Loop The Lake

🏃‍♂️ About the Event

• Event Overview: Come celebrate the Boardman Lake Loop Trail! The Traverse City Track Club presents Loop The Lake, a 4-mile, 8-mile, and 2-person relay trail race around Boardman Lake, just south of downtown Traverse City.
• Course Details: The race will follow the Boardman Lake Loop Trail, which includes mostly pavement, as well as some gravel, bridges, and boardwalks.
• Participation: The 4 mile event is open to runners and walkers. The 8 mile event is recommended for runners only.
• Course Closure: Course closes at 8pm sharp!

📏 Distance

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

🎁 Giveaway

• Race Cap: Everyone receives a Loop The Lake Racetracker Technical Run-Dri Running Cap along with some snacks and beverages.

🏆 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 just down the road!
• Age Group Awards: 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 2025 medal.
• Relay Categories: 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+.

📍 About the Course

• Course Location: The race will follow the Boardman Lake Loop Trail, starting and finishing in Hull Park on the north side of the lake.
• Scenic Route: The east side is a heavily wooded segment featuring gentle curves and a mix of pavement, boardwalk, and some gravel surface.
• Highlight Features: The southern end features two bridges over the Boardman/Ottway River and an extended boardwalk over the Boardman Lake Cove.
• Map Availability: Check out the map here! We will be running in a clockwise direction.

🕘 Start Details

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

🌊 Wave Starts

• Safety Measures: We want to ensure a safe and great experience for all participants. We will utilize a wave start on an honor basis (participants will line up according to their expected finish time).
• Volunteer Support: Volunteers will be on hand to help determine waves.

🅿️ Parking

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

🎟️ Packet Pickup/Late Registration

• Pickup Details: Packet Pickup begins at 4pm on Friday, August 29th right at Hull Park!
• Registration Timeline: Online registration will be open up until 5:45pm on race day.
• Sign-Up Options: QR codes will be available to signup online at the event. No cash or paper registration available.

🌳 Background

• Community Effort: "This beautiful and highly anticipated Loop is the product of meaningful, high-impact collaboration, years of support, gumption, and hard work from many facets of the community."
• Key Contributors: Thanks to the passion and persistence of countless individuals and trail project partners, the Loop is now a reality and serves as the crown jewel and centerpiece of the TART Trails network.
• 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.