The 41st running of the Cowtown Marathon is this weekend. Over the 2-day event, 23,000 runners will participate in the 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, and ultra-marathon races.
"It's quite the family affair," said race Executive Director Heidi Swartz. "They may realize after doing the 5k, oh I can jump up and do the 10k, and after the 10k they can go to the half. So it's a gradual process, but anybody can to this. Anybody can run a marathon if they train right."
It takes an army of 4,000 volunteers to put on the race.
"It makes me part of something bigger than what I am," said volunteer Marylynne Caruso, a 76-year old elite triathlete who has volunteered at the Cowtown Marathon for 27-years. "It puts me in a family of people that are really great people."
At the age of 91, Bill Palmer has volunteered for 40 years. That's almost every year. "Except the first year," Palmer said with a smile. "Of course, I wasn't here."
Palmer answers a bank of phones with questions that range from parking, to packet pick-up. "Well, it keeps me on my toes," Palmer said. "Some of them I can't repeat."
Ricky Cox, the only man to win the Cowtown Marathon 3-times in the 1980's, had some advice for runners.
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"You can do it," Cox said. "Have no doubts about your preparation. Don't second guess yourself. Be confident that you can do it."
The 5k and 10k races are Saturday. The half marathon, full marathon, and ultra marathon races are on Sunday. NBC 5 is a proud sponsor of the Cowtown Marathon.
