The Cowtown crowned America’s Rave Race 2020 in RaceRaves March Lunacy tournament

April 8, 2020

Hail to the beef, as Fort Worth’s finest captures its first tournament title

Los Angeles, CA (April 8, 2020) — Taking the bull by the horns, The Cowtown rose to the challenge and outlasted 63 other contenders to claim the coveted title of America’s Rave Race for 2020.

Tens of thousands of votes were cast across the country in the fourth annual March Lunacy tournament hosted by RaceRaves, propelling the largest multi-event road race in North Texas to its first championship powered by a cow-valry of enthusiastic supporters.

With many running events having to cancel or postpone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RaceRaves hosted its annual “March Madness for races” as a safe and entirely online way for runners to continue to show support for their favorite events. To that end, 64 top U.S. road and trail races of all distances in four geographic regions were seeded based on their 2019 finisher numbers and RaceRaves reviews, with the exception of last year’s Final Four which each earned a #1 seed. Voting was conducted in six rounds over three weeks, with races that earned the most votes advancing to the next round.

March Lunacy 2020 lived up to its name with five double-digit seeds reaching the Sweet Sixteen. But when the dust settled on the Final Four, The Cowtown had outlasted two World Marathon Majors — the Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon, the latter coming off a semifinal win over the iconic Big Sur International Marathon — in succession to capture the title in udderly convincing fashion.

In so doing, The Cowtown capitalized on strong tournament moo-mentum to steak its claim as one of the nation’s most bull-loved race weekends — a notion reinforced by its current RaceRaves rating of 4.7/5.0 across nearly 800 reviews.

“On behalf of our team, we’re thrilled by this award and grateful to RaceRaves and to all our runners and supporters who voted us America’s Rave Race among so many outstanding events,” said Heidi Swartz, Executive Director of The Cowtown. “This accolade belongs to the entire Cowtown community, and we invite all runners to join us in Fort Worth to experience The Cowtown for themselves as we look forward to producing another world-class event in February 2021.”

Now in its 43^rd year, The Cowtown celebrates the city’s rich cattle drive heritage with its scenic loop courses highlighted by the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, home to the world’s only year-round rodeo. Finishers laud every aspect of race weekend from the “top-notch organization” to the “awesome swag,” with the event’s “addictive” appeal evident in its high number of repeat runners.

Much like previous tournament champs the Flying Pig Marathon (2017, 2019) and Big Sur (2018), The Cowtown boasts broad appeal with runners across the U.S. as well as deep relationships and tremendous support within the local cow-mmunity.

Registration is now open for The Cowtown 2021, which takes place February 26–28. Race weekend welcomes runners of all ages and skill levels with distances from 5K to 50K.

“We’re excited to congratulate The Cowtown on its well-deserved win in our fourth annual March Lunacy tournament,” said RaceRaves Co-founder Mike Sohaskey. “And we’re gratified to provide runners with a much-needed online diversion in these discomforting times. Though we may not be able to race together right now, the positive response to this year’s tournament shows we can still unite behind our shared passion for running while continuing to support our favorite races in a safe and healthy way.”

The final March Lunacy bracket and tournament results can be found on RaceRaves.com.

About RaceRaves
Founded in 2014, RaceRaves.com is the leading online race finder and reviews community for runners around the world to share their experiences and find their next challenge. The company’s global race database, intuitive search tools, finisher reviews from all 50 states and 85+ countries, and compelling editorial content establish RaceRaves as a trusted resource for runners and endurance athletes. With its authentic voice and fast-growing audience, RaceRaves also partners with brands and events to help them connect with runners in today’s competitive marketplace.

About The Cowtown
The Cowtown Marathon, the largest multi-event road race in North Texas, has a $10.4 annual economic impact in Fort Worth, Texas, and hosts one of the largest youth races in the nation. The 43rd annual Cowtown is scheduled for Friday, February 26 through Sunday, February 28, 2021 at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Proceeds from The Cowtown go directly to The C.A.L.F. Program.

The Cowtown C.A.L.F. (Children’s Activities for Life and Fitness) Program:

As part of The Cowtown mission to promote a lifelong love of fitness, The C.A.L.F. Program was created in 2009 to help tens of thousands of area children lace up and cross countless finish lines. We visit approximately 400 schools across North Texas annually, training students in proper running technique and educating them about resting heart rate, the importance of hydration, proper nutrition and living an active lifestyle. Through our school grant program, we identify low-income children and fit them properly with a new pair of running shoes, as well as provide grants to make entry fees more affordable. We have made running a 5K race a reality for 42,000 children in the last 11 years.