The MO' Cowbell comes back to St. Charles on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Four races start and finish at Frontier Park on the riverfront: a marathon, a half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K. The marathon and the half both run right through New Town, just past the halfway point of the half.
Below is every course on one map, plus a race-day tracker. On race morning it shows where the leaders, the middle of the pack, and the back of the field are, updated every few seconds. Before then it counts down to the start.
The interactive course map and race tracker loads here. If you don't see it, turn on JavaScript or open this page in a browser.
How the tracker works
It is not GPS. The race times every runner with a chip, but those results aren't public until later. So we built the tracker the same way we built the Fourth of July parade and triathlon trackers: from the official start times and last year's chip times. In 2024, more than 6,500 people finished the half and 465 finished the marathon. We took the fastest tenth, the middle, and the slowest tenth of those finishers and used their split times to place three markers on the course. Tap a marker to see which mile and which street it's on. It will usually be right within a few minutes.
If you want to follow one runner, sign up for the race's own text alerts at mocowbellmarathon.com. Those go out each time a runner crosses a timing mat.
When the runners come through New Town
The marathon and half marathon start together at 7:30 AM. Runners enter New Town on Island Harbor Dr, turn up Sublette St and Barter St, go around the lake by way of Tarn St and Rue Royale, come back along Galt House Dr, New Town Lake Dr, and Granger Blvd, and leave the way they came in. The relay exchange is on Rue Royale at the 7-mile mark. Based on last year's times, here is about when to expect them:
| Enter New Town | Rue Royale (mile 7) | Leave New Town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon leaders | 8:10 AM | 8:20 AM | 8:30 AM |
| Half marathon leaders | 8:15 AM | 8:25 AM | 8:40 AM |
| Middle of the pack | 8:25 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:00 AM |
| Back of the field | 8:50 AM | 9:10 AM | 9:35 AM |
So the streets on the route will be busy with runners from about 8:00 to 9:45 AM. The 5K and 10K start at 8:00 AM and stay down by the river in St. Charles.
Where to cheer
- Rue Royale at Galt House Dr. The relay exchange and the 7-mile mark. Runners pass twice within a few hundred feet, once on each side of the lake.
- Barter St at Sublette St. Mile 6 on the way in and mile 7.4 on the way out, so one spot gets you two looks at everyone.
- Granger Blvd. Wide, with room for chairs and a cowbell.
- Frontier Park in St. Charles. The start and finish for all four races, with a post-race party from 9:30 AM to 2 PM.
Getting in and out of New Town that morning
The race posts its closure list at mocowbellmarathon.com/race-day-road-closures. As of this writing it still shows last year's plan, so check it again the week of the race. Last year, these roads closed from 7:15 AM until about 11:00 AM:
- Highway 94 from Highway B to Hawning Rd
- Boschertown Rd from Highway B to Charlestowne Village Dr
- Little Hills Expressway from Boschertown Rd to Highway 94
- Southbound Mel Wetter Parkway and N 5th St, plus Olive St and N 2nd St downtown
New Town Blvd stays open, so the way out is New Town Blvd to Highway 370. Expect the race streets inside New Town to be closed or restricted while the runners are here, roughly 8:00 to 9:45 AM. Charlestowne gets in and out by Charlestowne Village Dr.
Race-day schedule
- Friday, November 6, noon to 7 PM and Saturday, November 7, 9 AM to 3 PM: packet pickup and the Health and Fitness ExMO' at St. Charles Community College, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. There is no race-day pickup.
- Sunday, November 8, 7:30 AM: marathon and half marathon start, Frontier Park. Be in your corral by 7:15.
- 8:00 AM: 5K and 10K start, Frontier Park.
- 9:30 AM to 2 PM: post-race party at Frontier Park with food, music, vendors, and a kid zone.
- 2:00 PM: the finish line closes. Marathoners need to hold about a 15-minute mile.
Want to run it?
Registration is open at RunSignup. The course is flat for the first ten miles, has a couple of hills on Little Hills Expressway, and finishes downhill into the park. The marathon is a qualifier for Boston, Chicago, New York City, and London. Details, FAQs, and course maps are at mocowbellmarathon.com.