Lincoln Marathon
Lincoln, United States · May · Independent
Why people love it
- Volunteer-run with about 2,000 helpers; organisation rated 4.6 by runners.
- Boston qualifier; 130 runners qualified in 2025, 16.2% of finishers.
- Neighbourhood block parties and cheering by name, plus huge medals.
- Finish near Memorial Stadium with pizza, chocolate milk and free photos.
- Free YMCA showers for runners.
Watch out for
- Second half is a shadeless out-and-back to Holmes Lake, about 21 km (13 mi) of it.
- Heat or humidity bites some years: 27 °C (80s °F) in 2015, 92% humidity in 2023.
- Gain about 183 m (600 ft) with a hill near mile 19 (31 km).
- The first aid stop after 5 km (3 mi) felt far to a 2026 runner.
- Strict 6 hour cutoff and street closures after the finish.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.2
RaceRaves gives 4.3 from 50 ratings and MarathonGuide 4.6 from 3. Volunteers, crowds and the big medal shine; the shadeless second half and heat hurt. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.4
RaceRaves production 4.6. About 2,000 volunteers, clear communication, easy pickup, plenty of toilets and on-time waves. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly4.0
6 h cutoff, pace teams, big support and good organisation. Risks: 183 m (600 ft) of gain, heat and a lonely shadeless second half. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.0
130 runners qualified for Boston in 2025 (16.2%), a high rate. Humidity, a headwind to the lake and a hill near mile 19 cost time. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryPleasant3.4
RaceRaves scenery 3.3. State Capitol, campus, zoo, parks and neighbourhoods; first half pleasant, second half on a shadeless coned road and bike path. · Medium confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.5
Waves released in chutes about 3 minutes apart avoid crowding. The out-and-back second half runs on a narrower road and path. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.8
Paved city streets and greenway; a reviewer noted some narrow roads. No complaints about potholes. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.0
Lincoln Police control intersections and the city publishes street-closure schedules; one reviewer warned post-finish closures can block spectators. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.5
About 183 m (600 ft) per one reviewer, not official: mostly flat with rollers and a hill near mile 19 (31 km). · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Loop, no net drop; Boston qualifying times count as normal. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth4.2
Colour-coded waves in chutes, plenty of toilets and bag check. A 06:55 start; a big wave takes about 40 minutes to clear. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood4.0
Pace teams for both distances; a 2015 recap lists timing mats at 5, 10 and 15 km (9.3 mi), half, 25 km (15.5 mi) and 32 km (20 mi). · Medium confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.2
Reviewers cite neighbourhood block parties, a polka station, cheering by runners' names and big crowds; marathon spectators thin after the half field splits. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.2
Large tables about 4 km (2.5 mi) apart, with ice and sponges in heat. A 2026 runner found the first stop far. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind3.0
Plains city; a headwind going out to the lake in 2023 and a windy 2017. No severe wind reports. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.5
Starts often 4 to 13 °C (40 to 55 °F), but 2015 reached 27 °C (80s °F) and 2023 had 92% humidity. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.8
Cold 8 °C (47 °F) in 2022, hot in 2015 and 2025, humid 2023; wide range for early May. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.4
Course crosses town and loops back near the finish, but the marathon's out-and-back is harder for spectators and post-finish closures can block them. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeLow4.3
About 360 m (1,180 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Downtown and Haymarket hotels are within walking distance; Airbnbs near Memorial Stadium. No complaints found. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
One reviewer called the Hilton Garden Inn reasonable. No rate data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.9
Downtown hotels walkable to the expo, start and finish; Haymarket area stays are within a short walk. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.6
Small LNK airport 8 km (5 mi) away; many drive in from Omaha, about 90 km (55 mi). · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.0
Small expo makes packet pickup very easy (2015); early-morning pickup available; free YMCA showers; road closures need planning. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.8
Haymarket district, zoo and escape room recommended; college-town food. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.2
Open entry; about 800 to 1,100 marathon finishers; no sell-out reported. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.7
$180 marathon fee reported (2025). Large high-gloss medal, shirt, pizza, chocolate milk, free photos, free showers, a Capital City Challenge medal. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 2 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,100 athletes
- First held
- 1978
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- loop
- Climbing
- 183 m (600 ft)
- Start time
- 06:55
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved city streets, some greenway paths
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Entry fee
- About $180
- Air temperature
- 3–18 °C (37–64 °F)
- Humidity
- Can be humid; 92% at the 2023 start
- Altitude
- 360 m (1,180 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Lincoln Airport (LNK), 8 km (5 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Haymarket, Downtown, Near Memorial Stadium
- Booking
- Downtown and Haymarket hotels are walkable to the expo and start; the Hilton Garden Inn was reasonably priced with airport shuttle. A reviewer warned the Cornhusker Marriott gave no late checkout during the expo.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
50 ratings (22 marathon, 28 half), 4.3 overall; difficulty 2.6, scenery 3.3, production 4.6, swag 3.9. Runners praise crowds, volunteers and giant medals; the marathon's out-and-back second half is tough and shadeless, spectators thin after the split, and heat has hurt some years.
“Well organized, great volunteers, and beautiful course.”
- MarathonGuideRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
3 reviews, 4.6. Praise for crowds and bike marshals, big medal and pizza, free YMCA showers; one 2026 reviewer disliked the shadeless coned-road second half; a 2025 runner with 60+ marathons called aid among the best despite heat (ice, sponges).
- Sole Searching and the Pursuit of MedalsRaced 2026 · blog · Positive
Half marathon 2026: scenic Capitol, campus, and shady neighbourhoods, rolling hills nothing dramatic, excellent crowds who read names off bibs, ice at later aid, very smooth start despite 10,000+ across events, free photos quickly, Haymarket hotel walkable.
- Marathon Training AcademyRaced 2015 · blog · Positive
2015 recap in a very hot year (29 heat hospitalisations): good neighbourhood crowds and bands, stations about 4 km (2.5 mi) apart each with a physician, wave start, finish video at the stadium 50-yard line, about 2,800 volunteers; narrow shadeless out-and-back path.
“The expo was small which made navigating packet pickup very easy.”
- The Boston Diaries (Substack)Raced 2023 · blog · Mixed
3:04 BQ at the 46th edition. 92% humidity from the start, headwind going east to Holmes Lake and tailwind back, tough second half, water from cups and family cheering; humidity ended his race after mile 16 (26 km).
“It was the last time I felt good.”
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- Project PurpleRaced 2017 · article · Positive
Charity-run preview: fairly flat certified Boston qualifier, volunteer-run, finish at the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium with a Jumbotron, large crowds. Organiser-friendly, treat lightly.
“The marathon is the longest-running race in Nebraska.”
Raced Lincoln Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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