Urban Cow Half Marathon

You’ve herd about Urban Cow! You’ve seen the bumper stickers and wondered, “What race is that?” While training on the roads and trails, you’ve spied the cool cow shirts and said, “I want one!” And you know you want that cowbell medal.

Some call it a Sacramento tradition, we call it legen-dairy. You say it’s fun, we say it’s amoosing. Some still call it Cowtown (heck, some old-timers even remember it as the Sacramento Marathon), but we call it Urban Cow, and this October, we want you to ramble out to Land Park and party in our pasture.

Essentially a loop course, our USDA Prime certified route starts in historic William Land Park – home to the Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town and the city’s oldest golf course – and runs through green grassy meadows and tree canopies for the first 1.5 miles. The course then winds through one of Sacramento’s most picturesque neighborhoods to 3.25 miles before taking you to Front Street heading toward downtown Sacramento.

The route enters downtown at Mile 5 near the corner of 3rd and “R” Streets. After a left turn on 5th Street, you’ll continue north to Capitol Mall. A quick glance to your right will reveal the California State Capitol Building. At 5.8 miles, the “K” Street Mall Pedestrian Walkway takes you under the I-5 Freeway to the 6-mile mark in Old Sacramento – the unique 28-acre National Historic Landmark District and State Historic Park located along the beautiful Sacramento River. After skirting Old Sacramento, you’ll now head south on the Sacramento River Promenade passing the Tower Bridge on the right and the newly renovated Crocker Art Museum on the left. With the Sacramento River on your right, you’ll enjoy running along the Sacramento River Bicycle Trail passing the relay exchange point before hitting Miller Park where live music will greet you at mile 7.25.

You can check out your competition over the next out-and-and back section through the Sacramento Marina. Back on the bike trail, you’ll migrate south for a couple miles, including a watering hole, exiting the trail right through Sacramento’s newest luxury hotel, The Westin Sacramento Hotel near mile 10.75. A sharp left turn at The Westin lands you on Riverside Boulevard. Riverside Boulevard will “steer” you back to William Land Park for 1 mile before taking a right turn into the park for a final 1.3 miles to the place where all the cows come home and hang their shoes – the finish line.

The annual Urban Cow features a weekend of races, starting with the 5K and Half Calf Kids’ Races on Saturday, and the Half Marathon on Sunday.