income for the marathon/charity. Very little spectators during the 2nd half. Also, don't care for the down and back on the 2nd half, makes the course very boring and easy to lose motivation.

Had a great time. Pre & Post Race meals were great. The course wasn't as flat as we thought but not bad. Biggest issue was distance between H2O stops in the 2nd half on a hot day (1.5-2 miles apart). Otherwise well organized. Course/Fans are better in 1st 1/2 than 2nd part. Passing the finish with 13.2 to go was hard/many dropped out there. Had a nice feel to the race.

The packet pick-up was a breeze. The course was flat and great. The fans were amazing. It was a great time! I'm already thinking of running it next year!

I returned to my home course for the 2012 marathon and enjoyed it and the fans as I always do. The course is better in the final 5K as it is diverted off the streets and onto the Antelope Creek trail which runs along the waterway, making it safer and avoiding more traffic than the pre-2010 course. The finish in Memorial Stadium with National Guard members congratulating you is outstanding. However, a few suggestions: 1. Start Marathoners first, about 30-45 minutes before the half-marathoners, stagnating start times and preventing crowding at the start. 2. Distinguish between full and half marathon medals as was done in the past, either by size and/or color to show some differentiation between the races and the recipients. 3. Allow a partial refund for those not able to run the race and allow a re-sale in order to generate more revenue and avoid more bandit runners. I understand those not running for the past 2 years has stood at around 1600. 4. Expand the capacity to grow the race by adjusting logistics to accommodate even more runners, as the demand is clearly high for this race and people will continue to participate if adjustments can be made. Otherwise, people will continue to be turned away and will become dissatisfied and not recommend it to other potential athletes who might otherwise wish to run it. 5. Also, considering altering or rotating the designs on the medals from year to year to keep those who enjoy it from coming back for a different surprise each May!

The course would be a very good half course, but only fits 3 runners (barely) side-by-side from about mile 6 for the next few miles. To prevent congestion they held back successive groups of runners at the start. I was in the 9 minute pace group, and it took 14 minutes to get to the start. (Organizers said not to worry, as chip time would show correct time, but chip timing didn't work.) Straws with cups was a waste early on for anyone used to drinking from a cup, but useful later if you wanted to carry it for a half mile or so. 1st half had shade, 2nd half mostly in the open on concrete. Plentiful gatorade, oranges, water, GU. Overall, a better half than a full.

We had great experiences and loved about things that was organized. First time in Lincoln Nebraska for race and good time. Loved how we were set up by pace to start, the many water stops (with lids and straws!), Lots of people. Amazing. We got nice hotel just 2 block from State capital building TownHouse Extended stay. (facebook.com/extendedstayhotel) great location and walking distance like 5 minutes to Marathon start/finish point. In downtown after race we had good time. especially for a runner from San Diego. Love <3 the Lincoln, Hotel and Downtown.

The course was fine, good aid stations. The sad part is I've got NOTHING to show for this race. The shirt was way too small, and felt very cheap. They had a booth to swap shirts at the expo, but everyone was having the same problem, so there were no larger shirts available. The medal is the smallest I've ever received for a marathon (or a half marathon) and NO photos. I was out there for 5.5 hours, and ASI got NO photos of me??? Ridiculous. Finally, the race course was open for 6 hours. I finished in 5:31. No food, no volunteers to tell me where to go, nothing. I guess they forgot to count in the 1/2 hour it would take us to cross the start line when they offered a 6 hour course...

This was my 3rd Lincoln Marathon and it was the best of the 3 that I've run in. This race continues to get better each year. This race for 3 years has had great weather. The course is flat for the most part except for 3 hills. The fans are great. The support is not quite as great in the second half but those that are out are awesome! The race finishes inside Memorial stadium as well. It makes for a very nice finish. The only negative for this race in my experience is the bike path around mile 6. It narrows to accommodate 2 maybe 3 runners so passing is much more difficult in this part of the course. Beyond this I would recommend this race to anyone. This race gives you a lot for your marathon dollar.

What a fun experience! The organization was great! Packet pick up was a breeze, the fans were awesome, and I love the straws in the cups! For future races, it would be nice if fans could be on the field cheering, as I think that would help feel more connected and inspired at the end of the race. Thank you, LTC!

Organization  Great job, a lot of emails before the marathon. I really shows when a running club is organizing the marathon. It has that nice personal touch. Expo - Small made it easy to pick up number and be on your way. Pre Marathon  Free parking abound the starting area. Plenty of port potties and being able to use the bathrooms in the stadium was a nice plus. Marathon - For the most the course is flat. It was very tight running for parts of the first 13 miles. The course was a pretty typical Midwest route. I did enjoy the lay-out a nice balance of residential, parks, and lakes. Had just enough turns to make it interesting. Finishing at the 50 yard line of the stadium was a highlight. Great day temp was just about right a little windy but not too bad. Pace Group was excellent, spot on at the 13 mile mark. The volunteers at the water stations were excellent. First marathon I have run where they put straws in the cups, I thought that was a nice touch. Thought it was kind of odd they capped the marathon at 2,000 runners but only about 1,200 finished. Post Marathon - food and drink was above average. Plenty of bananas, yogurt, bagels, and pop. Bag pick-up in the stadium was efficient and effortless. Medal - One of the smallest I have received, about the size of a silver dollar. The running shirt made up for the small medal. Overall I would recommend running this marathon. They do a lot of things right.

This is a very well run event with a great course. The crowd support is incredible. Lids and straws on the water/Gatorade cups are something other races should start doing. The finish in Memorial Stadium is very cool. I see why this race is growing so quickly.

What a beautiful day. Flat course, and many spectators - everyone friendly. I think the course is maxed out at 10,000 runners, as the bike path was a bit crowded; however, no complaints and I enjoyed it completely.

With five stars in every category, there are lots of good things to say about this race. Organizers obviously know how to efficiently quench a big crowd. With three miles to the first drink station, there was already some spacing of the crowd. With a large number of tables lined up, people didn't have to dive on a small spot. Lids and straws on the cups makes life easier as does clearly identifiable Gatorade and water. GU and fruit at aid stations deeper into the marathon are a bonus. Crowd support was fantastic, especially in the neighborhood sections of the route. But even in other portions of the course there was somebody along to keep you motivated. For a race that large (nearly 10,000) to offer a free and relaxed pasta dinner across from the stadium was a bonus. While I didn't run with a pacing group, just having pacers there helped me stay within the right group of runners and not stray out too fast too early. Finishing at the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium and being televised on the Husker Vision screen is another feature that makes this run special.

This is overall the best marathon experience and value ever. Entry is affordable and the extra's are great. FREE pasta supper for the whole family-runners or not and it was delicious. Flat course. Great organization-STRAWS and LIDS on the H20-AMAZING. Oranges and Gu at every stop after the half. Jumbotrons and a finish on the 50 yd line-which served as a great way for spectators to gather, watch and find us. We got Rock Star parking at the foot of the stadium at 5:55 am-a miracle. Roses, massages, food and showers at the finish. Lots of flushable restrooms in the stadium and coliseum at the start. Gear is amazingly affordable: $20 for a very nice hoodie. Hotel was $35(yes, really) and not too scary-it was full of runners and Mr Patel got breakfast up an hour early just for us runners. I do admit miles 19-20 in the park made me want to kill myself-but that could be just me. And it was unwise to eat biscuits gravy and hashbrown on the way home-snooza-palooza on the interstate.

I ran this as my first marathon, and it has to be one of the smoothest running events I've been a part of... great pre-race communication, and excellent assistance during the race and just after. I especially like the lids/straws on drinks, pacers, and post-race food/drink availability. Great experience.

Well put-together event. Loved the drink cups with lids and straws so I can actually drink without having to walk. Awesome finish on the football field with flags all over the stadium.

Another flawless Lincoln Marathon! The expo was nice; small, but still nice with good deals if you look for them. The race went off without a hitch. Being the largest Lincoln marathon ever at 10,000 runners, it took 40 minutes to get everyone through the start since they'd narrowed it to help ease congestion on the bike path later. I think that worked pretty well. The aid stations and volunteers were awesome, and there seemed to be more spectators than in previous years. The course isn't hilly but it's not flat either. The weather this year was great, even with the head wind coming back to the stadium. The 50 yard line finish on the field was cool. The roses for the female full finishers is a great touch. The food and massages after rocked, bag pick up was easy, and the shower at the Coliseum after was blessed with hot water. Tiny, whiney, insignificant complaint: The full marathon and half marathon had the same medal. In previous years the half finishers got a smaller medal that said Half, the full finishers got a larger medal that said Marathon. Not to be nit picky, but I ran farther, I want better bling! ;) I am guessing the reason for it was because of the early sell out of the half, the organizers knew people would sign up for the full and drop to the half, just to get in. That's my only negative comment.

Pros: - End on 50-yard line of UNL football stadium, on the big screen - Well organized, spaced out and staffed water/gatorade/gu stops - straws for drinks! straws for drinks! - Online real-time race tracker (need to add txt/phone support) - Pacers were great - Successful staggered start - BIGGEST PRO: Post-run support. Plenty of food, free massages w/ very little wait time, ice wraps, thermal blankets and very friendly staff/volunteers that really respect your achievement. Can't say enough about their help! Cons: - Shared first half w/ 13.1 runners can make it tight at times, but I didn't have to break pace too much really. It is kinda inspiring to see the halfers turn-off knowing that your run has a couple hours left. - Holmes Lake out and back for the second half. Out and backs are just a little more mentally difficult than a loop w/ some variety. Considering the the LTC, NG and PD do to keep the streets clear, though, logistically this probably makes the most sense. Lastly, for this particular run we had +10MPH head-winds for the last six miles. Bad weather can hit a run - no fault of anyone, but if you choose to run this Marathon, remember that it is in Nebraska.