Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October)

🏃‍♂️ Welcome to the Race!

Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series, put on by Seattle Running Club and Northwest Trail Runs. Our events support King County Parks, with a portion of every entry going to KC Parks.

🎭 Costume Contest/Challenge

• Event Date: The October Cougar Mountain races fall a few days before Halloween.
• Spirit: Let’s see who can get into the spirit and run some trails in costume.
• Awards: There will be an award for best costume (any distance) and best group costume (any distance).
• Prizes: Winners will receive a gift certificate and a unique trophy and medals from Otter Pawz Lazer.

🏅 October 7.6-Mile Cross Country // Cougar Cup

The 7.6-Mile Race is a team race - individuals are still eligible to run the 7.6 mile race for podium awards but not the Cougar Cup. The Cougar Cup is open to any team, group or club.

• Registration: Teams must sign-up the morning of the race and declare who is on the team.
• Waivers: All team members must sign a waiver and list an emergency contact who is not racing.
• Entry Fee: All teams must pay the entry fee of $170.
• Scoring: This is a mixed team event and 2 women must score for each team.

📅 Event Schedule

• October 25: 5K, 7.6 Mile Cross Country, 19.5 Miles & 50K
• Start Times: 8 AM for the 19.5 and 50K (7 AM early start), 9 AM for 7.6 Miles and Cross Country, 9:30 AM for 5K.
• Cut-off: 5 PM (~17:25 pace for 50K, ~19:30 pace for early start)
• Onsite Registration: Event-day registration starts at 7:00 AM.

🏆 Series Overview

Short Series: May 5.1 Miles, June 8.2 Miles, July 10.8 Miles & August 14.5 Miles. Long Series: May 10.8 Miles, June 14.5 Miles, July 19.5 Miles, August 26.2 Miles.

Top overall Man, Woman, and Nonbinary runners based on cumulative time will receive an award and free entry into next year's series.

💪 Reasons to Sign Up

• Trails: Well-marked trails with distances for all experience levels.
• Community: Surround yourself with members of the trail-running community.
• Food: Post-race food and libations, including beer from Flying Lion Brewery.
• Support: Raise money for King County Parks: $15/runner donated to the parks.

🔍 Did You Know

The August Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series 14.5-Mile Race will serve as the USATF PNTF Open and Masters Trail Championships. There is prize money for this event! Additionally, the 5K race serves as the first USATF PNTF Youth Trail Championship.

⚠️ Safety Guidelines

If you have had COVID-19 symptoms in the last 10 days or have known exposure to someone with COVID-19, please skip this race.

🌍 We Run on Native Land

We acknowledge that our running opportunities are built on the purposeful removal of Native peoples, who have been the stewards of Seattle-area lands for thousands of years. We accept our ethical responsibility for the ongoing stewardship of the land and support of Native neighbors, colleagues, businesses, and tribes.

📷 Photo Consent

I understand and accept that photos/videos may be taken of me while attending/participating in Seattle Running Club (SRC) events/functions. I acknowledge and agree that such photographs may be used by SRC for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium, without compensation to me.

♻️ A Greener Event: Cup Free

The series is continuing to reduce trash during the event. Runners are asked to bring a refillable water container for aid stations along the way and post-race.

📝 Race Information

Thanks to runners like you, the Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series has raised over $250,000 for King County Parks. Join Seattle Running Club and Northwest Trail Runs in carrying this legacy forward.

🐕 No Dogs

Dogs are not allowed on the course due to USATF Sanctioning and Insurance Requirements.

🥇 Awards

The top 3 Men, Women, and Nonbinary Runners in each event will receive a podium prize. Our August 14.5-Mile Race will serve as the USATF PNTF championships, with prize money to be announced closer to the event.

For more details, visit the official race page.