COURSE SAFETY

We will have very strict safety measures for all participants to follow to ensure your safety as well as other participants. Since this is an event with no street closures or police presence along the route it is IMPERATIVE that everyone follows some very important safety guidelines as follows:

1. You must obey all road/traffic laws and must cross at all "legal" street crossing / crosswalks/ stop lights. NO JAYWALKING please, we realize that there might be some areas of "the road less traveled " and that there might not be crosswalks in these areas so please use good judgement and dont try to run across a 4 laned street without using a crosswalk or streetlight. If seen doing so we will give you a RULE 62 warning and trust me you ARE NOT FASTER THAN A VEHICLE! This applies to all pacers as well. Also, you must utilize a headlamp and safety lights/vest with blinking lights on the front and back after 6-6:30pm so you can be visible to all, and this applies to your pacer also. My number 1 priority as a Race Director is RUNNER SAFETY! It is always first and foremost for me, and especially with this type of event, it important to wait for traffic lights to be green and to make sure of your surroundings at all times.

It is also a great idea to have some cash and/or credit card on you, especially if you are a self crewed runner in case you might need some supplies along the route. This course is 98% accessible via roadway, bike path or sidewalk so the terrain is very safe. There is about a 1 mile section in Ortega, around mile 12-13, that has no sidewalk or shoulder to run on so you need to run on the edge of the road or the grassy area next to it.

Cowford History

WELCOME TO JACKSONVILLE'S FIRST EVER 50+ MILES URBAN ULTRAMARATHON.

This event is an exploration of the city's history, waterways, and neighborhoods. The course is composed of five distinct segments, each with its own character and story, forming a continuous narrative from historic neighborhoods to the Urban Core finish.

WHY JACKSONVILLE WAS CALLED "COWFORD"

In the 18th Century, the narrow point of the ST. John's River near present-day Downtown became a natural place to DRIVE CATTLE ACROSS THE RIVER. Rancher's from the south and west moved cows here to cross towards markets and ports.
Because of this practical use, the settlement earned the informal name "COW FORD" later shortened to COWFORD. Though modest in origin, this crossing point laid the foundation for Jacksonville's role as a transportation and commercial hub.

FROM COWFORD TO JACKSONVILLE

In 1822, the settlement was renamed Jacksonville in honor of Andrew Jackson, then military governor of the Florida Territory and later the 7th President of the United States. The city grew rapidly due to:
- Its river access to the Atlantic Ocean
- Rail connections that followed earlier trade routes
- Its role as a gateway between Florida's interior and global markets

WHY THIS EVENT MATTERS

This Ultramarathon is more than a test of endurance. It is:

- A celebration of Jacksonville's diverse neighborhoods and history
- A demonstration of how running can activate public space
- A model for future large-scale urban endurance events in the Northeast Florida Region

Thank you for being part of Jacksonville running history!!

RUN FAR, RUN THE CITY, RUN HISTORY

COURSE OVERVIEW

- TOTAL DISTANCE: 50 ish miles :)
- COURSE FORMAT: 5 sequential segments
- TERRAIN: Paved roads, shared-use paths, bridges, and greenways
- ELEVATION: Generally flat with notable bridge climbs
- SETTING: Historic districts, riverfront neighborhoods, suburban corridors, and downtown streets.

COURSE

SEGMENT-BY-SEGMENT COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

Segment 1- SPRINGFIELD LOOP ( ~ 9.60 MILES)

NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS: Historic Eastside, Springfield Historic District, Durkeeville, Brooklyn

Runners experience:
- Historic street grids shaped by early urban planning
- Early 20th-Century residential architecture, including Prairie and Bungalow styles
- The HOGAN'S CREEK GREENWAY, a reminder of Jacksonville's natural foundations and ongoing restoration efforts.

This opening segment grounds the adventure in Jacksonville's origins and sets the tone for the journey ahead.

SEGMENT 2 - Ortega Loop ( ~13.45 miles )

NEIGHBORHOOD'S & AREAS: Riverside, Avondale, Ortega, Ortega River

This segment follows the western side of the city into established riverfront neighborhoods.

Highlights include:
- Tree canopied streets and long residential corridors
- Views and crossings near the ORTEGA RIVER, a tributary of the St. John's river
- Development patterns that reflect Jacksonville's early suburban expansion

The Ortega Loop offers relative calm and shade, reinforcing Jacksonville's identity as a river city built outward from its waterways.

SEGMENT 3 - SUP TO BAYMEADOWS ( ~ 11.10 MILES )

NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS: Southbank/ San Marco edges, San Jose Area, Baymeadows corridor

This segment showcases Jacksonville's scale and post-war growth.

Runners will notice:
- Longer straightaways characteristic of automobile-era planning
- Transitions from historic urban neighborhoods to commercial and mixed-use corridors
- Multiple creeks and drainage systems feeding into the St. Johns River basin

This stretch emphasizes distance and rhythm, asking runners to settle into sustained effort while moving through some of the city's most expansive corridors.

SEGMENT 4 - OLD KINGS ROAD TO ACOSTA BRIDGE ( ~ 10.40 miles )

NEIGHBORHOOS & AREAS: Old Kings Road corridor, San Marco, St. John's River Crossing ( by bridge )

This is the connective spine of the course-- both historically and physically

Key Features include:
- OLD KINGS ROAD, tracing routes that predate Jacksonville and once served regional trade and travel
- Development aligned along major north - south transportation corridors

- The iconic ACOSTA BRIDGE crossing, offering elevation, wind exposure, and panoramic views
of the St. John's River and skyline

SEGMENT 5 -- URBAN CORE FINISH ( ~ 6.65 miles )

NEIGHBORHOODS AND AREAS: Urban Core, Main Street Bridge ( x2 ), USS ORLECK MUSEUM

The final miles unfold in the heart of the city.

Runners encounter:
- Streets shaped by post- 1901 reconstruction and modern redevelopment
- Civic buildings, riverfront infrastructure, and downtown landmarks
- A denser urban rhythm that contrasts with earlier suburban miles

COURSE GPX/ KMZ FILE

These will be added shortly when we finalize our exact start / finish locations as well as any minor course adjustments that might be necessary due to road closures and/or construction. Once we have these files finalized you will need to download them to your watch or phone and it will be YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to navigate the route utilizing them. Afterall this is an adventure run, we will do our best to have some directional / navigational markings along the route to assist with this but it is ultimately up to you to find your way along the course.

CUTOFFS

There will be a 16 hour time cut off which will amount to a 19 min per mile average overall. If for any reason you are not able to complete the event you will need to let someone know at the aid station or CALL OR TEXT ME ( mike martinez RD ) and let us know you won't be able to finish. We will do our best to try to assist you with a ride to the finish area but we can't guarantee we will be able to do so. Ulitmately it will be your responsibility to find a suitable mode of transportation back to your vehicle.

AWARDS

Awards will be TBD, depending on the amount of participants will determine the awards we will offer. We will definitely have top 3 overall for Male / Female and at least 1st place OA for our master's runners and if we most likely will also have OA grandmasters awards as well depending on the number of participants. And we will MOST DEFINITELY have the honorary Matt Coleman award AKA Slow A$$ award for our DFL participant because we believe that EVERYONE MATTERS! And in true Sombrero Style we will have random awards to give out to various participants as well. I will say that our overall winners will definitely get our HUGE TABLE TOP AWARDS!

Aid Stations

We will have 6-7 aid stations throughout the course and with 2 of them being at some of our beloved SOMBRERO RUNNERS personal residences and we will have a few "unmanned" coolers with beverages as well as there will be a plethora of areas to stop at convenience stores, grocery stores, and other businesses that you can get food or beverages from. We will have water and Skratch electrolytes at the manned aid stations with the standard Sombrero aid station fare and some hot foods at 2 of them.

CREWS/PACING

You can have designated crews to assist you along the route we will have DESIGNATED AREAS for where the crews can assist you and only in those areas. We are trying to leave as little of a carbon footprint as possible and having designated crew areas is one of the ways we can do this. Also, we will require that crews have markings on their vehicles and ONLY 1 CREW VEHICLE PER PARTICIPANT. We don't anticipate any big time running influencer's, however, even if we get some they are only allowed 1 crew vehicle. Pacer will only be allowed once you cross over the SUP, which will be just about the 1/2 way point, this will be to ensure there is not too much congestion along the narrower pathways. For our older runners 60 and over we will allow pacers beginning at the Stinson Park aid station on your return back from the " Ortega Loop" which this will be around the 18-20 mile mark of the course. ALL PACERS MUST SIGN A WAIVER AND THERE CAN ONLY BE 1 PACER AT A TIME! Pacer also must abide by the same "rules" and guidelines that the participants must follow. Any violations of the pacer rules will result in a DQ of the participant, this event is a non competitive and fun adventure run so PLEASE FOLLOW RULE 62 which = Don't Take Yourself too Damn Seriously!

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Mission Statement
"To strengthen our community by identifying those with financial need that are trying to get healthier and empowering other nonprofit organizations and individuals through direct financial and non-financial contributions. We are dedicated to fostering positive change and maximizing impact across all sectors, ensuring vital resources reach where they're needed most."
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Event's current local time: 11:36 AM ET