Tarrant County Residents Reveal Why They Run the Cowtown Half Marathon

FORT WORTH, Texas. Two runners from Tarrant County share why they’re running the Cotetown Marathon this weekend.

This weekend is the annual Fort Worth Road Race. On Saturday there will be children’s and adult races for 5 and 10 km, and on Sunday – a half marathon, full and ultra marathon.

For Alda Ollactillium, running was the solution.

“I was overweight. Depressed,” Ollactillium said. “And I decided that I needed to do something to change.”

The Fort Worth resident says she started slowly at first, gradually working her way up to 5km. For all the time she lost 40 kg. And she kept adding more and more miles.

The 61-year-old will run her 50th half marathon this weekend.

“When I go out, it’s like it’s peace. It doesn’t matter what environment I’m in,” Ollactillium said. “I’m just going to my happy place.”

Arlington resident Jennifer Riley was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes breathing and digestive problems.

“People told me that I can’t do it: “You can’t breathe, you can’t play sports!” Riley said, thinking about her athletic career as a child.

But Riley won’t take no for an answer: she always found a way.

“I run with CamelBak. And so I have (written health warnings) notices on every turn,” Riley said. “I run with an inhaler.”

This weekend she ran her fourth half marathon in Cowtown.

“At the end of the day, finishing is my reward,” Riley said.