Volunteered for this event. Will definitely do this again. Great weather and had a great time. read more

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This is my second time running the Urban Cow half marathon. It's my favorite race in Sacramento. The course if relatively flat so it's a great race to PR. The weather in October also makes great weather to run in. The course is at William Land Park through the neighborhoods to downtown. The turn around point is in Old Sacramento with the relay trade off by the Crocker Art Musuem. Water station is every 2 miles. There is water and Gatorade at every station. Gatorade is the powder mixture. I did notice that some of stations had very bland Gatorade while others had really potent ones. There is plenty of neighborhood parking that is in close proximity to the race line. Packet pick up is at Fleet Feet in downtown Sac. I registered early so I got a tote and a tech vneck shirt. Race packet pick up goodies were really scarce. This year was a bag of instant coffee. Random much? Post-race food is limited as well. This year only had chocolate milk, donut holes, Larabars, and strawberries. This race is really decked out in the cow theme. Even the medals are cowbells! read more

My longest review ever! Typically, I stick to 5K's. I wasn't ready to run a half marathon yet, so I was happy to find out a half marathon relay was an option. What motivated me to do the relay was that you also receive a finisher's cowbell. I felt a little bit like a fraud wearing the cowbell without running the entire 13.1 miles, but I earned it fair and square! Race packets were picked up at Fleet Fleet Sports, which included a race bib and a New Balance Micro-fiber shirt. The first 3,000 registered participants also received a souvenir water bottle. I thought I signed up early enough to receive one, but sadly I did not. At the day of the race, I parked at Sacramento City College's North Lot. There was a Regional Transit Shuttle Bus that took participants to the race start and back from the North Lot. The parking lot is less than half mile from the race start, so don't be lazy and walk it! This year shuttle buses to/from the park (at Sac City College)/exchange point (Crocker Art Museum) was also provided. It was a service that I didn't need to utilize since my running partner's boyfriend shuttled us back and forth. The pasture (park) was adorned with haystacks, cow cardboard cutouts, and cow crossing signs. There was a photo opportunity at the Crystal booth. Besides offering cartons of milk and apple juice you can also take a picture with Crystal Cool Cow. Pictures were printed out for you then and there. :) At the Kaiser Permanente Pavilion, there was a chance to win one of two iPads if your bib number unlocks it. Posters/markers were also provided, so you can write a message of encouragement to hold up. Pictures were taken at the Find Your Thing photo booth and you can get your BMI/body fat percentage tested. I was tested before at another race and wished I wrote it down to compare my BMI/body fat percentage then and now. I do remember I was in the fitness range before and now I'm in the athlete range. I'm not sure how accurate this is, but woohoo nevertheless! Kevin Johnson, the mayor, was there at the start of the race and I managed to take a picture with him. Yay! There were two waves for the Half Marathon. The first wave started at 7:30am includes the faster runners (under 2 hour estimated finish time) and relay teams. The second wave started at 7:35am. It's a good thing I misread this and started with the second wave because of the mishap-the runners in the first wave ran an extra .64 miles. They were misdirected by the lead cyclist. The 5K Run/Walk started at 7:50am. I ran the first half while my friend ran the second half. Times were tracked at 5 miles, 6.55 (half way) miles and 10 miles. The race starts/finishes at William Land Park. The trees in the area provided shade but it also provided sap. The first half of the race includes the Land Park residential area (There were many spectators including cheering kids from the neighborhood.), Downtown Sacramento, K Street Mall Pedestrian Underpass, Old Sacramento, and pass the Tower Bridge (left) and Crocker Art Museum (right). I enjoyed the run for the most part until I got a side stitch halfway in. I ran the other half with one hand holding my side. The second half includes Miller Park, Sacramento River, Le Rivage Hotel, and Riverside Boulevard back to William Land Park. Along the course there were bands playing. First aid stations, Gatorade/water stations, and portable toilets were never too far. At the finish line, cowbells were passed out and SportPhoto took photos. Nourishment was provided by Bella Bru, NorCal Produce, Crystal Creamery, Blue Diamond Almonds, Sandwich Spot, and Fat Cat Scones which included strawberries, bananas, triple chocolate chip cookie (Yum!), roast beef or turkey sandwich, almonds, apple juice, milk, and water. Post-race you can treat yourself to a massage or a complimentary beer in the Lockdown Brewing Co. Garden. All the runner's cowbells made quite a noise and I can imagine actual cows there with us, but thankfully without the stench. The race was a fun experience! read more

Urban Cow Half Marathon - Shirt and Cowbell - Races & Competitions Near Me

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This was my last (6th) half marathon for 2013, first time running Urban Cow. Peer pressured by coworkers, pretty much. I was out of training, having run the other halfs monthly between February and June, culminating in the SF Marathon 2nd Half. Had taken the summer "off" instead running some 5Ks here and there. This was my early October race, then Oktobrewfest, EG Fun Run 5K, and Warrior Dash. Man, was I crazy. Packet pickup at Fleet Feet Sac is always a breeze. The shirt was nice V-neck, mesh women's cut. It was fun trying to spot the "cow" mascot along the course, and I felt good by mile 10 (usually my mental make-or-break checkpoint) to finish in Land Park. I tried staying with a pace group but I decided to stick with a run-walk interval instead. I typically finish close to 3hrs, around 14min/mile average pace for the 13.1mi distance. The cowbell medal was a cool light green color, I got to take a photo with the Crystal dairy cow, expo was fun. I did forget where I had parked my car though (by Fairytale Town? By the golf course? The zoo? Sac City side?) so that took some extra time walking. Consider it a cool-down. I did it to support Kaiser Permanente races (such as Running of the Elk and Women's Fitness Festival) pretty much to round off the calendar year. read more

Urban Cow Half Marathon - Cowbell! - Races & Competitions Near Me

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This race is always well done. The pros: First and foremost the cowbell finishers medal...my collection has now grown to 4 cowbells! Early start time! Many spectators and volunteers to cheer you on. Plenty of pace groups and the pacers are great. 2 starting waves (7:30am or 7:35am) depending on your projected finishing time. Aid stations are well stocked and staffed. There are a billion outhouses at William Land Park for before and after the race. There's plenty of snacks at the finish chute...the only thing I care about is chocolate milk! Glad they have that! Other amenities that I have never taken advantage of so can't review...but are available: Beer. Massages. Cons: In 4 years I have never had a good race here! Haha! Not their fault...but still a fact. No outhouses out on the bike trail...never been a problem for me...but I hear many peeps complaining along the way that there's no place to take care of "necessary running business." The outhouses at William Land Park are available after you run...but good luck on finding one with any bathroom tissue available or any water left in the hand wash stations. I learned my first year...bring your own wipes...hand and otherwise. Overall...it's a top notch run...whether you're a veteran runner or this is your first half...whether you are going for a PR or just a fun time...this race is perfect for just about everybody! It truly is a race like no udder! read more

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I decided to make the Urban Cow Half Marathon my first half marathon in Sacramento last October; being that I'm a Bay Area half marathon snob and all. It was a great event from the very beginning. Getting the packets at Fleet Feet was such a breeze. There was absolutely no line, no whatever. I walked in, got what I needed and walked out in probably less than 5 minutes.The shirts that we got along with our packets was probably one of the better ones I've received from all the other running events I've been a part of. I just totally dig the whole cow theme because that's soooo Sacramento. Aside from the running shirt given to us, they also gave us a small water bottle, which has come in quite handy on my leisure runs thereafter. The run started off in William Land Park and takes you past downtown, past the Marina area, then down the bike trail along the Sacramento River, and finally circling around and back into the William Land Park neighborhood. Definitely get to see a side of Sacramento you otherwise wouldn't see if you don't do this run. The level of difficulty of the route was pretty easy because there were absolutely no hills. Water stations were plentiful and there was a lot of great support from the Sacramento community, which is always great for us runners that want to quit after like the 5th mile. Waiting for you at the finish line besides the food and water is the cowbell medal. It's definitely different and unique and unlike any other medals you'd receive from other runs. Definitely a well organized event and I look forward to the next Urban Cow run! read more

Cowtown.... I don't care what you try to call it, this will always be Cowtown in my heart of (running) hearts! I think this was my 5th (possibly my 6th) time participating as a "relay" team. This should show how much I enjoy this race. However, this year I did want to PUNCH one of the pacer's...specifically the lady who thought it would be okay to hold her 2:05 sign right on the finish line and I was intent on finishing with a sprint. [I have the photos to prove her lack of thinking skills] I had to dodger her, which was completely inconvenient when I'm barely breathing and trying to look like a gazelle for all the spectators. She was lucky I couldn't breathe or she would have got an earful from me :/ Rant over! I tend to do the last leg, which is always enjoyable. This year the course was slightly different, so I couldn't get dropped off super close to the relay transition point. I enjoy the run along the water, seeing the Rivage, and taking a jaunt through the South Sac area. Nothing too crazy about this part of the course, except for the amount of people to pathway ratio. You potentially have to run on huge rocks to pass people on the path...it gets snuggly out there! Great event as far as the running part. I don't generally stick around for the post run activities, so I'm not much help in that department. Beer Garden, check! Free iPad giveaways, check! Tons of free water, check! Cow bell necklace at finish, check! I've never seen an Urban Cow, but we run 13.1 mi (or 14mi) to celebrate these mythical creatures... read more

Ran it in 2009. It was the first of four half marathons I ran in the month of October (I know, I had this crazy idea that it would be fun to run a half marathon race each weekend in the month of October). Set a new PR here. Course starts in William Land Park and it's a great tour of Sacramento. You run through the beautiful neighborhoods around Land Park and see the pretty homes. A nice part of the race goes along the river as well. If I wasn't born and raised in Sacramento, I might think this race course was a little on the bland side, but seeing how I have moved away from Sacramento, it's nice to come back for a run that takes me to places I remembered seeing as kid. Bonus: Lots of shade on the route. I still wear the funky race shirt that comes with registration. read more

First Half Marathon completed!!!! First and foremost, thank you Fleet Feet Sac for a well-organized race and all the volunteers that were out there helping out! Much appreciated! Email: They sent a detailed email a few days before the race with details of packet pick up and things to know on race day. Most info can be found on their site as well. No complaints. Pick up packet: Friday and Saturday at the main hub, Fleet Feet in downtown. There wasn't a crowd Saturday afternoon for pick up, so it only took minutes. I got a nice dri-fit tshirt, sample of ground coffee, and a tote for registering early. They had a tent behind their store for the packets while people can browse for shoes, clothing, energy supplements, etc. They have a HUGE shoe selection. I highly recommend coming here if you're looking for a fitting. They all seem so friendly! It's street parking, and it took a little while to find one but not too long. Race Day: Sunday @ 7:30AM. Make sure you come with enough time to find parking. I should say plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the race to find parking. We found parking inside the park, just had to walk to the start. When they say the start is at 7:30 and 7:35AM, they're not kidding. I barely made it to use the portapotty, which they had plenty! There were paced groups if you like to run with them. It's also nice to see where you are with finish time even if you don't run with them. I remember from the email, they said there would be a water station every 2 miles, so I didn't bring water. I paced myself and got a cup of water at every station. There was also some form of music entertainment at the miles without water station. There were clear markings of each mile. Plenty of police and volunteers that blocked off the streets for us. I felt like I ran a big part of Sac, brought back memories of some places I haven't been in years. The weather was like perfect, not too hot. There were gust of windy that picked up but it felt nice. The only thing that could be improved is their swag, which was almost non-existence. I got 2 strawberries, 2 Lara Bars, a bottle of Arrowhead, kid size chocolate milk at the finish line. (And of course my Cow Bell medal!! :D) My friend arrived after me and they already ran out of chocolate milk. I think there was yogurt before I got there too. I feel like at least have enough for all the runners. Anyways, good job to everyone that completed the race! I can barely walk afterwards lol read more

Urban Cow Half Marathon - Half marathon finisher medal 2017! - Races & Competitions Near Me

My husband and I ran the Urban Cow half marathon for the first time this year. There where several things that I felt that the event could have been better. First off there is a processing fee when paying online! I can't recall the exact dollar amount, but about three or four bucks!! Picking up my race packet at Fleet Feet was a positive experience they had a great set up and everything flowed nicely.. Opening up the nylon bag I was surprised the only things within the bag were shirt, number and a coupon for Chick'f'lay (?). Funky! Race day once when the race started they had everyone start all at once.... WTF! They had pace markers and was thinking that they would have waves for the runners, but nope! All one started at once.. WOW, what a bad mistake. Elbow to elbow everyone was herding as fast as they could.. My husband complaint was the issue of all runners starting at once (he felt it slowed down his 8:47 mile pace) with everyone starting at once! Why would they even have pace markers? read more

Urban Cow Half Marathon - Ready, start..GO! - Races & Competitions Near Me

I don't really understand the fanfare for this particular race. I'm not a social runner, I'm not "inspired" running shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of other runners, I don't like arriving an hour early just to find a parking spot within a mile of the course start, and I don't like weaving through throngs of people taking race day selfies. To be fair, this was actually not an overwhelmingly crowded course, and for the first time in a while, it appeared that the runners were playing fair with the pace-group honor system in their respective waves. Also, the course was well-marked; it seems like a gimme, but I've been stung before by confusing signage before. All in all, it was fine; the cowbell medal was pretty fun, and any time-related shortcomings were mine (my third half marathon, but my first time neglecting to double-tie my shoes), not the weather/course terrain which were both conducive to a good time. I still prefer Clarksburg for the scenic zone-out factor. read more

Race Report: UDDERLY, awesome half marathon! About 5000~ showed up for this year's race, and about 3000~ ran the half (5K option as well). PERFECT WEATHER. The energy was high from the crowd and the awesome volunteers! The course is great: you weave through the charming streets of Land Park before making your way pass Front Street onwards to Downtown. You loop around Old Sac (only for a little bit) and make your way down the levy alongside the Sacramento River before looping back to Land Park. Parking is available around the park or at the Sac City lot! Positives: + Love the cow bell. So multi-purposeful, don't you think? + Hydrating stations about every 2 miles ~ water & gatorate + Different entertainment spots: local bands, high school bands (my favorite, definitely pumped me up!), and music blasting at different points in the race + Loved the t-shirt, gender specific sized and will definitely get a lot of wear out of it + Awesome energy from the crowd, spectators & volunteers + 5K registrations also get a smaller cow bell medal (awesome!) Negatives: - I could've used more food at the end of the race. A couple of strawberries and a 1/4 portion of a sandwich was served. Found the chocolate milk (must!) and some chocolate blueberries, but that was about it! TLDR: Good vibes, cow costumes and multi-purposeful cow bell medal. 10/10 would sign up again. read more

What I liked about the race was everything. It made me feel so alive and energized. It is a awesome event. Races can be so much more than running or walking. Or starting or finishing. They are an experience of humanity and humility. Each participant no matter how fast how slow has a story to tell. It is live theater. I had not done a half marathon in quite awhile although I kept up my love for hiking walking and generally using the landscape as my outdoor gym. This race was exceptional. It felt warm hearted from the pre website ads. To the race packet pick up. The directions were clear and reminders frequent but not overly repetitive The start was fun with anticipation some costumes and good energy with happy runners walkers and well wishers. Thanks to the organizers, the police for doing a great job in traffic control and the volunteers along the course handing water and Gatorade and cheering us on. If you have never done a race give it a try. This one was an eye opener to me ad I felt the city awaken on a beautiful Sunday morning. The comrades who were running near me gave off good vibes . We are in this together from the lead runners or back of the pack. The finish staging area is a party!!food music drinks. Massage. All kinds of cool things ! Also a shout out to the race management and announcers who gave Yelp recognition over the PA system when I asked if I could take his picture for my Yelp page. I saw Sacramento neighborhoods I never get to explore(my doing). This race is a fantastic chance to see our city from running shoes up!! We have a lot to be proud of. read more

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Getting up at 6 am to join 5000+ other people to run 13.1 miles is incredibly inspiring. Changed the course a little bit this year and it's definitely for the better. You now run a little bit in Old Sac and Downtown and it makes it far more interesting than running miles through a neighborhood. All the great stuff plus more! I still love the ladies dressed in cow costumes with megaphones cheering us and high fiving us. I still love the live bands and the crowd support that seems to grow every year. This year I also got an Urban Cow beer pint glass since I registered early. Put my cow bell with the others, I'm up to three now... read more

Pre-race has included three distinct lines at Fleet Feet to: 1) Collect a race bib; 2) get a tote bag; 3) collect the t-shirt. The lines weren't clearly marked and therefore people weren't sure where to go and there were some expressing anger and frustration. Completely avoidable. Since registering I've received numerous unsolicited emails advertising apps and other commodities and services. If you're going to do this, lower the reg fee since you're obviously earning revenue by selling our eyeballs to businesses. For an $85 registration fee participants deserve better. At least the weather promises to be favorable..... read more

I completed the Urban Cow half marathon for the first time this Sunday, October 4th which was my 2nd half marathon ever. I really enjoyed this half marathon over my first one I did being the Shamrock because the running course was primarily in the shade and only had about two uphill sections. Also, I really enjoyed that it starts early in the morning 7:30 am which makes it easier when the sun is out later during the race. One key item that I really appreciated was that there were water booths every 2 miles, I can't appreciate my gratitude enough for that! I will most def consider doing this race again next year! :) read more

Urban Cow Half Marathon - First time doing the URBAN COW HALF on October 4th, 2015 and loved it! - Races & Competitions Near Me

This was my very first half marathon. You must run 13.1 miles in 4 hours in order to get a medal. I was extremely nervous and really thought I couldn't do it. I was gonna be happy as long as I finished within the 4 hour mark. I actually did way better than I anticipated. I made it within 2:25 hrs!!! Woo Hoo!! The run itself was really nice. We started from William Land Park... Ran to downtown plaza...then by the river to Scotts Seafood and finishing back at William Land Park. There were over 5000 people in this run. It was amazing to see the different age groups running. The age groups ranged from roughly 8yr olds to 70yr olds. There was even a lady who ran barefoot!! Overall, I was extremely happy to be a part of this amazing run!! read more

A fantastic race! The weather's usually pretty nice. The course is pretty flat. The fact that they give out cowbells instead of normal medals is also pretty awesome. read more

This event (2014) was my first Half marathon so I cannot compare with other Half races but I did run Giants Race twice (10K). I felt everything went smooth from packet pick up at Fleet Feet, parking at Sac City, actual course, aids stations and after the race fuel stations. It is pretty much a flat course, so it's perfect for the first timers as well as those who want to improve their PR. I love the fact that I got an e-mail after the race notifying me about my record. I'm already looking forward to the next year's race. read more

This was my first 1/2 marathon (I have run fulls but never a 1/2) and this was a pretty pleasant experience. The weather and start time were perfect. Beautiful time of year to run in Sacramento. The scenery was great. The set up was a little disoriented, it seemed like vendors would just pop their tent up wherever they felt like and didn't seem to flow. The start was funky as there were no wave starts and everyone started at once. It made for slow, elbow to elbow running. I wish they would have had more bands especially at the end as it seemed like I was out there. read more

Despite my best efforts to sabotage myself, my first half marathon experience turned out to be awesome: relatively flat course, high positive energy, quiet and calm. An almost zen 13.1 miles, for the person who runs for the love of moving. * It's crowded, but not overwhelmingly so. I was with a group for about the first 3 miles, and by mile 7(ish) I was running almost alone. Some might need a crowd, but I relished the opportunity to just concentrate on moving and breathing and not passing out. * Very easy to follow pace-groups, big signs. * You start and finish in William Land Park, right by the zoo and a lake. Pretty. * You run along the river, which was really nice. Peaceful. * They have spots with music, either live or recorded. If you've never run a race, you might be surprised how important that can be. At one point, when I was having trouble seeing straight I was so effing tired, they played (nerd warning) Travis Tritt's "Great Day to be Alive" and I experienced an instant of love and wonderment and rainbows. Profound, no jokies. I still think about that moment to this day, and I'm grateful I had it. * Massages available to all finishers. Thaaaaank you! * For finishing, you get a cowbell! Christopher Walken would approve. The one, glaring bummer... and it had the potential to be a biggie: (STORY TIME!) As I said, it was my first half, and I didn't know how I would do. I (stupidly) didn't train properly, (read: not at all), so by mile 9 I was dead. I mean D-E-A-D. I had serious doubts of whether I could actually finish the race, if I could physically keep moving... which was a little scary. At one point, I thought I might really need help. I contemplated stopping. So I thought: "Okay, so I poop-out, lay down on the concrete and succumb to the sweet, sweet blackness... who will come get my limp body?" I realized, in growing panic, that there were hardly any medical stations, and I felt like no help around for a looong stretch. And lemme tell ya, toward the end of a race, any stretch seems looong. So, out of an irrational fear of being somehow lost in the middle of Sacramento, I kept moving, zombie-like. I ended up finishing and earning my sweet, sweet cowbell. The lack of opportunity to stop may or may not have actually ended up helping me/pushing me, but I was lucky I didn't really need help. Enough about ME. This is about the race. And seeming lack of med-stops aside, this is a good one. Verdict: Super enjoyable half-marathon. I would highly recommend it. I would also recommend training. Like, at least once. Take it from me, ol' Sara "Could-Barely-Move-a-Muscle-the-Next-Day" B. read more

So far. Not good. Have registered for previous UC runs at Fleet Feet with no problem. This afternoon was snubbed & told repeatedly that this was a private event. Oh, they were happy to take my money, as long as I left immediately, because yes, I get it, it was a private event. read more

The amount of legistics to pull off this size event is amazing (5000+ runners). That being said. The run it self is totally awesome. There are no stops, they block all the streets along the way. There are no inclines to speak of, it's really flat. Water or Gatoraid at almost every mile marker. The most enjoyable part of the run for me is running through William Land Park and the beautiful Land Park homes. All-in-all just a great event. I highly recommend it. FYI.. there was a world record time broken at this years (2014) event for the 10 year old division. I believe it was 1:31:00 if I heard correctly. read more

My first time running in this event and I did the 5K, as I'm not quite up to 13.1 status. Along with what everyone else said, the course is fast and flat and of course, beautiful. I gave it 4 stars because of two reasons: 1) The start line was a little disorganized. You had the announcer shouting (nicely of course) instructions at you from the finish line and the signs saying where to line up stopped after the 9 min mile marker... so you had slower people in front, faster in back, etc AND 2) No finisher medal or recognition for the 5Kers. I know, I know, not a HUGE deal, but if you would've seen the looks on some of those peoples faces when they crossed the finish line, you would know what I mean. It was the first 5K for some of those people and what an accomplishment! Just sayin' it would've been a nice reminder to show what was accomplished :) Maybe next year!? read more

Really enjoyed this Half. Would love to do it every year but its a long way for me to travel from SoCal. Positives: 1. They separate the sub-2:00 runners from the rest of the pack. No walkers or strollers in the way. 2. Post-race spread great. 3. Plenty of free parking in the neighborhood. 4. Inexpensive race. You get a lot for your $ in this race. 5. Lots of water stops and entertainment along the route. 6. Flat course led to my 2nd best time. 7. Loved the cowbell medal. Negatives: 1. Went through Old Sac but just a little bit. Would have liked to loop through a bit more. 2. Didn't run directly by the Capitol. read more

This was my fourth time doing the Urban Cow (AKA Cowtown). I really liked the change in the course heading toward the downtown area, under the freeway and through Old Sac. Always well supported, plenty of water and Gatorade stations and well marked (unless you were with the first wave, which I wasn't). Two complaints. I could not find my pace group. I like to run near a pace group since I don't wear a Garmin. All I found was the 2 hour 10 minute group and the 3 hour group. Nothing in between. Second a woman with an enormous stroller hit me in the Achilles tendon while barreling down the middle of the road. No apologies just hit me and kept running. I didn't think strollers were allowed and if they were I thought they were supposed to be with the walkers. Apparently nobody seemed too worried about a woman doing the race with a stroller literally the size of a shopping cart. Since the organizers are okay with this I will plan to be with the faster runners next year who are not burdened running with what appeared to be a six year old child in tow. Hopefully I won't have to run the extra .6 miles. read more

Urban Cow 10/2014 was my first race and I had a really good time. Bid pick up was a breeze. The run was flat and the weather was nice. The vendors and celebration after the race was great. Lots of food, fresh fruit, liquid refreshments, subway sandwiches, Kind Bars, cookies... lots and lots of food and don't forget the Cow Bell. I would definitely do this one again. read more