Cowboy 200 - Norfolk, NE

The Cowboy 200

The Cowboy 200 is a point-to-point footrace through America's heartland in Nebraska. The course follows the Cowboy Trail, a rails-to-trails route primarily composed of crushed limestone and gravel. Participants experience the Nebraska back-country on a non-technical, flat path that is closed to motor vehicles. The route features more than 200 former railway bridges, including one span measuring a quarter mile long and 148 feet high.

The event offers two main distances:

• 200 miles
• 100 miles

The 200-mile course begins at Ta Ha Zouka Park in Norfolk and travels west to Valentine with no repetition. The 100-mile event starts at the Community Center in Atkinson. Runners pass through several historic towns featuring old railroad depots and a water-powered gristmill. The flat terrain of the rail trail makes the course suitable for those attempting their first distance of this length or seeking a personal record.

Support on the course includes 11 fully stocked aid stations and at least eight unmanned stations. There are also three designated sleep stations for participants. The 200-mile solo event has a time limit of 84 hours, while the 100-mile solo event has a cutoff of 32 hours. Finishers in both categories receive a commemorative buckle and a beer at the finish line. Cash prizes are awarded to the top male and female finishers in the 200-mile race. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.