Cowtown Marathon in Leeds

The Cowtown Marathon is an annual running event held every last weekend in February, featuring a range of races including two 5Ks, a 10K, half marathon, marathon, and ultra marathon. Founded in 1978 by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, the event benefits local charities and non-profit organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Participants can expect a scenic course that starts and ends in Fort Worth's cultural district, winding through the Stockyards, downtown, and around TCU and the city's southside. The marathon and ultra marathon are Boston Marathon qualifying events, and the event also includes the Cowtown Children's Activities for Life & Fitness Program, which provides training, grants, and running shoes to children in need.

Notable past winners include Michael Wardian, who set a course record in the ultra marathon in 2014, and Elizabeth Northern, who broke the women's ultra marathon record in 2016. In 2023, the event hosted the USATF National Half Marathon Championships, with Jacob Thompson and Aliphine Tuliamuk taking top honors.