Lincoln Race Weekend: The Final Logistics Guide Before You Leave Home

The training is done. Now it’s time to make sure the details are ready too.

The Lincoln Running Festival arrives in Lincoln, Maine, this Sunday, September 20, for the 5th Lincoln Marathon weekend, featuring the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon along with the inaugural River Driver 50 Miler.

For runners, the next two days aren’t about squeezing in more fitness. They’re about knowing where you need to be, when you need to be there, and making sure nothing important gets left on the kitchen table.

Know Your Start Time

There are two race starts Sunday morning.

The River Driver 50 Miler starts at 4:30 AM.

The Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K all start at 7:30 AM.

All five races begin at the corner of West Broadway and Main Street in downtown Lincoln, at the Loon statue, and finish at Prince Thomas Park.

If you’re traveling with runners doing different distances, make sure everyone knows which start time applies before Sunday morning.

Bib Pickup — Important Race-Weekend Update

Saturday bib pickup will be held from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Farmers Market, 29 Main Street, in the parking lot.

There will be no Saturday evening bib pickup.

Race-day bib pickup begins Sunday at 5:30 AM at the finish line in Prince Thomas Park.

If you can pick up your bib Saturday, that’s one less thing to handle while you’re watching the clock Sunday morning.

Still Need to Register?

Online registration for the Lincoln Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K remains available through race morning, subject to availability.

Register for the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K or 5K:
https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Lincoln/TheGreatLincolnMarathon

The River Driver 50 Miler has an earlier registration deadline, so anyone still considering the inaugural 50-mile race should check immediately.

Register for the River Driver 50 Miler:
https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Lincoln/RiverDriver50Miler

Check Your Parking Information

The races start downtown and finish at Prince Thomas Park, so take a few minutes before race morning to review the parking information provided by MESA-Maine.

Know where you’re parking, where you need to walk, and how you’ll move between the start and finish areas.

Race morning is not the best time to figure that out from the driver’s seat.

Know What’s Waiting on the Course

Water stations will be positioned approximately every three miles.

Portapotties are available at the finish area, the Half Marathon turnaround and the Full Marathon turnaround.

Every finisher receives a finisher’s medal.

Award plaques are separate and are presented to the 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place finishers in each award category.

Lincoln Race Weekend Quick Answers

What time does the Lincoln Marathon start?
The Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K start at 7:30 AM on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

What time does the River Driver 50 Miler start?
The inaugural River Driver 50 Miler starts at 4:30 AM.

Where is Saturday bib pickup?
Saturday bib pickup is from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Farmers Market parking lot at 29 Main Street in Lincoln. There is no Saturday evening bib pickup.

Where is race-day bib pickup?
Race-day bib pickup begins at 5:30 AM Sunday at the finish line in Prince Thomas Park.

Where do the races start?
All five races start at West Broadway and Main Street in downtown Lincoln, at the Loon statue.

Where do the races finish?
All five races finish at Prince Thomas Park.

Where can runners register?
Runners should use the official RunSignup registration pages linked through MESA-Maine for current registration availability and deadlines.

Before You Leave Home

Give yourself five minutes Saturday night and check the things that can create an unnecessary problem Sunday morning.

Make sure you have your bib and safety pins, race clothing and shoes, a charged watch and phone, your fuel and hydration plan, parking information, start time and location, and whatever you want waiting for you after the finish.

Check the latest Lincoln weather forecast and make any final clothing adjustments.

Then stop planning.

The work that gets you to a starting line happens over weeks and months. Race weekend is about making sure the small details don’t get in the way of all that work.

Sunday morning, Lincoln takes care of the rest.

We’ll see you at the starting line.

Updated September 18, 2026 with the latest MESA-Maine race-weekend information.