Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon, 5K, and Fun Run

The Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon and 5K Race is a beautiful and scenic course with a mix of pavement, dirt road, and trail.  Grab a few friends and spend the weekend in the beautiful Mancos Valley.  The half marathon is limited to only 150 runners. Be sure to grab your spot early!  More than just a great race, the Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon is a fundraiser for the Mancos Public Library.  Proceeds from all donations go directly to funding our public library and their great programs.  As an added fundraising incentive, we will reimburse the entry fee for any participant who raises $500 in donations for the library.

Packet Pickup
Mancos Public Library, 211 W 1st St, Mancos, CO 81328

Friday, October 23rd, 2026 

5PM-6PM

Race Morning
Parking
All event parking (staff, volunteers, runners, spectators) must park on Grand Ave, Boyle Park, or in one of the Mancos Schools parking lots along Grand Ave. All parking is just a short walk to the Mancos Public Library. 

Packet Pickup
Mancos Public Library, 211 W 1st St, Mancos, CO 81328

Day of race packet pickup and registration will happen at the start line on the morning of the event from 6:30-7:30 AM. There will be a strict cutoff at this time. Please make sure you give yourselves enough time to register and/or pick up your packet. 

Race Start
The Cowboy Half will have a “gun” start at 8:00 AM.  The 5K race will start at 8:30 AM.  We will also have a free kids race which will start at 9:30 AM. This is a very family friendly event!  Please make sure you use the bathrooms and provide plenty of time for parking.  The start line is located in the parking lot of the Public Library. 

The Route
Cowboy Half

The course features a mix of roughly 60% gravel roads and trails and 40% pavement. The maps below are intended to give a general idea of the course.  The paved and gravel roads portion are two-lane, lightly traveled county roads that will be open to local traffic.  The roughly two-mile off-road portion of the race that winds through private and BLM land (under agreement with the BLM) is an undeveloped trail, narrow and rocky in some spots, and runners are urged to use caution. This portion winds its way through land that burned in 2012. Runners will pass burned trees as well as abundant new growth. PRE-RUNNING OF THIS SECTION OF THE COURSE IS NOT ALLOWED.

5K

The 5K course is an out-and-back, the majority on a lightly traveled, paved, two-lane county road.  Your hard work going up the steady climb for the first half of the race will be rewarded with a super-fast second half as you sprint back to the library. After you pass through the finish arch in the library parking lot, cool off your feet in the Mancos River.  There will be a port-a-potty at roughly the halfway point and an aid station just before the turnaround stocked with water and Tailwind Endurance.

Aid Stations
The Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon is be a CUPLESS event.  Please plan to bring your own preferred hydration pack, water bottle, or grab a cool collapsible cup from us at packet pickup.  There will be five aid stations, roughly every two miles. These aid stations will be stocked with water and Tailwind Endurance.  Ice will be available at Aid #3, #4, #5. Gels and nuts will be available at Aid Station #3, at approximately  7.5 miles.  ATTENTION WALKERS! The final aid station, at approximately Mile 11, will close at 12:15 p.m. This allows for a 20:00/mile pace. There will be one additional self-serve aid station with water at about Mile 12.  A port-a-potty will be available on the course at miles 3.2 and 9.

Time Limits
We welcome runners of all abilities, and we offer no time limit.  However, the final aid station, at approximately Mile 11, will close at 12:15 p.m. This allows for a 20:00/mile pace.  If you anticipate being slower, you must carry your own water and a cell phone for emergencies as the aid stations will close before you arrive.

Course Safety
The race course uses roads that have minimal vehicle traffic, especially on a Saturday morning.  The course will also be marked with cones for safety.  However, runners must remain alert throughout the race, stay on the left shoulder of the road, and obey instructions from course marshals. Runners should not wear headphones in both ears and no dogs allowed in the race. Strollers are permitted, but only in the 5K as the Cowboy Half has a stretch of trail. 

Mile markers will be at each mile of the course and signage will be prominent at each turn for runners.  We will also have “Race in Progress” signs in various locations along the course to alert vehicles to the race in progress.

Spectator Locations
One of the best locations to experience this race will be right from our Start / Finish line at the library.  However, if you would like to get out on course, there are several great spots to watch the runners go by.  Please be sure to spectate from a safe location where you are not interfering vehicle and runner traffic and not embarking on private property.  Please obey instructions from all course marshals.

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Runner Perks
This race will include a full cowboy experience!  Start off your morning with some campfire cowboy coffee and a snack from a local chuckwagon.  All runners will receive a unique finisher’s medal, custom printed race shirt, a post race lunch and a beer garden ticket. We’ll entertain the young ones too!  In addition to our Kid’s Run, we will offer various activities for kids and their parents/caregivers in our outdoor classroom.

Timing
The Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon will be professionally timed by Rocky Mountain Timing. Your RFID chip will be on the back of your race bib. Please make sure you do not bend your chip. Runners should wear their race bib on the front of their body. 

Results
Results will be posted on www.rmtiming.co  at the conclusion of the event. There will be a live results kiosk at the race venue. 

Travel Information and Lodging
Looking for a place to stay race weekend?  There are numerous lodging choices available in the Mancos Valley, from B&Bs to VRBOs. Make it a race-cation weekend!

Weather
With a race date of mid October, expect cooler temperatures than our June race.  Average temperature at 8am in mid October is 40 degrees.  Expect temperatures to start out cool and steadily increase as the morning progresses, potentially reaching into the lower 60’s.  Use the aid stations and stay hydrated.  Note, race course may be altered due to extreme weather conditions.  

Refunds & Transfers
As with most races, we are unable to offer refunds, transfers, or deferrals.