The Cowtown Marathon was founded by the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 1978, with proceeds benefiting local charities and non-profit organizations.
Current non-profits include the American Cancer Society, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Team RWB which is a support organization for wounded veterans and their families.
[7] In 2012 Scott Downard of Norman, Oklahoma, finished first in the Cowtown marathon by outrunning his competitors by more than six minutes.
[8] In 2014 Michael Wardian, a four-time USA Track and Field Ultra Runner of the Year, sped around the 31-mile course in 3 hours and 21 minutes, shattering the course record by slightly more than 10 minutes.
[9] In 2016, Elizabeth Northern of Fort Worth, TX finished the Ultra Marathon in 3:21:04, beating the previous course record by over 30 minutes.