The secret is out. Lincoln is a half marathon destination like no other in the Midwest. In 2017, Lincoln saw 13,630 half marathoners take on its two largest events, The Lincoln Half Marathon in May and The Good Life Halfsy in October, surpassing both Des Moines, Iowa and Kansas City, Missouri for the most finishers among each city’s two marquee half marathons.
- Lincoln: Good Life Halfsy + Lincoln Half Marathon = 13,630 finishers
- Des Moines: Dam to Dam + Des Moines Half Marathon = 9,636 finishers
- Kansas City: Kansas City Half Marathon + Hospital Hill = 5,420 finishers
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A spectator cheers on runners in the 2017 Lincoln Marathon & Half Marathon while wearing a Good Life Halfsy race shirt!
“When people come in for these events, they know what Lincoln is all about, they know the energy and they want to be a part of it,” said Jeff Maul of the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are hearing from our peers in the industry, you couldn’t do this in any other market. Yet we are doing it right here in Lincoln, NE.”
As running events nationwide begin to level off, Lincoln is still seeing growth with these two events selling out months in advance.
“You just don’t see many events selling out months in advance anymore,” said Ben Cohoon of Pink Gorilla Events. “Lincolnites might believe this is the norm across the country, but it’s not. Other major half marathons are taking registrations right through race week, that’s not the case here.”
As word spreads nationwide, not only do more and more out-of-state runners make the trip to see what Lincoln is all about, including Dave Mcgillivray, The Boston Marathon race director, but the national accolades are beginning to come in for these unique Lincoln events as well, with The Good Life Halfsy being named one of the ‘Best Half Marathons for First Timers’ by Active.com.
“As we continue to market this community as a destination, events like these provide opportunities for people to come into our community and spend time here,” said Maul. “They want to know what is going on here. They’ve heard about it, they’ve read about it. And what they are seeing when they arrive, is a community on the move.”
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Good Life Halfsy – Community Voices
We know you'll love the Good Life Halfsy, but you don't have to take our word for it. Listen to these community voices talk about their favorite things about the race. Haven't registered, yet? Hurry, it's over 90% sold out. Already registered? Tag a friend! Sign up at www.goodlifehalfsy.com!
Posted by Good Life Halfsy on Sunday, August 13, 2017
As Lincoln surpasses Des Moines and Kansas City, you would have to travel to Minnesota or Colorado to find communities with larger marquee half marathons. Arguably making Lincoln, Nebraska the running capital of the Midwest.
“It’s pretty amazing to think all this is happening right here in Lincoln,” said Nancy Moss, Lincoln Marathon Co-Director. “We love this community and feel honored to have been able to grow the Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon the way we have over the past 40 years. Lincoln is a unique city, doing amazing things, and these two races are just a small glimpse into what is happening here.”[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]