Seattle, WA
Lake Sammamish
Double the days, double the fun!
About the race
Start off your running season with the perfect spring race
The Brooks Lake Sammamish Half Marathon presented by REI takes runners along the smooth trail that connects Marymoor Park in Redmond to Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah. This interurban trail is very popular with runners as it is 100% pavement. We offer a generous 4.5 hour time limit for all participants. This flat run is perfect for a half-marathon personal best whether you’re running or walking!
The Lake Sammamish Half was started in 2010 by Roger Michel and Yumay Chang, and in later years Dana Anderson directed the race to great success. Orca Running was thrilled to be chosen to take over the race in 2021.
The Course
Run the route
NEW USATF Certified Course!
USATF Certification # WA25004RMB
Start Line Location: City of Redmond – City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St, Redmond, WA 98052
Finish Line Location: Lake Sammamish State Park – Soccer Fields, 1464 NW Sammamish Road, Issaquah, WA 98027
Aid Stations are located every 2-3 miles and are stocked with GU gels and Tailwind Endurance Fuel.
PACERS! Seattle Green Lake Running Group is providing pacers for the following finish times: 1:20, 1:30, 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:15, 2:30
Due to the width of the pathway for the first mile the race will start in 4 waves, approximately 90 seconds apart.
70' of elevation gain
All Orca races are cupless — bring a handheld or grab a small reusable folding cup at the start.
- Just 70' of elevation gain
- Cool spring weather, great for PRs
- Seven pacer groups to choose from
Entry
Pricing
See full price schedule
Saturday Half Marathon
Virtual Half Marathon
Sunday Half Marathon
🎈 We have a fun kid’s race! The kid’s race will start at 10:40am and will start and finish at the race finish line. The kid’s race course is approximately 0.4 mile long. Kid’s receive a finishers medal.
Kid's race!
Plan Your MorningRace dayShow details
Packet pickup
Thursday, Marcy 5th 11:00am to 7:00pm — REI Bellevue, 410 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, 98004
Brooks Lake Sammamish Training Run (NEW for 2026): Date: Thursday, February 5th Learn more & RSVP: HERE
Gear check
Free gear check is available at the Lake Sammamish Half. In an effort to reduce waste, we will not be providing drop bags, so PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BAG and the more identifiable/colorful it is the easier it is for our volunteers to find! We will have identification tags for you to use. Drop bags will be available to pick up at the finish line.
Awards
Overall awards will be given to the top 3 men, women, and non-binary runners based off of gun time not chip time. So, you should start in the front of the pack. We also give out age group awards in 5 year increments, so be sure to check your results at the Orca Running tent. We DO NOT MAIL OUT AWARDS after the race, they must be picked up at the race.
LogisticsGetting thereShow details
Shuttle
We provide free shuttles for participants from the finish line back to the start line area. The shuttle is free for all participants. The shuttles leave when full or every 15 minutes, whichever occures first. The shuttles are heated.
Don’t forget to pick up your gear check bag before you board the shuttle!
Your friends and/or family are also welcome to pick you up.
Pre-race shuttle: We are offering a free pre-race shuttle from Lake Sammamish State Park to Redmond City Hall at 6:15am. The last shuttle will leave at 6:30am. Space is limited to 500 participants and you must be pre-registered. Register at this link.
Parking
Start Line Parking: There is street parking around Redmond City Hall in downtown Redmond, and in the parking garage at the Redmond Senior Center. This parking garage will fill quickly. There is also parking at Redmond Town Center (if you are going to feast or drink afterwards), it is about a 15 minute walk away. There is NO parking at the Redmond Library. Plan ahead and arrive early. We recommend using transit, or being dropped off.
Finish Line Parking: There is NO parking at the finish line. Your friends and family are welcome to park at Lake Sammamish State Park. However, because it’s a state park, every vehicle is required to display a Discover Pass (good at all state parks and other state lands). You can purchase a pass in advance online or at the park’s automated pay station. Both one-day and annual passes are available. The parking at Lake Sammamish State Park is about a half mile/15 minute walk from the new finish line.
*If not parking at Lake Sammamish State Park please be careful to pay attention to no parking signs as you may be towed.
Lodging
We recommend the Seattle Marriott Redmond or Hyatt House Redmond.
Can't make it in person?
Virtual option
The Brooks Lake Sammamish Half now has a virtual option! Here is what you need to know:
- Cost is $52
- Limited to 50 participants
- Run and log your race anytime after you receive your swag!
- Virtual run participants will receive a shirt, medal and bib in the mail.
- Swag will ship out the week after the in-person race
- Counts towards your R-Pod medal!
Where your entry goes
Benefiting two local causes
REI Cooperative Action Fund
Time outside and connection to nature is fundamental to the health and well-being of all people. But millions of Americans lack access to the outdoors, and far too many people do not feel a sense of belonging or safety outside. That’s why REI founded the REI Cooperative Action Fund. It directly supports organizations working to improve the health and well-being of people and communities through time spent outside. Thanks to REI Co-op’s generous support, 100% of your gift goes to grantee partners.
Photo galleries
Weather held out not too rainy and not too hilly. Lots of runners in good spirits and it was well put together. Orca running does a great job on putting races together.
I’ve run this race three times, once when it was really tiny wen coming out of Covid, last year, and this year. I loved the new start line- parking was really easy and it wasn’t as crowded in the beginning. The new finish line was a little snake-like which I understood they had to do to get the exact 13.1, but it was amazing for the spectators! The start and finish have changed a few times over the years which makes me think they’re trying to get everything just right. Hopefully next year! I’ll do it again no matter what.
Well produced race with a very fast field. Packet pickup at Bellevue REI was smooth though wish they had a Seattle option as well. Startline was a bit crowded and clearly this race is at capacity, we were in the bushes of the city hall park which was all fine but still congested getting onto the bike path. After a mile or so, things lightened up and found the 1:30 group. Very well produced local half that lines up well with Spring marathons. I did not use the bus shuttle but pickup at Lake Sammamish State Park was ez and not super crowded in the parking lots. Parking at the start was easy in the empty office parks across the river a quick jog away. Flat, fast, and cold = PR weather. The views on Eastlake Sammamish are nice too!
Good to Know
FAQ
How do I confirm I'm signed up?
I can't participate — what are my options?
Can someone else pick up my packet?
Can I register in person on race day?
Are walkers welcome?
The fine print
Policies
We have a clear set of policies that we uniformly follow for all races. Entries are not refundable, but you can defer your entry, transfer it to another race, or transfer it to another participant. You can review our full set of policies here.
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There are no higher stakes than being kind to the earth; we care deeply about keeping our planet viable for the next generation. To that end, we organize our events with an eye towards minimizing our impact on the planet. Read more here.
Committed to Making All Feel Welcome
Orca Running is making a new effort to make sure that everyone feels welcome and safe at our running events and in our community. We have a non-binary registration option and a non-binary category for overall awards.
If you have a suggestion or idea for how we can improve our events in this regard, please let us know!
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