Redmond, WA
Double the days, double the fun!
About the race
Lake Sammamish is 2 days in 2027!
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
NEW USATF Certified Course — certification #WA25004RMB.
Start line: City of Redmond — City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St, Redmond, WA 98052.
Finish line: 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 are provided by Seattle Green Lake Running Group for 1:20, 1:30, 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:15 and 2:30 finish times.
Because the pathway is narrow for the first mile, the race starts in waves roughly 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.
Entry
Bib mailed to you ($4.50) — Select the option during registration
Race morning — see the race day schedule — Redmond City Hall — plan on long lines
Thursday, March 5th, 11:00am – 7:00pm — REI Bellevue, 410 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Free gear check is available. To reduce waste we do not provide drop bags, so please bring your own — the more colourful and identifiable the better. We will have identification tags for you to use. Bags can be collected at the finish line.
Overall awards go to the top 3 men, women and non-binary runners on gun time rather than chip time, so start near the front. Age group awards are given in 5-year increments — check your results at the Orca Running tent. Awards are not mailed after the race and must be picked up on the day.
4.5 hours
Free shuttles run from the finish line back to the start, leaving when full or every 15 minutes, whichever comes first. They are heated. Don’t forget to collect your gear check bag before you board. Friends and family are welcome to pick you up instead.
A free pre-race shuttle runs from Lake Sammamish State Park to Redmond City Hall at 6:15am, with the last departure at 6:30am. Space is limited and you must register in advance.
Start line: street parking around Redmond City Hall in downtown Redmond, and the parking garage at the Redmond Senior Center, which fills quickly. There is also parking at Redmond Town Center, about a 15 minute walk away. There is no parking at the Redmond Library. Plan ahead and arrive early — we recommend transit or being dropped off.
Finish line: there is no parking at the finish. Friends and family may park at Lake Sammamish State Park, but every vehicle needs a Discover Pass, available online or from the park’s automated pay station. It is about a half mile, or 15 minutes on foot, from the parking to the finish line.
If you are not parking at the state park, watch for no-parking signs — you may be towed.
We recommend the Seattle Marriott Redmond or the Hyatt House Redmond.
Can't make it in person?
Run and log your race any time after your swag arrives. Virtual participants receive a shirt, medal and bib in the mail, shipped the week after the in-person race. Limited to 50 participants, and it counts towards your R-Pod medal.
Where your entry goes
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 do not feel a sense of belonging or safety there. The REI Cooperative Action Fund 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 support, 100% of your gift goes to grantee partners.
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!
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Good to Know
The fine print
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.
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.
Orca Running want 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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