Heidi Swartz

True Grit with Craig Kautsch

Ever wonder what it takes to pull off an event like the Cowtown Marathon? An event that has 25k participants, 4500 volunteers, and unpredictable weather (with only 4 full-time staff) Check out this week’s episode of the True Grit Podcast and find out how the Cowtown has become one of America’s Favorite Marathon events.

I had a super enlightening interview with Heidi Swartz, the Executive Director of The Cowtown Marathon. With Heidi’s direction, the event has nearly tripled in size since 2004, with over 25,000 participants and seven races taking place the last weekend in February.

In 2006, she created The Cowtown Marathon's associated non-profit organization, C.A.L.F. (Children's Activities for Life and Fitness), which in the past 11 years has provided over 40,000 pairs of running shoes to disadvantaged children along with greatly reduced entry fees for The Cowtown Kids 5K Run.

By bringing fitness awareness and running enthusiasm to local schools, Swartz – a runner, herself – is invested in making the City of Fort Worth a healthier place to live. Swartz was awarded the Great Women of Texas award in 2016. She served on the original committee that formed "FitWorth," the Mayor of Fort Worth's healthy living initiative, and remained on the board serving as secretary. She serves on the Marketing Advisory Board for Visit Fort Worth, the Board of Directors for the Fort Worth Sports Commission, and serves as Secretary for the National Trade Organization, Running USA. Heidi Swartz is also a successful and in-demand speaker and consultant for other race events, acting as an expert in race management and producing multiple events throughout the year.

Useful Links:
Cowtown Marathon