Set for its 14th annual running on Halloween weekend, after previous years’ races saw more than 300 runners cross the finish line in all three distances combined, the Stephenville Lions “Spooktacular” races — which include a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K — takes runners on an out-and-back tour of this small city that calls itself the “Cowboy Capital of the World.”
Runners are set to start and finish all three races at Stephenville City Park’s large pavilion.
From there, runners then head out on what is basically a counter-clockwise route along country roads through the farmland areas to the southwest of the city, with rolling hills and long, mostly gradual ascents and declines throughout the race.
Probably the steepest hill occurs in the first three miles, as runners turn off Farm to Market Road and head onto West Washington Lane in the direction of Lone Star Arena, a rodeo arena with space for 4,000 fans.
