A fantastic run actually, it wasn't the easiest or routes, the down hill so early and yarborough hill and carline road at the mid-point were tough, but it was a challenge.

The long straight back to the show ground was very long and made for hard going.

It could have been the rain but not much crowd support along most of the route aside from a few hotspots, this is probably due to the majority of the race being outside the City itself.

May have been nice to do more of the city and less of the countryside. and the show ground as a start/finish point seemed a poor decision with those waiting/supporting having very little to do onsite.

But as I say all that aside it was a challenge and a good enjoyable run.

We missed the inaugural run of this event last year, but being my wife's home city we thought we really needed to give it a go, so we did! The overall impression (if you can't be bothered to read the rest of this) is that it's well worth a go. A lovely route, if a little quite at times, with a challening hill, cracking medal and "interesting" goody bag, and beer at the finish (erm, it's alcohol free though...).

We arrived in pretty good time, but the weather was crap, so like pretty much everyone else we stayed in the car for a good while! But, navigation into the show ground and parking was easy. The race village was good, with all the facilities you'd expect from a show ground. There was a fairly significant queue to the ladies toilets, but the gents wasn't too bad. The most unfortunate thing about the start is the 800m walk from the race village to the start line. The start was confusing as they were walking groups over based on colour (i.e. expected time) but this wasn't really clear and not called out over the tannoy (which was instead playing loud music so no-one could hear the instructions). So I think a few people missed the appropriate "wave" they were supposed to start in.

Anyway, we got going! Luckily my wife's sister lives about a mile from the start, on the route, so they were all out cheering on what is quite a long straight bit of road (easier on the way out than the way back!). Then there's a nive downhill bit! Inevitably, the first 8-10k is going to be quick. Don't worry though, the way back will even it out! To be honest the downhill here is fairly steep so difficult to gain a huge amount from, but it's nice anyway!

The run then follows the towpath into Lincoln, which is a little narrow at times, but not too bad. At about halfway you start winding up from the quayside in Lincoln towards the castle. This is steep! And tough! Hard work is rewarded by running through the castle grounds which is lovely. Loads of support in town as well, so plenty to keep you going. Some were handing out jelly babies and similar as well which is always very welcome!

Once the main city part of done it's a pretty long straight road out of Lincoln and back to the showground (meeting up with the route out). This road is long and fairly quiet in terms of support. I don't mind that at all, but some might find it too quiet. The real issue at the end, was some confusion about where the finish was! It runs back towards the start, but then veers off just before the start line for another 800m or so to the finish line! This took lots of people by surprise who had mistakenly given it the full beans only to find they had further to go! Oops! (We didn't make this mistake - the joys of looking at mile markers!!)

The finish was great. Well supported, loud and busy! Lots of cheering! Over the finish line you got a fab medal, a goody bag with some a few bits and bobs (mainly flyers and rubbish, but the bag of quavers was great! All races should offer salty crisps to get the salts back into the body!) and free beer at the finish line! I'm not much of a beer drinker so had no idea it was alcohol free!! Still, it was nice and refreshing!

Getting out was actually pretty easy. The only downside was that the marshal's didn't really know the local area so couldn't advise as to whether we could use particular roads to get to a partially closed off part of the route. Oh, by the way, the whole route is on closed roads which is excellent.

It was all in all really good. I'll do it again happily, and next time hopefully be fit enough to be able to run at pace. Would definitely recommend it.

Couldnt pass up the opportunity to run a half marathon in the City near where I grew up!

Race day started off rather wet and windy, with a lot of people waiting it out in their car for as long as they could before heading to the race village, but the atmosphere once in there remained upbeat and friendly.  

Different bib colours for different predicted race times made for a slightly confusing start as people were let through in groups to trek almost a kilometre to the start line where they were let off in waves.  This worked, once you were through, and would have been great if the speakers had been facing the waiting runners rather than being behind them, as this made it hard to hear instructions. Easily sorted for next time.   

The course was great - out on a long stretch of straight road which was quite lonely, but with beautiful views for miles.  My family were also stationed outside my sisters house (lucky for us that my sister happens to live along the route) so there was a small and very vocal crowd outside with foam hands and banners, which I know were much appreciated by a lot of the runners as there was no one else out spectating along this stretch.  

There then followed a lovely downhill, country lanes, a small track along the canal before heading back into town along the water front.  Unfortunately, the weather probably put off a lot of spectators, but the ones that were there made up for it - very loud and very supportive! 

Back up the one hill which was tough, and it was really lovely to run through the grounds of Lincoln Castle, before the home stretch.  The signs along this last section were a great idea.  The only downside with the route was the last k to the finish - along a backroad into the show ground, through the inflatable from the start which fooled a lot of runners as they had thought this was the finish then had another 800m to go, which was rather soul destroying!

Fab medal, no tshirt, and a lot of random stuff in a goody bag (gel made from freshwater muscles???)! Quavers were genius! Marshalls were excellent and all very cheery.  The only other tweak which would help would be briefing the ones directing traffic on the way out as due to the many road closures, they seemed quite confused and didn't really know where to send people or which roads were affected as they weren't from the area.  Again, easily sorted.  Just give them a map!

 Loved it - we will be back!

What an amazing place for a race - I've never been to Lincoln before and was blown away by the stunning scenery and architecture. 

The race starts and finishes in a Show ground which has easy access and free parking. The event village is pretty cool and had a good range of food and stands all round it.

The start was a bit strange this year - we were held back a while almost like we started in waves but it wasn't really clear and a bit of a muddle - easy to fix next time if they have pens. The course is awesome - so scenic and pretty flat barring a couple of steep downhills and  pretty steep incline circa halfway. The local support was very vocal but a bit patchy - there are quite a few miles with no crowds at all but the scenery and the guys from high 5 with their music stations and supporters helped combat that.

The goody bag and medal were top quality and even a free erdinger at the end too. 

I LOVED this race and I will definitely go back - I suspect this is one to watch and could easily double in size. 

Very well organised event with around 2,000 runners. The course is fairly flat (one hill in the city centre) and it’s closed road all the way. Local support was great and there were marshalls every 200m or so. Feed station quality was very high too (water and gels) - there are four feed stations en route.

The athlete village was good and finishers goody bag and medal was excellent quality.

Final mile is on gravelly surface and (to be honest) quite monotonous so a bit of a psychological challenge to keep going. But it all adds to the event and makes the finish feel even more rewarding!

A popular half marathon for runners and first timers.

Felt like a bit of a money spinner with the price compared to other marathons in Lincolnshire.

well organised, nice route- although that's changed for 2017. Some energy gels at stations. No tshirt and car parking a pain to get out. 

Very well supported. 

This is a brilliant race, there's plenty of parking although get there a little early as I had to que a little while to get in.

The route is brilliant and unique with running over the cobbles through Lincoln and around the Castle, Courts and Cathedral.

the support was brilliant throughout the course and especially when it was needed along the water front and on the long climb after 8miles!!

This is a must try!!!

An excellent first (or at least first for 25 years) Lincoln Half Marathon. OSB know their stuff and the pre race organisation was slick and I am sure that they will sort out the car park carnage foe next year in getting out. 

The course was great, the dreaded Yarborough Hill was made better by the fantastic local support on the hill.

Only slight downside was the 4 mile drag to the finish along empty open country roads - I was fine as I had plenty in the tank for the finish, but I know some found this utterly soul destroying. Other than putting some more music and support stations along the way, however, if you're going to start and finish at the showground I am not sure there's a whole lot they can do about this.

All in all, an excellent race that I will be doing again. 

Well planned and organised event. Great views on the way into and out of the city, nice running through historic Lincoln- the Bailgate, past Cathedral, through castle grounds and down past Brayford pool (waterside). Bonus/safety of closed roads. Nice medal as memento. Really lucky with weather too! Hope this event is deemed a success and will grow...