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Marathon Details - Cowtown Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > TX > Fort Worth > Cowtown Marathon

Cowtown Marathon

Cowtown Marathon & Ultra Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Fort Worth, TX USA

February 23, 2025

http://www.cowtownmarathon.org

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Race Details

The course starts and ends at Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Contact Information

Name:	The Cowtown Marathon
Address:	1612 Park Place Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76110
Phone Number:	(817) 207-0224
Fax Number:	(817) 207-0240
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (184)

Course 4.0

Organization 3.7

Spectators 3.4

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Number of comments: 184 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 19 > ]

Steve Hadzima from Dallas Texas (3/21/2023) "Be sure to run this one!" (about: 2023) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very well organized. Small but well represented expo. Hotel shuttle to start and back. Indoor area pre-race hangout area. Well organized corrals. Aid stations well staffed. Spectators fair. Course is a nice tour of Ft Worth. Weather generally favorable. Run this 5 times previously.
R. G. from Los Angeles, CA (3/24/2019) "Positively the best overall marathon I've ever run" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 By far, this was the best organized and executed marathon amongst the 33 which I've run to date.. Every aspect of the race, from the starting line to the finish line was perfect: at the start, the corals were well marked and, best of all, extremely roomy. Usually you have to duck under a rope or squeeze through a baracade of some sort to get to your coral. And once you do so, you usually can't move, let alone stretch and warm up. Due to the ample space at the starting area, each coral had more than enough room. There were enough portia potties provided, so there were none of the usual horribly long pre-race lines. The staggered start was... truly staggered. Consequently, there wasn't the usual starting line smoosh of runners, so it was easier to find some room and hit your pace sooner than in races were everyone is forced to start at the same time. The course was challenging but by no means intimidating, and the fuel stations were well spaced and easy to get in and out of... The finish area was amazingly well organized, with an impressive array of post race food choices and staffed with volunteers to help usher runners along. And speaking of volunteers, this was the nicest and most helpful group I've ever come across- THANK YOU, each and every one of you.
S. B. from Waco, TX (2/28/2018) "Awesome Day in Ft. Worth" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fourth time to run the Cowtown but my first time doing the full marathon. As a repeat runner, I know very well how good the organization runs their race. The expo is appropriate for the size of the race, there are plenty of interesting vendors and plenty of merchandise available for purchase. There were some issues this year with the Saturday races being delayed due to some strong storms that hit the area that morning. As a result, there was quite a crowd around the expo area that were still participating in the 5K and 10K Saturday races and parking was more limited than it typically would be. Not a fault of the organizers, they showed an amazing ability to roll with the challenges and still put on a successful expo. Race day started nice and cool with temperatures in the low 40s. Anyone who has run Cowtown knows that they are maybe the best at moving runners through their corrals and onto the course. I started in corral 5 with some friends and we were on the course and running within 20 minutes of the starting gun. The start was not congested and there were plenty of cheering spectators to get us into the mood to run. The course is a lot of fun, with lots of changes in scenery along the way. The course starts out moving through downtown into the Stockyards area where there are lots of potentially hungover tourists surprised to see a marathon breaking out in front of their hotels. Coming out of the Stockyards means hitting the hill at mile 9 that you can see coming from mile 7. It's not near as bad as it looks once you get there and the band playing 'Shake it Off' at the top took a little of the edge off the effort I expended. As with most events, the full split from the half meant things got a lot lonelier after mile 10 when I left the big crowd of half runners. This is where the people of Ft. Worth really showed that they love this event. In spite of there being a fraction of runners continuing into the full, their was a steady showing of neighbors with fruit and candy all along the course. At mile 20 there was a huge block party with tons of people out and about, giving out food and various fluids. The last 3 miles were on a park path and that was the quietest section of the course. By this time, the sun had been out for awhile and it was getting a lot warmer than the start. In spite of the heat, I managed to keep a good pace and stayed with the 4:40 pace from mile 23 to finish. I finished with the pacer and had an official time of 4:40:01 so she was right on it! My time represented an 8 minute PR so this was a great run for me. The finish area was well done and there was very little wait to getting a finisher shirt, fruit, and disposal finisher's jacket. This was the least amount of walking I've had to do in a finishers area and they had plenty of shuttle buses to get me back to my hotel. I can't recommend Cowtown enough, it's a great race with fun spectators and a management team that knows what they are doing.
l. m. from Arlington, TX (2/28/2018) "Best staged Cowtown race I've seen" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've probably done 10 Cowtown marathons and halfs over the years but had been away for awhile. Sunday's race was by far the best staged, most professional one I've experienced. Great signage, plenty of volunteers and volunteer leadership who knew what they were doing, good aid/drink stations with large clear signs. Good job!
C. A. from Texas (3/2/2017) "Cowtown does everything right for the marathoner" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Cowtown is hands down the best marathon in the DFW metroplex. They don't just talk about having a great 'runner's experience' they actually execute it, consistently, year after year. They don't short change the full and ultra runners by focusing on the half marathoners like so many races do these days. Great course goes through some beautiful neighborhoods where the neighbors cheer and set up their own aid stations. Plenty of good food (not just a bag of pretzels) at the finish line for even the slower full and ultra folks which is so rare. Two (always) great looking shirts plus a throw-away jacket makes this a good value for the entry fee. Aid stations are always perfectly executed. If you're a full marathoner and are tired of feeling like an afterthought to the half marathoners, this is your race. I've run this marathon or ultra probably 15 times in the past 20 years and can't think of a single complaint in all that time. Well done, Cowtown!
N. R. from Minnesota (2/28/2017) "Fun marathon in 2017 but...holy wind!" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was such a fun marathon weekend - the Cowtown organizers put on a great event! Loved the cow theme! The Expo was spectacular and easy to navigate with so much to do/see for both kids and adults! The Will Rogers Stadium is a great place on marathon morning to relax/stretch/stay out of the chilly morning temps until the start. Plenty of portopotties at the start...more than I've ever seen elsewhere! My one issue with the start is that I could not find the drop-bag area for the life of me...so more directions toward that would have been nice. The course was awesome - a great tour of Fort Worth! Loved running through the Stockyards despite the slightly uneven brick footing! The hill at mile 8/9 is worth mentioning...you can see it looming ahead for awhile so it is intimidating. But if you train for it you will be fine, it's over with pretty fast! In 2017 they had a timing mat at the bottom and top of this hill for a 'hill challenge' to see who could run up this hill the fastest - nice touch and boost of motivation! The course was a little hillier than I thought, but what affected me the most course-wise during the 2017 marathon was the brutal 17 mph S wind that we had to fight during most of the marathon (about half of the course is run directly south). The S wind did make for a nice push back toward the finish in the final miles, though. Along the course the aid stations were plentiful and well-stocked with great hydration/food/gels/volunteers! One downside to the course was that there were very few easily-visible mile markers...no flags or signs most of the time. I did see one or two mile markers spray-painted on the street, but otherwise, I ran much of the race not knowing which mile I was on. I must compliment the police officers who did a great job directing traffic at the many traffic crossings during this race....If you've been to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you know how challenging their job is! The finish area was great with cups of chicken noodle soup and a large assortment of post-race food, although the distance to the family meet-up area did require more walking than I felt like doing after a marathon. There were heat sheets and disposable finisher jackets at the finish line for warmth. Parking was easy to find with many free lots. The Cowtown is an awesome, awesome experience and I would recommend it as long as you are prepared for the hills and possible strong wind! The wind definitely dampened my spirits during the marathon (can't control the wind factor!), but wind aside, it was a fabulous event! I must also mention that the temps here in TX were absolutely perfect for running! 40s at the start and 50s at the finish!
m. s. from mansfield, tx (3/6/2016) "Great race, great city" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Nice expo, relatively flat course, great weather in '16 especially considering that the race was 'iced out' in '15. Post race was best I've seen in 3 Cowtown's I've ran. Different and well done medal. One to do again!
J. G. from OK (5/9/2015) "Tough Decision" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I do not discourage runners from this race. I can't comment on the course or the event too much. However, all the information for this race should be given for those deciding to participate and travel. Previous posts didn't mention a few details for the 2015 race. Beware, if marathon is cancelled you lose your investment. Read carefully before booking. No deferments or refunds policy is firm. I believe in contributing to charities and not getting a refund is ok. A deferred entry/discount for next year would have been nice though since weather was the issue. As a marathoner, I don't like paying for really expensive half marathons. The virtual race option to get a medal was a nice touch. However, It doesn't help with maniac status. Weather happens and races get cancelled (marathon and ultra). A tough call. However, I was disappointed after I traveled from out of state to find out after packet pick up that the marathon was cancelled. Occurred at 8-9 PM the night before. Communication could be improved for anyone traveling from out of state. I was appreciative of the opportunity to run the half. However, a train caused a stoppage in the race. What if the distance races weren't cancelled? That definitely would have added adversity. Something to be aware of. This was a larger race and corrals were nice. Half course was awesome and really lets you get after it until mile 9. I hope this information is helpful to those considering. Just one of many opinions. Early in the year races are always a gamble. Just don't be surprised if you do not get a deferred entry/discount for next years race.
A. B. from Hesston KS (3/20/2015) "6 stars for organizers" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If I could give Organization 6 stars I would! Ice and snow hit the Fort Worth area on Friday. Had to cancel the Saturday races and the Sunday marathon and ultra. Everyone ran the half. But what an effort by those in charge! Communication with the runners was excellent. Volunteers did all that was expected and more. Sure there were complainers, but it's the 'new rope syndrome.' Safety was the primary concern. Those who could not make it were given the option of 'virtual races' (all you had to do was run the distances on your own) and they mailed your finishing shirt and medal. Obviously they did not have to do that. This was my third time running the half, and every year the entire event communication, expo, race, finishing area, food, etc has been first rate. Can't wait for next year!
j. g. from Weatherford, Texas (2/25/2015) "Fort Worth Tradition" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 4-5 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My experience is in regard to the 1/2 over the past 4 years: I love this race. The course is challenging but doable for the novice distant runner. By challenging I mean there is one intense hill: mile 8-9 and you do run on bricks - that being said overall it's pretty mild and flat. Plenty of aid stations and crowd support (even in the rain). The Cowtown is pretty nostalgic since I grew up in FW (my elementary school used to train for the Saturday races) and you transverse across many hot spots of the town. The organizers do a great job and respond to emails very quickly ! Been running the half for 4 years and my brother in law runs the full. The only bad thing I could possibly say about this race is that weather in North Texas can be unpredictable this time of year - guess it just makes it a truly authentic TX experience ;) Just be prepared for anything from snow to heat!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 19 > ]



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Steve Hadzima from Dallas Texas (3/21/2023) "Be sure to run this one!" (about: 2023) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very well organized. Small but well represented expo. Hotel shuttle to start and back. Indoor area pre-race hangout area. Well organized corrals. Aid stations well staffed. Spectators fair. Course is a nice tour of Ft Worth. Weather generally favorable. Run this 5 times previously.
R. G. from Los Angeles, CA (3/24/2019) "Positively the best overall marathon I've ever run" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 By far, this was the best organized and executed marathon amongst the 33 which I've run to date.. Every aspect of the race, from the starting line to the finish line was perfect: at the start, the corals were well marked and, best of all, extremely roomy. Usually you have to duck under a rope or squeeze through a baracade of some sort to get to your coral. And once you do so, you usually can't move, let alone stretch and warm up. Due to the ample space at the starting area, each coral had more than enough room. There were enough portia potties provided, so there were none of the usual horribly long pre-race lines. The staggered start was... truly staggered. Consequently, there wasn't the usual starting line smoosh of runners, so it was easier to find some room and hit your pace sooner than in races were everyone is forced to start at the same time. The course was challenging but by no means intimidating, and the fuel stations were well spaced and easy to get in and out of... The finish area was amazingly well organized, with an impressive array of post race food choices and staffed with volunteers to help usher runners along. And speaking of volunteers, this was the nicest and most helpful group I've ever come across- THANK YOU, each and every one of you.
S. B. from Waco, TX (2/28/2018) "Awesome Day in Ft. Worth" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fourth time to run the Cowtown but my first time doing the full marathon. As a repeat runner, I know very well how good the organization runs their race. The expo is appropriate for the size of the race, there are plenty of interesting vendors and plenty of merchandise available for purchase. There were some issues this year with the Saturday races being delayed due to some strong storms that hit the area that morning. As a result, there was quite a crowd around the expo area that were still participating in the 5K and 10K Saturday races and parking was more limited than it typically would be. Not a fault of the organizers, they showed an amazing ability to roll with the challenges and still put on a successful expo. Race day started nice and cool with temperatures in the low 40s. Anyone who has run Cowtown knows that they are maybe the best at moving runners through their corrals and onto the course. I started in corral 5 with some friends and we were on the course and running within 20 minutes of the starting gun. The start was not congested and there were plenty of cheering spectators to get us into the mood to run. The course is a lot of fun, with lots of changes in scenery along the way. The course starts out moving through downtown into the Stockyards area where there are lots of potentially hungover tourists surprised to see a marathon breaking out in front of their hotels. Coming out of the Stockyards means hitting the hill at mile 9 that you can see coming from mile 7. It's not near as bad as it looks once you get there and the band playing 'Shake it Off' at the top took a little of the edge off the effort I expended. As with most events, the full split from the half meant things got a lot lonelier after mile 10 when I left the big crowd of half runners. This is where the people of Ft. Worth really showed that they love this event. In spite of there being a fraction of runners continuing into the full, their was a steady showing of neighbors with fruit and candy all along the course. At mile 20 there was a huge block party with tons of people out and about, giving out food and various fluids. The last 3 miles were on a park path and that was the quietest section of the course. By this time, the sun had been out for awhile and it was getting a lot warmer than the start. In spite of the heat, I managed to keep a good pace and stayed with the 4:40 pace from mile 23 to finish. I finished with the pacer and had an official time of 4:40:01 so she was right on it! My time represented an 8 minute PR so this was a great run for me. The finish area was well done and there was very little wait to getting a finisher shirt, fruit, and disposal finisher's jacket. This was the least amount of walking I've had to do in a finishers area and they had plenty of shuttle buses to get me back to my hotel. I can't recommend Cowtown enough, it's a great race with fun spectators and a management team that knows what they are doing.
l. m. from Arlington, TX (2/28/2018) "Best staged Cowtown race I've seen" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've probably done 10 Cowtown marathons and halfs over the years but had been away for awhile. Sunday's race was by far the best staged, most professional one I've experienced. Great signage, plenty of volunteers and volunteer leadership who knew what they were doing, good aid/drink stations with large clear signs. Good job!
C. A. from Texas (3/2/2017) "Cowtown does everything right for the marathoner" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Cowtown is hands down the best marathon in the DFW metroplex. They don't just talk about having a great 'runner's experience' they actually execute it, consistently, year after year. They don't short change the full and ultra runners by focusing on the half marathoners like so many races do these days. Great course goes through some beautiful neighborhoods where the neighbors cheer and set up their own aid stations. Plenty of good food (not just a bag of pretzels) at the finish line for even the slower full and ultra folks which is so rare. Two (always) great looking shirts plus a throw-away jacket makes this a good value for the entry fee. Aid stations are always perfectly executed. If you're a full marathoner and are tired of feeling like an afterthought to the half marathoners, this is your race. I've run this marathon or ultra probably 15 times in the past 20 years and can't think of a single complaint in all that time. Well done, Cowtown!
N. R. from Minnesota (2/28/2017) "Fun marathon in 2017 but...holy wind!" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was such a fun marathon weekend - the Cowtown organizers put on a great event! Loved the cow theme! The Expo was spectacular and easy to navigate with so much to do/see for both kids and adults! The Will Rogers Stadium is a great place on marathon morning to relax/stretch/stay out of the chilly morning temps until the start. Plenty of portopotties at the start...more than I've ever seen elsewhere! My one issue with the start is that I could not find the drop-bag area for the life of me...so more directions toward that would have been nice. The course was awesome - a great tour of Fort Worth! Loved running through the Stockyards despite the slightly uneven brick footing! The hill at mile 8/9 is worth mentioning...you can see it looming ahead for awhile so it is intimidating. But if you train for it you will be fine, it's over with pretty fast! In 2017 they had a timing mat at the bottom and top of this hill for a 'hill challenge' to see who could run up this hill the fastest - nice touch and boost of motivation! The course was a little hillier than I thought, but what affected me the most course-wise during the 2017 marathon was the brutal 17 mph S wind that we had to fight during most of the marathon (about half of the course is run directly south). The S wind did make for a nice push back toward the finish in the final miles, though. Along the course the aid stations were plentiful and well-stocked with great hydration/food/gels/volunteers! One downside to the course was that there were very few easily-visible mile markers...no flags or signs most of the time. I did see one or two mile markers spray-painted on the street, but otherwise, I ran much of the race not knowing which mile I was on. I must compliment the police officers who did a great job directing traffic at the many traffic crossings during this race....If you've been to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you know how challenging their job is! The finish area was great with cups of chicken noodle soup and a large assortment of post-race food, although the distance to the family meet-up area did require more walking than I felt like doing after a marathon. There were heat sheets and disposable finisher jackets at the finish line for warmth. Parking was easy to find with many free lots. The Cowtown is an awesome, awesome experience and I would recommend it as long as you are prepared for the hills and possible strong wind! The wind definitely dampened my spirits during the marathon (can't control the wind factor!), but wind aside, it was a fabulous event! I must also mention that the temps here in TX were absolutely perfect for running! 40s at the start and 50s at the finish!
m. s. from mansfield, tx (3/6/2016) "Great race, great city" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Nice expo, relatively flat course, great weather in '16 especially considering that the race was 'iced out' in '15. Post race was best I've seen in 3 Cowtown's I've ran. Different and well done medal. One to do again!
J. G. from OK (5/9/2015) "Tough Decision" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I do not discourage runners from this race. I can't comment on the course or the event too much. However, all the information for this race should be given for those deciding to participate and travel. Previous posts didn't mention a few details for the 2015 race. Beware, if marathon is cancelled you lose your investment. Read carefully before booking. No deferments or refunds policy is firm. I believe in contributing to charities and not getting a refund is ok. A deferred entry/discount for next year would have been nice though since weather was the issue. As a marathoner, I don't like paying for really expensive half marathons. The virtual race option to get a medal was a nice touch. However, It doesn't help with maniac status. Weather happens and races get cancelled (marathon and ultra). A tough call. However, I was disappointed after I traveled from out of state to find out after packet pick up that the marathon was cancelled. Occurred at 8-9 PM the night before. Communication could be improved for anyone traveling from out of state. I was appreciative of the opportunity to run the half. However, a train caused a stoppage in the race. What if the distance races weren't cancelled? That definitely would have added adversity. Something to be aware of. This was a larger race and corrals were nice. Half course was awesome and really lets you get after it until mile 9. I hope this information is helpful to those considering. Just one of many opinions. Early in the year races are always a gamble. Just don't be surprised if you do not get a deferred entry/discount for next years race.
A. B. from Hesston KS (3/20/2015) "6 stars for organizers" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If I could give Organization 6 stars I would! Ice and snow hit the Fort Worth area on Friday. Had to cancel the Saturday races and the Sunday marathon and ultra. Everyone ran the half. But what an effort by those in charge! Communication with the runners was excellent. Volunteers did all that was expected and more. Sure there were complainers, but it's the 'new rope syndrome.' Safety was the primary concern. Those who could not make it were given the option of 'virtual races' (all you had to do was run the distances on your own) and they mailed your finishing shirt and medal. Obviously they did not have to do that. This was my third time running the half, and every year the entire event communication, expo, race, finishing area, food, etc has been first rate. Can't wait for next year!
j. g. from Weatherford, Texas (2/25/2015) "Fort Worth Tradition" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 4-5 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My experience is in regard to the 1/2 over the past 4 years: I love this race. The course is challenging but doable for the novice distant runner. By challenging I mean there is one intense hill: mile 8-9 and you do run on bricks - that being said overall it's pretty mild and flat. Plenty of aid stations and crowd support (even in the rain). The Cowtown is pretty nostalgic since I grew up in FW (my elementary school used to train for the Saturday races) and you transverse across many hot spots of the town. The organizers do a great job and respond to emails very quickly ! Been running the half for 4 years and my brother in law runs the full. The only bad thing I could possibly say about this race is that weather in North Texas can be unpredictable this time of year - guess it just makes it a truly authentic TX experience ;) Just be prepared for anything from snow to heat!

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Marathon Details - Cowtown Marathon