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Jun 30, 2024

Cowtown Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Cowtown Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.0

Organization 3.7

Spectators 3.4

Number of comments: 184 [displaying comments 71 to 81]

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Kyle Wesley from Frisco, Texas (3/5/2009) "Average marathon; good but not great." (about: 2009) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The city cannot do anything about it being cold and windy, which it was. Marathon runners are forced to crowd in with thousands more half runners. This is not good. Several times during the run I had to watch out for and run around cars that were hell bent on getting across a street that should have been closed. We also had to inhale exhaust fumes while running near TCU. The Main Street finish is a good finish place. Lots of cheers and nice people. They do have a nice finisher's shirt.
C. B. from Franklin, MI (3/5/2009) "Cowtown-Ft. Worth-it" (about: 2009) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Hill training is a must. If you spent the winter months up north (like I did) on a treadmill, then you may have a tough time in the Cowtown. Although difficult and hilly, the course has a nice mix of gritty industrial areas, tree-lined neighborhoods, and the campus of TCU. The fans were few but the tables of snacks set out by the fans who did come out were appreciated greatly. Post-race food was well organized and plentiful. (Hint: Head over to the Flying Saucer for a post-race beer.)
j. v. from Dallas (3/4/2009) "Worst year that I ran this otherwise great race" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 4-5 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I tell my out-of-state friends that you need to run a classic Texas marathon. You will get a great finisher's shirt, hot food, and ice cream. Generally you can add unlimited beer, but that has pretty much gone from most of the Texas races as they have gotten larger... well, maybe unlimited, but none for later finishers like me! Cowtown did not let me down! It was a classic Texas marathon... but.... The "but" is the problem. This was the 31st running of the race and they blew the water stops? The race has never had perfect organization, but it is a smaller race. The start line is difficult to get to with the current set up. This year was the first time that they split the packet pickup and registration. What a brain fart that turned out to be. I do love that it is one of the last races to allow race day registration... but as the expo grows, the tent and parking lot remain the same size. More and more things must move across the street, making your prior year's experience more of a problem than a helping feature. The course takes you by some HUGE homes, the Colonial Golf Course (a pro golf tournament is played there), and through the park and gardens and by the barns, etc. A very nice tour of the city. Some may not like that there is traffic on some of the major streets, but you have to go by TCU! Whatever. If this was your first or second year of running the race, don't hold Saturday against the race. It was a tough year for the race. I don't know why, but it was the worst year that I have run the race. It was just a bit rough around the edges. I still love the race and will come back again next year (I have to to complete my star!). So don't give up on a great race... even if doesn't have a lot of bands and spectators like DWRM, and ran out of beer... it is still the only race that gives you a bag to collect your post-race food in.... (I can't believe that the rest of the races have not figured this one out yet....) This is a good race; come back and let them prove it to you!
B. V. from Fort Collins, CO (3/4/2009) "Well done marathon - I would recommend it" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I liked the course. A few gently rolling hills, but overall I'd call it a flat course. I enjoyed the scenic portions through several parks. The course was well marked the entire way and had plenty of water stations along the way. Not tons of spectators, but the ones that were there were great. We had unusual, bitter, strong winds in the morning but they subsided somewhat later in the race. Overall, a very rewarding experience.
A. G. from Midland, TX (3/3/2009) "Loved it and plan to do it again!" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and I really enjoyed it. I live in ultra-flat West Texas so I was worried about the hills, but I didn't think they were too bad. It was kind of a gently rolling course. I thought it provided a great overview of Ft. Worth. We got to see a little bit of everything... nice neighborhoods, river, gardens, many parks, etc. There were a lot of turns, so we didn't have to run into the wind for long sections of the race. Organization was pretty good except I think the full and half marathon starts should be separate. That's the reason I gave it 4 stars here. Aid stations and port-a-potties were extremely crowded for the first 7 miles. The volunteers could not get water poured fast enough so we had to wait around for it - definitely not what you want to do during a race. Weather was perfect, except for the 20+ mph winds, which are typical of this time of the year. Otherwise, it was beautifully cool (40s mostly) and sunny. There weren't tons of spectators but the ones who showed up were enthusiastic. I can't wait to do this race again!
B. G. from Arlington TX (3/3/2009) "Yes, You can PR at Cowtown!!!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my second Cowtown, after finishing last year. We decided to do all of our long runs on a hilly course in Dallas, so on race day we were so ready to tackle the rolling hills. I PRed and finished 20 minutes faster than last year! I just wish they'd start the half-marathon a bit later or do a different route. It's crazy during the first 6 miles; I had to wait in line to get water at mile 5, and I couldn't go. I already had taken my GU and I needed water. Maybe they need more tables for those first miles. But once we split from the half, everything was great!! I'm coming back next year to tackle the Ultra!!!!
James Matlack from Denver, co (3/3/2009) "Windy, but nicely organized" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 It was my first marathon. I was so excited and determined to run my first marathon that I was on a runners high for the entire event. Not many spectators, but the ones that were there were darn good ones! MY only complaints are: the wind, and not being able to see many food opportunities along the route (although that may be my own responsibility to provide energy food on my run). Thanks for a great weekend for me, my family, and my friends (who joined in on the festivities as well).
K. P. from Ames, Iowa (3/3/2009) "Fun Event" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon, and I couldn't have been more impressed with the event. The course was beautiful and ran through some really wonderful areas of Fort Worth, and I felt that the spectators were great, considering it's a smaller marathon. I had read previous reviews of how "hilly" the course was considered by the reviewers, and I was worried about the hills going into the race. But it turns out that the "hills" were hardly hills at all. I found them to be very gradual to slightly rolling, but nothing overwhelming. Coming from Iowa and the hill training I did at home, this was the most pleasant surprise of the day. The weather was a bit of a different story. Thankfully I am from Iowa, so I was very used to running in the cold and wind; however, I was looking forward to running the marathon in slightly warmer conditions and didn't really pack appropriately for the dramatic change in forecast in the days leading up to the race. I had planned to run in about 45-55 degree weather and was greeted with mid 30's and wind on race day. Next year I will know better and will pack a better variety of race day attire options. Yes, I said next year... I have every intention of returning to the Cowtown next year!!! GREAT EVENT!
christopher rodriquez from fort worth, texas (3/2/2009) "did it for the medal" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Cowtown Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 i like the idea of the 5 medals. They need to split up the half and the full. There are never enough fluids for the slower marathoners in the first 7 miles when one needs it the most.... I like the finish in the stockyards better.
M. G. from Overland Park, Kansas (3/2/2009) "Great Course" (about: 2009) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Cowtown Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Thanks to the reviews on this page from previous years, I knew exactly what to expect. I picked this race to be my first out-of-town marathon because I lived in the DFW area 15 years. So, I am sort of a local. First don't park at LaGrave Field; there is plenty of parking downtown (free within blocks of the start). The start of the marathon goes down the same road that the buses travel. So, at the start of the race I passed buses going upstream with what I assume were latecomers. I loved the course with the mixture of city, parks, and residential. There was plenty of GU and goodies along the course. The non green water bottles took me by surprise. Also, I wasn't sure if some of the tables were done by bystanders or by the race. The guy that I kept on bumping into handing out the Tootsie Rolls was great. My calves cramped at 19 miles, which forced me to walk the last part of the marathon giving me a 5+-hour time. So, the race that I experienced before mile 22 seemed different than what I experienced after mile 22. At the beginning of the race were people calling out the time at the mile markers (the mile markers need to be 12 feet-tall, not little cardboard signs.... Was there even a 25- or 26-mile marker?), but not at the end. At the beginning, there were volunteers with red flags at the turns telling us which way to go, but that was not the case at the end. Where I really needed somebody directing me was coming into downtown. They had construction signs to direct the traffic, but I saw some runners in front of follow the 5/10K directions (impossible at 5 hours). It made me very hesitant to turn the direction that the sign was pointing for the marathon. At the beginning, there were some enthusiastic bystanders, but at the end I felt like I was alone. Don't forget at the end to find your finisher's shirt (which is nicely done) and all of the food. I really liked the Blue Bell ice cream.

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