Weather can play a huge role in Lincoln, NE and this year's race was a good example. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and the temperature climbed quickly from 60 to 75+.

Aside from the weather, the race is very well organized and the course very well marked. The start is adjacent to the football stadium and there's an indoor practice field with bathrooms where you can hang out until the start. The finish is on the 50 yard line of the football field which was very cool.

Runners are supposedly organized by pace and bib color though I saw zero indication that this was enforced which is too bad. There is a wave start with a minute or so in between each wave. The gun went off at 7 and I crossed the line around 7:10 in the 8:00-8:59 pace wave.

The first several miles felt kind of congested, with lots of weaving and dodging slower runners. I'm not saying I'm a speed demon but people weren't seeded very well and one of the half marathon pace groups had a huge group taking up most of the road. After four or five miles things spread out some and by the 13 mile mark it was wide open!

This race did water stops very well, with not just one or two tables but several spread out over a significant distance with alternating water and Gatorade. I loved this. If you missed your shot at the first table it was ok, there were a few more chances just steps away. They also had lids and straws on their paper cups which was crazy to me at first but so nice. Additionally, it was a hot day and the water was SO nice and cold. It was kind of amazing actually. Pouring it on my head felt great. People were giving out bags and cups of ice too, which was a lifesaver in the second half as there was little to no shade. I also snagged an otterpop which tasted divine.

Overall the course wasn't bad. There were some pretty park areas, residential streets, downtown etc. I would not call the course flat at all though. It's not a monster but there are several hills and the back half has some rollers. I'm okay with hills but it shouldn't be called flat.

Finishing in the stadium was cool and the medal was pretty good. Water and Gatorade, Pepsi, chips and chocolate milk were among the food options at the end. I think half runners cleaned out the cookies and other treats though, those tables were empty.

Again, weather could make or break a race here but I squeaked in under 4 and call that a win. It's a good race with great support from the National Guard and community. I'd recommend it, especially for those running the states. Sign up early, it does sell out.