We invite you to participate in one of the Midwest’s premier half marathons. Springfield’s Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon takes runners through the city that the 16th president called home, on a loop route that combines plenty of flat stretches with more hills later in the race. The directors of the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon dramatically improved the race a few years ago. The race course was moved from mundane rural roads outside of Springfield, Illinois to the vibrant city streets of Abraham Lincoln’s hometown, as part of an effort to turn the race into a regional destination event in advance of the national Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration in 2009. The scenic and challenging new course takes participants past some of the most significant Abraham Lincoln sites in the nation. The first half of the course is flat and the second half is rolling with some fairly large hills (at least for Central Illinois!). The USATF certified course starts and ends at the historic Old State Capitol. The Lincoln sites and Springfield’s hospitality make this a destination race for the whole family. There will great post-race food and beverages on the lawn of the Old State Capitol, and all finishers will receive a giant penny medal and an opportunity to have their picture taken with Lincoln impersonator Michael Krebs as well as other Civil War interpreters. After the race, join President Lincoln and other participants at the Alamo for more food and drink.