The Cowtown Marathon is set to return for its 48th year next Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1, as Fort Worth’s largest multi-event road race. Each year, TCU students make a strong showing, highlighting the university’s growing role in the local community.

Of the 28,000 participants this year, 2,776 are between the ages of 18 and 24, with TCU students making up a significant portion of that group.

Ryleigh Robertson, a junior nursing major, ran the Cowtown Marathon last year.

“Being at TCU, I heard about how big and fun the race is, and it made me want to run it even more,” Robertson said.

The 2026 Cowtown Marathon route. (Photo courtesy of the Cowtown Marathon)

This year, the marathon course cuts through campus, between the Neeley School of Business and the Harris College of Nursing, allowing students to easily cheer on participants.

“We would love for students to get up early and cheer on runners as they run through campus,” Heidi Swartz, the executive director of the Cowtown Marathon, said. “I think it adds a lot of energy to the race to get TCU students out there and involved.”

Beyond running, TCU contributes to the Cowtown Marathon through volunteer efforts. TCU Nursing manages the on-campus water stop, and TCU ROTC presents the flags at the start of the race. 

“For students who want to be more involved, we’re always needing volunteers both during the race and at the expo,” Swartz said.

April Krolak, a junior marketing major, noticed a large presence of students throughout the weekend last year.

“I feel like I saw TCU students everywhere I went during race day,” Krolak said. “It was so encouraging to see people in TCU gear running the race or cheering on from the side of the course.”

Swartz said TCU plays a key role in advancing Cowtown’s mission to promote fitness through schools. Students who train for the race learn discipline and focus while becoming more physically and mentally fit, she said. 

Sophia Hamer, a junior biology major, who participated last year, said training for the race as a student required good time management and strict scheduling.

For students that aren’t racing, The Cowtown Marathon gives them a fun way to earn community service hours while helping strengthen the university’s connection to the Fort Worth community.

“The atmosphere is so much fun whether you are running or cheering on your friends,” Robertson said. “I would totally recommend students to get involved in this race in some way.”