Overall Rating
Overall Rating (1001 Reviews)
4.7
(1001 Ratings) 🏆 (1001 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
3.4
SCENERY
4.2
PRODUCTION
4.6
SWAG
4.4
Welcome to The Cowtown®! Thank you for choosing to run one of our great races, or challenging yourself with two. Voted America’s Rave Race in 2020, Cowtown Race Weekend takes place on the last weekend in February of each year and is currently the second largest multi-event race in Texas. … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Feb 24):
  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
 
H (°F)  46  28  70  67  59
L (°F)  41  20  54  51  36
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Recent reviews

    This one is NOT a small race. It is not big either. It's just right. It is well organized and everyone is extremely friendly. The race takes you from the … MORE

    This one is NOT a small race. It is not big either. It’s just right. It is well organized and everyone is extremely friendly. The race takes you from the oldest part of Fort Worth (the stockyards) to mansions by a country club. It is not an easy course but it is beautiful and definitely worth the run.

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    M_Sohaskey FIRST-TIMER '23

    BOTTOM LINE: If you haven’t “herd,” there’s a reason The Cowtown was voted “America’s Rave Race” back in 2020. There’s a reason it was voted the Best Marathon in Texas … MORE

    BOTTOM LINE: If you haven’t “herd,” there’s a reason The Cowtown was voted “America’s Rave Race” back in 2020. There’s a reason it was voted the Best Marathon in Texas and Best Half Marathon in Texas by runners across the US. And there’s a reason that as of this writing, the event has earned Top Rated status with 1,000 reviews—more than any other event—here on RaceRaves. The Cowtown ain’t one of them “all hat, no cattle” races, y’all.

    This was the first race where I felt like—for the first few miles, at least—I could HEAR each mile marker before I reached it. Every mile seemed to feature a different musical act, and in particular I appreciated the Elvis tribute as well as the high-energy accordion of the AlpenMusikanten polka band. If you’re a runner who finds motivation in the music, you’ll find what you’re looking (or listening) for in Fort Worth.

    As far as highlights, mile 7 through the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District with its decidedly Old West vibe (and aroma 🐮) is what most folks think about when they think about Texas, even if the area immediately surrounding the Stockyards feels like a dilapidated ghost town. To one side of the street, a jet-black cow statue glared down on us (can you blame her?) from atop a neon steakhouse sign, while on the other a rust-colored horse mannequin stood like a sentry on the edge of a retail balcony. And not to be confused with cobblestones, the red brick streets around the Stockyards were comfortable and easy enough to run on, though I reckon that could change in wet weather.

    After the Stockyards, the Blue Mile leading up to the Tarrant County Courthouse in mile 9 was a moving tribute lined with U.S. flags, ribbons and posters depicting fallen soldiers. This long straight stretch, which preceded the hardest-hitting hill on the course, was attended by servicemembers in uniform who cheered on the runners (a humbling feeling, to be sure), providing the perfect motivation to dig deep and get ‘er done. It’s tough to feel even the slightest pang of self-pity when faced with the reality of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the rest of us.

    The two-mile straightaway home stretch on Lancaster Ave was a smart way to end the run (the fewer turns, the better), followed by a smoothly executed finish chute with plenty of snacks and an easily accessible family reunion area where I met Katie. Spectator bleachers even lined the finish line, which I thought was a cool and thoughtful touch. One reason the Cowtown is such a bull-loved event is that it understands the devil is in the details.

    If, by the time you exit the finish chute sporting your finisher medal, Cowtown-branded disposable mesh hoodie (another nice touch), bag o’ munchies and giddy smile, you still haven’t gotten your fill of Fort Worth’s western heritage, well then by all means do step inside the Will Rogers Memorial Center (conveniently accessible to all runners, this is late February after all) and specifically the state-of-the-art facilities that host the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Take a deep breath and let the Old West fill your sinuses—in this day and age, it’s as close as most of us will come to feeling like a true cowboy.

    Congrats to Race Director Heidi who, not surprisingly, was sans voice by the time I saw her at the finish line on Sunday, and who continues to host a world-class event that’s one of the best race weekends not just in Texas but in the entire nation. I ran this half as a fortuitously timed training run for London, but I’d love to come back and add it to my list of TX marathons (or ultras) in the near future.

    If you’ve yet to run Fort Worth on the last weekend in February, I’d recommend you find out for yourself what all the fuss is about in 2024. The Cowtown is a race that won’t “steer” you wrong.

    PRODUCTION: It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve yet to experience a race weekend with better production values than The Cowtown. Case in point, the corral layout on race day was among the best I’ve seen—the corrals were laid out (to use a physics analogy) in parallel rather than in series, so that faster runners didn’t have to elbow their way through the masses or climb over fencing to reach their corral. Rather, you simply bypassed the other well-labeled corrals before arriving at your own, with each corral feeding into its proper sequence at the start line on Gendy St in front of Dickies Arena. It was a well-designed layout that utilized the parking lot of the Will Rogers Memorial Center to perfection. In addition, pace groups carried different-colored signs depending on the distance—red for the half, blue for the full, green for the ultra (50K). And despite bypassing every aid station (my usual M.O. on a cool day), I have nothing but props and gratitude for all the tireless & enthusiastic volunteers who made the entire weekend possible. If you run a race of any distance without thanking the volunteers, you’re doing something wrong.

    Coming from an hour away, we only managed to catch the tail end (no pun intended) of the pre-race expo; even in its waning moments, though, it was an energetic affair that featured more vendors than your typical expo and especially in the post-pandemic era. The Cowtown team are pros in every sense of the word.

    SWAG: Maybe it’s a Texas thang, but as was the case when I ran Houston and Dallas, I received two shirts at The Cowtown—a short-sleeve white tech shirt at packet pickup along with a short-sleeve red Under Armour finisher’s tech shirt in a sealed envelope that we were instructed not to open until we crossed the finish line. I don’t know many runners who need two more short-sleeve shirts, one of which is emblazoned with sponsor logos, so I would have preferred a single lightweight quarter-zip … and especially in late February when I can wear it immediately. (I was tickled to see on the back of the finisher shirt the slogan “HOW THE WEST IS RUN,” which I do believe was first coined in our 2018 “Best Marathons in the U.S.” article here on RaceRaves.)

    For its part, the attractive finisher medal depicts the Fort Worth Stockyards sign above longhorns in running shoes, the latter a subtle detail you may not notice on first glance. I’m proud to add it to my collection, my only objection being that the medal is shaped like a jigsaw puzzle piece (see photo) and is the second in a four-part series that, once completed, will no doubt make a bad-ass keepsake. I just wish they’d find a different way to design these modular medals so that each more easily stands on its own for us out-of-towners who aren’t able to collect all four.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    4
    My Media

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    enorman232 VOLUNTEER '23

    I ran this as a pacer - as a first time road race pacer, and as my first time to run Cowtown. The Cowtown course is varied enough to keep … MORE

    I ran this as a pacer – as a first time road race pacer, and as my first time to run Cowtown. The Cowtown course is varied enough to keep it interesting for the entire 31 miles. We visited all the best Fort Worth has to offer. It’s like a foot tour of the town! I especially enjoyed approaching the city from the bridge, running through the Stockyards, and soaking in the peace of the trails by the river. The road race pacing experience was really cool. I loved ticking down the miles like clockwork, finishing right on target. I shared in the joy of each of the runners who ran with us, and I even laughed (a little) at some of my co-pacer’s dad jokes (he was fantastic, very experienced, coached and encouraged runners throughout the race). I’d love to go back and run it again, maybe at my own pace next time!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    chellrr29 FIRST-TIMER '23

    Great race with lots of entertainment along a smooth, historic Fort Worth course. Can’t wait to run it again! Lots of spectators and lots of entertainment along route helped encourage … MORE

    Great race with lots of entertainment along a smooth, historic Fort Worth course. Can’t wait to run it again! Lots of spectators and lots of entertainment along route helped encourage a great time. Plenty of medic and fluid stations as well as bathrooms.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    3

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    wilkinsfam5 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    Cowtown is a very organized race! Being able to hangout indoors prerace is a huge plus. Aid stations are great along the course. The race thins out significantly at the … MORE

    Cowtown is a very organized race! Being able to hangout indoors prerace is a huge plus. Aid stations are great along the course. The race thins out significantly at the split and the marathon/50k thins out. Most of the course had neighborhood support which was great. This years race was a comeback race for me and I was very happy to have run Cowtown for it.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    3

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    Profile photo of Shane Murray
    samurray0630 FIRST-TIMER '23

    This was a great race that was run well. I enjoyed going through Fort Worth. There was great support from the city on the course. There was plenty of water … MORE

    This was a great race that was run well. I enjoyed going through Fort Worth. There was great support from the city on the course. There was plenty of water and restroom stops along the course. The course had some challenges.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
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    chamilton267 FIRST-TIMER '23

    Crowd support made this race. Even for a full marathon, I was surprised how many people showed up to support. It was awesome to have the random keyboard player in … MORE

    Crowd support made this race. Even for a full marathon, I was surprised how many people showed up to support.

    It was awesome to have the random keyboard player in trails. Mile 20 and the real mile 20 were great stops! The end running along the restaurants on the creek. The military mile at mile 9. It was a fun, beautiful race. I’d be happy to do again.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    mweyandt REPEAT RUNNER '23

    Cowtown race weekend is a tradition. I’d like to see the finish line a little more spread out, if possible. The medals are always special. The longhorn for the challenge … MORE

    Cowtown race weekend is a tradition. I’d like to see the finish line a little more spread out, if possible. The medals are always special. The longhorn for the challenge medal was amazing. It’s fun to see how they will top the previous year’s medal.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    4

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    Wakesurfer REPEAT RUNNER '23

    This was my 7th Cowtown Half Marathon and each one is better than the last! I am running (slowly) one half marathon a month and the Cowtown is by far … MORE

    This was my 7th Cowtown Half Marathon and each one is better than the last! I am running (slowly) one half marathon a month and the Cowtown is by far the one that I look most forward to. Side note………I am in the M 70-74 age group and ran my first half marathon when I was 66 – and it was the Cowtown. The runners and fun, the fans are fun and the bands along the way are great. Nothing but fun, fun, fun for me! And they have Blue Bell Ice Cream at the finish!!!!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    HelgeAlsleben FIRST-TIMER '23

    The run is during a great time of the year and temperatures are great for running. The race organization is great. Overall there is nothing to complain about. MORE

    The run is during a great time of the year and temperatures are great for running. The race organization is great. Overall there is nothing to complain about.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    [email protected] REPEAT RUNNER '23

    From the start of the race to the end of the race I love the support that is offered at cheer stations and all the live music and different cheer … MORE

    From the start of the race to the end of the race I love the support that is offered at cheer stations and all the live music and different cheer areas to just keep runners motivated. My personal favorite part is running through the stockyards, something about running on that red brick road is just something I look forward to every single time.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    4

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    curbyalexander REPEAT RUNNER '23

    This was my 6th time running the Cowtown Half Marathon, and it was my first time since 2018. I love this race and honestly don't know why I took such … MORE

    This was my 6th time running the Cowtown Half Marathon, and it was my first time since 2018. I love this race and honestly don’t know why I took such a long break (well, the pandemic had something to do with it). This race is well organized, it has a lot of great terrain, there are so many people cheering along the route, and it provides a wonderful tour of the many places that make Fort Worth a great city. You get to run through the 7th Street district, historic North Fort Worth, the Stockyards, down Main Street and up that killer hill, past the Courthouse and through downtown. Then it’s just about hanging on for dear life until you are back at the Will Rogers. I will definitely do it again next year, but as I get older I prefer running for the experience and not so much for time. My only complaint the whole weekend was that they have bibs organized by number rather than last name. I had to dig through my email to find my bib number, but other than this the whole weekend was a blast. If you are up for the challenge, I recommend giving this race a try.

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    CarrieMurphyisRed REPEAT RUNNER '23

    I did my first 1/2 here and keep coming back! Super fun atmosphere, bands, and just a great experience all around! I tried other races expecting the same level of … MORE

    I did my first 1/2 here and keep coming back! Super fun atmosphere, bands, and just a great experience all around! I tried other races expecting the same level of swag and fun and was disappointed! Fort Worth is a great town and has plenty of fun for after the race!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    5
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    sdaniellefit VOLUNTEER '23

    The vibes are incredible! The Health & Fitness expo starting a day before the races and having tons of vendors from physical therapy companies to other race sign up booths … MORE

    The vibes are incredible! The Health & Fitness expo starting a day before the races and having tons of vendors from physical therapy companies to other race sign up booths & last minute gear vendors was amazing to have on site! Running through Fort Worth & the stockyards isn’t just something you can do everyday! Recommend doing it at least once!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    candymac REPEAT RUNNER '23

    The support from spectators & strangers along the route is amazing. There's live entertainment and beautiful scenery. The tribute to fallen soldiers along the Main Street Bridge is just beautiful … MORE

    The support from spectators & strangers along the route is amazing. There’s live entertainment and beautiful scenery. The tribute to fallen soldiers along the Main Street Bridge is just beautiful and heart warming. You get the feeling of Southern Hospitality throughout the whole race!

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    shihongying REPEAT RUNNER '23

    The race is fun, the course is a bit difficult but the atmosphere is great. The part I like the best is how easy it is to wait inside the … MORE

    The race is fun, the course is a bit difficult but the atmosphere is great. The part I like the best is how easy it is to wait inside the Texas room right before you run. Just get out and you are in the coral. The food is nice.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
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    3
    SCENERY
    4
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    5

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    lokisonofodin67 FIRST-TIMER '23

    I signed up for the 5k last minute, knowing nothing about the event, I had so much fun that next year I plan on doing my first ever marathon at … MORE

    I signed up for the 5k last minute, knowing nothing about the event, I had so much fun that next year I plan on doing my first ever marathon at the Cowtown! Will be coming back every year.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    jasondwyles REPEAT RUNNER '23

    It is a fun,fast and challenging course . The scenery is amazing and the crowd helps you push through from start to finish. The pre/ post race events are definitely … MORE

    It is a fun,fast and challenging course . The scenery is amazing and the crowd helps you push through from start to finish. The pre/ post race events are definitely worth attending and every year it gets bigger and better

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    melindakey FIRST-TIMER '23

    Community participation was so entertaining that I turned my playlist off and almost forgot I was doing something difficult! The course elevation was enough to provide a challenge but not … MORE

    Community participation was so entertaining that I turned my playlist off and almost forgot I was doing something difficult! The course elevation was enough to provide a challenge but not be overwhelming. I was able to relax even though it was my first cowtown because it was so organized! Hydration stations were the best! They had options and the friendliest volunteers! I had to leave and miss the after-party, but it definitely looked like I was missing out! Loved the tribute to veterans which was strategically placed on a hill (made me stop thinking about my pain and pay a silent tribute and prayer for their families.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3
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    leahcarwilson FIRST-TIMER '23

    The friendliness, supportiveness and encouragement of runners, participants, volunteers and spectators provides the push to finish strong. Upon completion, be prepared to be rewarded with many snacks and beverages as … MORE

    The friendliness, supportiveness and encouragement of runners, participants, volunteers and spectators provides the push to finish strong. Upon completion, be prepared to be rewarded with many snacks and beverages as well as many “job well done’s.” I’m glad I got to experience this with such a great team and will be back again soon.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
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    4
    SCENERY
    5
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    3

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