Nebraska – it’s the home of Cabela’s, endless fields of corn, and the world’s largest train yard. Come get a glimpse Cornhusker country while participating in one of Nebraska’s most popular marathons.
Marathon: Sandhills Marathon – Valentine
This marathon is in it’s 10th year, and keeps getting better with each iteration. Come have some fun in the sun in the Nebraska Sandhills during this summer time marathon. Click here to learn more.
The Course
You’ll be running on a one lane black top on this net down hill course. Most of the course is comprised of rolling hills, but most are pretty small. Race organizers strongly discourage the use of headphones as this is not a closed course. They also advise to be aware that snakes are sometimes on the road.
“Sandhills is an awesome adventure. The course, through rolling green ranchland, is drop dead gorgeous, particularly as the sun rises at the start of the race. There are enough hills to keep you honest, a small detour at 20 miles through the settlement of Brownlee (population 20!) and a supportive and enthusiastic group of volunteers who man a series of aid stations that leapfrog the runners.” – T.W., Marathonguide.com Review
“I can’t say enough good things about the course. We started right as the sun was coming up headed SE towards the sunrise. The road is a single lane blacktop barely wider than a bicycle path. There is beautiful prairie scenery throughout the course. It is a net downhill with the only major hill around mile 10. There is a slight incline around 21 that I only noticed because of the point at which it occurs.” – K.Y., Marathonguide.com review
The Omaha Marathon
Omaha has been self proclaimed as “one of America’s greatest marathon cities.” Come find out if it’s true during the Omaha Marathon. Click here for dates and registration info.
The Course
You’ll be running through downtown Omaha, so you can expect to see paved roads the whole way. While the course doesn’t have many significant hills, it does have lots of small elevation changes throughout. Aid station will be well stocked with gels, water, and energy drinks and will be located every 2 miles. Port-a-johns will also be available throughout the course.
Credit: Mapmyrun.com
Reviews
“Course is definitely on the flat side but there are some hills, few gradual and few steep but short. There were plenty of water stops which were well stocked and they were at a good interval through out the course with great volunteers.” – K.K., Marathonguide.com review
“Very impressed with the overall race organization and was pleasantly surprised by the course. There were enough hills to give the legs a break from the flat portions of the course, and the downhill sections more than made up for the uphill sections. We lucked out with very nice, cool weather. The food at the end was pretty standard: dried out bagels, bananas etc. However, Qdoba provided tortilla soup that actually tasted pretty good.” – D.T., Facebook.com Review
Logan View Raider Run – Hooper
The raider run was started in 2012 and has started to shape into an excellent small town marathon. Race organizers state, “While this won’t be a “big city” race, it will have something even better – small town hospitality!” Click here to read more.
The Course
This course is mostly comprised of rolling hills, but does sport a few more challenging climbs, particularly toward the last mile. The course does cross rail road tracks. If you get stopped by a train, your time will be adjusted accordingly. Aid stations will be located at 2 mile intervals throughout the race.
Credit: Loganviewmarathon.com
Reviews
“It’s a well organized race run by a really nice group of folks. The race director, Susie, personally makes sure it is a great experience for everyone there. The course is exactly how it is described in other reviews. The hills are mostly rollers with a few more challenging ones amongst the corn fields. Amenities included tech shirt, medal, spaghetti supper and showers after the race. Support along the course was enthusiastic with aid stations being supported mostly by students from the local high school.” – S.K., Marathonguide.com Review
“The race is run completely along the rural gravel roads of the area. From the rising morning sun to the nearly ready for harvesting fields of corn, you could not ask for a more stunning views to enjoy. The course offers a challenge for the more experienced runners with rolling hills throughout its length.” – B.P., Marathonguide.com Review
Lincoln Marathon
If you like crowds, this marathon should be on your list. The community really comes out to support this race. This race is very well organized and is simply a fun event. Get registered here.
The Course
This race takes place 100% on asphalt and concrete. The inclines have some significant elevation gain, but are spread out over a few miles. Aid stations are located about 2 mile apart, but several reviews mentioned that weather can be very warm for this race so you may want to bring your own water.
Credit: Mapmyrun.com
Reviews
“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.” – J.G., Marathonguide.com Review
“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.” – B.V., Marathonguide.com Review