Every May, 10,000 runners take over Lincoln for the Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon, organized by the Lincoln Track Club. The 26.2-mile course is a genuine tour of the city: past the State Capitol, the Sunken Gardens, the Children’s Zoo, and through the historic neighborhoods, finishing on Memorial Loop in front of Memorial Stadium — the 50-yard-line finish is the part runners talk about for years.
It’s one of the largest marathons in the Midwest, with a half marathon, and a race weekend built around it: a runner’s expo, a night-before “Pastathon,” and a one-mile kids’ run around the Capitol. The course has a time limit (officially open until 1:30 p.m.), and the marathon field is capped — registration opens in December and the race fills fast.
For spectators, the finish area on campus and the Capitol stretch are the best viewing. For runners: it’s a flat, fast, well-supported course with water stations every mile and a half. Train through a Nebraska winter and earn the medal.