Loop The Lake

About the Event:

• Celebration: Come celebrate the Boardman Lake Loop Trail!
• Organizer: The Traverse City Track Club presents Loop The Lake, a 4-mile, 8-mile, and 2-person relay trail race.
• Course: The race will follow the Boardman Lake Loop Trail, which includes mostly pavement, as well as some gravel, bridges, and boardwalks.
• Participants: The 4 mile event is open to runners and walkers. The 8 mile event is recommended for runners only.

Distance:

• Certification: 4 miles exactly! This race has been certified by the USATF.
• Relay Details: The individual 8 mile and relay (2 people run 4 miles each - 1 at a time) will be slightly over 8 miles.

Giveaway:

• Cap: Everyone will receive a Loop the Lake RaceTracker technical Run-Dri running cap.
• New Addition: New for 2026, we welcome Playa Bowls, serving açaí, coconut, and mango bowls for all finishers.
• Beverages: Beverages will also be provided for all finishers.

Awards:

• Overall Awards: The top 3 overall and top 3 masters (40&) for male and female in the 4-mile and 8-mile event will receive a custom plate hand-crafted at ClaySpacetc.
• Age Group: Age group top 3 (5-year age groups to 80 and up) for the 4-mile and 8-mile event will receive a custom clay Loop The Lake 2026 medal.
• Relay Awards: Relay awards for top male team, female team, coed team, masters male team, masters female team, and masters coed team.
• Masters Definition: Masters teams are a combined age of 100&plus:.

About the Course:

• Starting Point: The race will follow the Boardman Lake Loop Trail, starting and finishing in Hull Park on the north side of the lake.
• Terrain: The east side is heavily wooded with gentle curves and a mix of pavement, boardwalk, and gravel surface.
• Bridges: The southern end features two bridges over the Boardman/Ottway River.
• Public Awareness: The course will be open to the general public, with heavy announcements and signage provided.

Start Details:

• Wave Start: The race will include a wave start at Hull Park.
• Lining Up: Runners will be asked to line up according to their estimated finish time.

Wave Starts:

• Implementation: We will utilize a wave start on an honor basis, with participants lining up according to their expected finish time.
• Volunteers: Volunteers will be on hand to help determine waves to minimize congestion.

Parking:

• Parking Options: Loop the Lake is an Urban Trail race: there will not be parking available within Hull Park.
• Nearby Parking: There are many parking options nearby within walking distance, including multiple parking decks.
• No Parking: Please do not park at any apartment complexes or within the Brick Wheels parking lot.

Packet Pickup/Late Registration - Hull Park:

• Time: Packet Pickup begins at 4pm on Friday, September 4th right at Hull Park!
• Online Registration: Online registration will be open until 5:45pm on race day, with QR codes available for signup.
• No Cash: No cash or paper registration available.

Background:

• Community Effort: "This beautiful and highly anticipated Loop is the product of meaningful collaboration and hard work from many facets of the community."
• Ownership: The Boardman Lake Trail is owned by the City of Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, and Garfield Township.
• Partnership: TART Trails works with the City, County, and Township to support the development and maintenance of the trail.

For more details, visit the race page: Loop The Lake Race.