Howdy Runners,
Thank you for signing up for the 30th running (!) of the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival. Between the milestone year and the forecast, we are excited to celebrate! Please read through the entire email to help ensure for a smooth event:
CARPOOL, CARPOOL, CARPOOL (!) – parking inside the Bridle Trails State Park is limited. The park & ride lot adjacent to the freeway exit provides a good place to meet and form full carpools before entering the park. A Discover Pass is required to park in the lot so if you do not have a Discover Pass, you will be asked to park elsewhere. NEW – if you are a carpool of four or more, fill out a raffle ticket at check-in for a free entry into any 2025 Cougar Series race! Each person can fill out one raffle ticket, and the winner will be announced in the post-race email.
Overflow parking is available at the Lake East Christian Church across the street from the park.
There is also limited parking up and down the street from the park entrance (116th Ave NE). If parking on the street, please park out of the way of traffic. Please be prepared to talk with and follow directions from the parking attendants. We will do our best to park 50k runners closer to the start since they are last to leave but this is not a guarantee.
Weather – the current forecast is mostly cloudy with a high of 46 and a low 38. I highly recommend checking the forecast Saturday morning, bringing layers, and don’t forget your HEADLAMP.
Schedule
1:30 PM – Event-day registration and bib pick-up opens
- Parking attendants will start parking runners at 1pm. If you arrive before 1pm, please stay in your car for directions where to park
2:50ish PM – Line-up // pre-race briefing
3:00 PM – All races start (We will have people self-sort by pace)
4:40 PM – Sunset
11:00 PM – Course sweep begins, all runners must start their final lap prior
12:00 AM – Course closed–all runners must be off the course
Awards and Finishing Prizes – everyone finishing any of the events, including relays, will receive a special anniversary magnet, designed and created by Alexei van Ingen of Otter Pawz Lazer.
Podium awards will be handed out to the top 3 Men, Women, and Non-Binary runners in the four solo distances. Awards for the top 50k pairs and 50k teams (no divisions) will be handed out as well. We will try to get your podium awards within 10 minutes of finishing, so if you think you were top 3 or a winning team, please stick around for a few minutes. We will not be mailing awards.
Race Drop Downs – if you would like to drop down in distance prior to the start of your race, let the race volunteers know of your intentions at check-in. If you would like to run a longer distance, you must notify check-in prior to the start of the race and pay an additional fee. Once the race starts, we will not honor any change in distance.
Relay Information – every member of the 50k pair or teams relay must fill out and sign a waiver prior to running their leg. Any runner that runs prior to signing the waiver will have their entire team disqualified from results and awards. Please make sure that everyone knows your team name. When you sign in, please tell us your team name (as we have not collected this yet).
You will also receive a belt for your bib–your team will only get one bib. You must pass the bib and belt –after you cross the timing mat– to the next runner on your team. The bib and belt must be worn during each lap run. After completing the relay, please make sure to return the belts.
Teams are allowed to bring a canopy and/or a fire pit as they wait for teammates but fire pits are not allowed under the canopy. This has been stressed by the park and our permit will be pulled – “Fire pits will be allowed for the event as long as they are well away from the tree line and the canopies, not even by a little bit.” Bring layers and blankets if you want to stand under a canopy. There will be SRC and Northwest Trail Run canopies for solo-distance runners to take shelter.
Trail Etiquette – although our event is permitted, we are still on publicly accessible trails. Please make sure to yield to horses–they have the right of way on these trails. Stop, step to the side of the trail (the lower side if on a slope), and yield the trail to the horse. Also, talk to the rider to help put the horse at ease; say hello and ask whether it is okay to walk past or whether you need to stand still. Please follow this rule of the trail to keep yourself and others safe and so that we will be welcome to have this event in future years.
If you are listening to music, please use headphones. If you are using in-ear headphones, please only use one ear.
NEW – Help Support Bridle Trails State Park – the trail work done by both WA State Parks and the Bridle Trails Park Foundation after the bomb cyclone is impressive – you’ll see in the light on your first loop. WA State Parks made the suggestion of giving to Bridle Trails Park Foundation which helps “protect, preserve, & enhance Bridle Trails State Park.” Help us reach $1500 for the BTPF: donate here!
No Dogs – as much as we love our four legged friends, dogs are not allowed on the course due to USATF Sanctioning and Insurance Requirements.
Drop Bags – there will be an area for a drop bag that will be accessible to you after each lap. Don’t forget your HEADLAMP (and bring an extra for a friend)!
Aid Station – feel free to stop by the “Snack Shack” after each loop – there will be snacks, chips, soups, noodles, hot beverages, gels, water, and Skratch.
Litter – please do not litter. If you have trash, please put it in the trash receptacles at aid stations or the finish line. If you see trash on the trails please help pick it up. If you knowingly litter you will be disqualified from the race and not allowed to enter future SRC events.
Lost and Lost – here’s the deal – if you lose an item, it is probably lost. I am keeping with the BT tradition that there will not be a designated lost and found so make sure to bring your HEADLAMP if you want to look around for said lost item.
Thank The Volunteers! – we could not put on our events without volunteers. Please be kind and thank them. If you are interested in volunteering at future events, please reach out to Michael at volunteer@
Zero Tolerance Policy – Seattle Running Club events are zero tolerance events. We will not tolerate any harassment of participants, volunteers, organizers, or bystanders. If you have witnessed harassment or have been a target of harassment, please reach out to the race director (races@seattlerunningclub.org) or the SRC president (president@seattlerunningclub.
Northwest Trail Runs & Pacific Multisports – our partner with the Cougar Series and Bridle Trails is Northwest Trail Runs, a local company that puts on trail races year round from 5k to 50k and trail relays like Moran Constitutional Relay. Check out their schedule here.
Pacific Multisports is a Bellingham based company that times events such as Chuckanut 50k, Ski to Sea, the Bellingham Marathon, Hamster Endurance Runs, and many more. We appreciate them making the trip south and bringing their expertise to Bridle Trails.
2025 Cougar Mountain Trail Series – Cougar Mountain Trail Series is our next set of events. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 10, June 14, July 12, and August 9. The October date is TBD.
Thank you for supporting local race productions and running clubs, and starting off your 2025 with us.
See you Saturday!
Gretchen Walla // Bridle Trails & Cougar Series RD