When
Friday, September 4th, 2026
Where
Hull Park, Traverse City MI
Distances
About this race
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.
Course map
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