Matagorda: The Gulf Coast Trail Running Festival
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
Matagorda: The Gulf Coast Trail Running Festival
A two-day running festival at LCRA’s Matagorda Bay Nature Park on the Texas coast where the Colorado River meets the Gulf. The setting is flat and open with long coastal views and frequent wind.
Distances
- Gulf Coast Backyard Ultra: 4.167 mile loop repeated hourly
- Matagorda Marathon: 26.51 miles
- Matagorda Half Marathon: 13.57 miles
- Matagorda 10K: 6.20 miles
- Matagorda 5K: 3.10 miles
The route runs from the pavilion west toward the trail head and back, using these surfaces in order: packed sand, rock levee, packed sand, open beach, crushed granite. Most of the course works with road shoes; rock levees and soft beach sections favor trail shoes. Strava-based lap gain is about 56 feet per lap with net elevation near zero; watches may report 30 to 60 feet.
All races start and finish at the pavilion. The Backyard Ultra format requires each loop to be completed in under one hour and each loop to begin exactly one hour after the previous. No personal aid is allowed while a loop is in progress and non-competitors may not accompany active runners. The Backyard winner is the last runner who completes one more loop than all others; all other finishers are recorded by total loops completed.
Aid is cupless; participants must use their own reusable cup or bottle. The main aid station at the pavilion is stocked with cold water, electrolyte drinks, fruit, and snacks. Park entry for participants is included with registration. RV sites require a portable cooking stove and beach camping is available up to 72 hours. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.