4th annual Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series benefits runners, King County trails

More than 200 runners completed the opening race of the fourth-annual Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series on May 20. Presented by the King County Parks and the Seattle Running Company, the series resumes June 10 with a 7.5-mile race.

As part of their unique partnership with the King County Parks, the Seattle Running Company coordinates work groups made up of trail runners to devote 120 volunteer hours per year toward restoring Cougar Mountain trails. Tasks include hauling and laying gravel, building bridges and repairing drainage.

"King County depends heavily on volunteers to maintain its park trails," said Russ Bosanko, a Program Manager for King County Parks. "These trails are a valuable community resource, and it’s important that they are restored after each race for the next users. We greatly appreciate work that the race participants and other runners do for our parks."

In addition to the volunteer labor, a portion of the trail race registration fees are donated to King County Parks. Of each racer’s $25 per race registration fee, $15 goes toward park maintenance and improvements.

"The series gives runners a chance to not only excel at trail running but also to do their part in maintaining the public land for other trail users," said Scott McCoubrey, President of the Seattle Running Company.

McCoubrey said that trail running is growing in popularity throughout the Pacific Northwest, and specifically at Cougar Mountain, which is rated the number-one destination for runners in Seattle by Runner’s World magazine.

"Many runners turn to trail running because of the all-over body workout, the natural beauty of the setting and because running on a trail has less impact on the body," McCoubrey said.

Race course lengths will gradually increase as the Cougar Mountain series continues. Beginning with a basic five-mile race, the series culminates with a half marathon of 13 miles. The registration area and starting line of each race is the Sky Country trailhead, off 166th Way SE. The schedules for each race are:

Race 2 (7.5 miles), June 10

• Packet Pick-up and Race Day Registration: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Race Start: 9 a.m.
• Awards/Prize Drawings: 11 a.m.

Race 3 (10 miles), July 8

• Packet Pick-up and Race Day Registration: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Race Start: 9 a.m.
• Awards/Prize Drawings: 11:30 a.m.

Race 4 (13 miles), August 12

• Packet Pick-up and Race Day Registration: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.
• Race Start: 8:30 a.m.
• Awards/Prize Drawings: 11 a.m.
  

The 2006 Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series is sponsored by King County Parks and Recreation, Montrail, Seattle Running Company and USA Track & Field.

For more information, including directions to the Sky Country Trailhead, or to register for a race, visit http://www.seattlerunningcompany.com/Events/Cougar/cougarmtn1.html on the Internet.

At more than 3,000 acres in size, Cougar Mountain features 36 miles of hiking trail and 12 miles of horseback riding trails. The park is located south of I-90 and east of I-405, just minutes from downtown Bellevue, Seattle or Renton. For more park information, visit http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/rentals/pommar99.htm on the Internet.