The Freedom 50

5k Run or Walk-

PLUS:KIDDIE DASH + WELLNESS FAIR + FOOD+ COFFEE

KIDS ACTIVITIES + WELLNESS VENDOR BOOTHS + BLOOD DRIVE + RAFFLE PRIZES & MORE!

Bring your dogs on a leash!

We have partnered with Rainier Foot and Ankle to create this fun, family, fitness & WELLNESS event!

We will be starting and stopping at Rainier Foot and Ankle's beautiful location! The course runs along Railroad Avenue to the trailhead, then to the Dog park, and back! This is a fairly flat, easy course. It will require a police closure of Griffin Ave, so you may lose a few seconds of time waiting for traffic control.

Join the Club!

Our 5K training program is designed to help both true beginners and returning athletes gradually build up their running ability over the course of several weeks. Our training program typically spans 6 to 8 weeks, allowing participants to go from little or no running experience, to completing a 5K (3.1 miles) with confidence!

Training Program Overview

Our training program consists of a mix of walking and running intervals, gradually increasing the running time while decreasing the walking time. We'll have three groups to ensure everyone participating feels challenged but not overwhelmed. The more advanced groups will move into some more advanced running workouts by the end of the training program.

• Group 1 will be for those who are starting from very little to no experience or are coming back to the sport after a long time off. Group 1 members will likely have to deal with Coach Dalty the most... so choose wisely!

• Group 2 will be geared toward slightly more advanced runners who are already confident they can finish a mile or more without stopping.

• Group 3 will be for even more experienced runners and will likely operate with little supervision or guidance during workouts. Group 3 members should feel confident they can run at least a mile and be able to independently execute prescribed workouts without oversight.

Throughout the course of the training program, we will try to hold a few Special Topic Talks aimed at providing new runners the guidance they need on the best gear, fuel, hydration, and recovery techniques to help them avoid common social media woes.

Details

Our 5k training program will kick-off at 6:00PM on Wednesday April 29 @ Civic Park in Ten Trails. Once the training program starts, the group will meet every Wednesday at 6:00pm at Civic Park, and every Sunday at 8:30AM at Civic Park. Everyone will get a copy of the schedule on the first day. We will use the first race of our Summer Series as our target 5k! Our target 5k race will be held on June 17.

Tips for Success (We will cover these in detail in Special Topic Talks)

• Stay consistent: Show up to our group meetings and do you best to run at least once a week on your own.

• Listen to your body: If you feel pain, talk to a coach. discomfort is normal and we should work through it. A coach can help new runners tell the difference between pain and discomfort and whether we need to get stronger or take a break.

• Stay hydrated and fueled: Come hydrated and properly fueled. Ask a coach for suggestions if you are unsure.

• Wear proper running gear but don't be fooled into thinking you need all the most expensive gear!

• Track your progress: download Strava and join the Ten Trails Active Club's Strava Club!

Conclusion

Our 5K training program is a great way to kickstart your running journey. With dedication and consistency, your goal to finish a 5K race could be just the beginning!

Sponsorship Note:

We (a very small group of individuals) love hosting this free program for the community and have no plans on stopping! With that said, we have no large or consistent sponsors - so this program and other club activities are not free for us to host! If you are in a position to donate and help keep all our events going in the future, we would greatly appreciate it. Donations can be made during registration or directly to Coach Dalty in person. Every contribution is much appreciated!

Pulse Brewed Coffee (owned by Coach Dalty) also contributes a portion of his sales to funding Ten Trails Active Club events, so if you'd like to try some great coffee, give Pulse Brewed a try! You won't be disappointed!

Join us for the return of the Ghost of Tacoma on Saturday and the Tacoma City Marathon on Sunday with Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 5K, 10K and Kids 1K options also available.

Run 3 races in 2 days! Kick off Saturday morning with the 5K or 10K (8:00 am start) and afterwards, run the Ghost of Tacoma Marathon or Half Marathon (9:00 am start). Kids 1K race will be on Saturday at 9:30 am. Then complete the weekend with the Tacoma City Marathon or Half Marathon on Sunday. PLUS receive a $40 Discount on the Ghost of Tacoma if you register for the Sunday Marathon or Sunday Half Marathon. Discount will be automatically applied to your cart when you add both races (must be the same registrant for both races).

Sunday’s Marathon and Half Marathon are point-to-point courses running across the iconic Narrows Bridge and finishing at Tacoma’s beautiful Dune Peninsula Park, the Northwest’s premier waterfront neighborhood. This picturesque entertainment and recreation hub is situated along Commencement Bay with panoramic views of the Puget Sound, the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges.

Runners will enjoy a scenic, USATF-Certified and Boston Qualifying course that passes through Point Defiance Park, with over 700 acres of beautiful gardens and old growth forests. After exiting Pt. Defiance, the Marathon and Half Marathon runners will cross over the Wilson Way Bridge with a sweet half mile downhill to the Puget Sound and Dune Peninsula Park where the Half Marathon will finish. The Marathon will continue down the flat and fast waterfront with views of Mt. Rainier and the Puget Sound. The Marathon turnaround is along the Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade and the beautiful Museum of Glass.

May 30, 2026 – The Full Marathon Returns!

We’re excited to announce that the Full Marathon is coming back on May 30, 2026, and will also be part of our September event. Start planning now for your next Boston Qualifier on this beautiful, fully paved downhill course, no tunnel, no dirt, no BQ penalty.

There’s no excuse not to do the dam thing!

Marathon

The marathon course begins at Mud Mountain Dam (elevation 1,400′). Runners will follow a fully paved route through picturesque farmlands and forested areas, tracing the path of the Carbon River. The race finishes in front of the historic McMillin Bridge (elevation 200′), with a total net elevation loss of approximately 1,200′.

Half Marathon

The Half Marathon begins in the scenic town of South Prairie (elevation 467′) and follows a gradual downhill route along the paved Foothills Rail Trail. Runners will enjoy a picturesque journey through farmland and forest, winding alongside the Carbon River and finishing in front of the historic McMillin Bridge (elevation 128′). The course features a net elevation loss of 339 feet.

Join the Club!

It's officially race season! And the Ten Trails Active Club is back at it with our 4th annual 5k Summer Series! Having a baby girl isn't going to slow down this team! Our summer series is our claim to fame and is a great way to build new friendships with your fellow community members - all while getting active alongside a supportive group of individuals with their own set of unique fitness goals.

The series consists of seven bi-weekly races. You only need to register once to be eligible to run or walk in all seven races (you'll be assigned a race number for the entire season at check in) ... and registration is FREE! We encourage folks of all fitness levels, and of all communities to come out and join us! Each race will be hand-timed on an open course, and results of each race will be posted on our website within a few days following the race. Post-race snacks and water will be provided as usual, but we ask everyone to bring their own water bottles to help cut back on plastic cup usage. The course has not changed from the previous years - details can be found here: COURSE MAPS | TenTrailsActiveClub (or on the link further below on this page). Note that this is a 5k despite what your watch may record... it's a twisty course through the Ten Trails trails!

As with previous years, we will have prize categories for our fastest runners and walkers, as well as categories for racers who show the most club spirit, go all out on the sprint segment, or show the most support for others throughout the season. So, anyone can win in this series! But you must compete in at least four of the seven races to be eligible for prizes. Awards will be presented at our End-of-Season Awards Potluck which will be hosted a few weeks after the last race.

Races will be held every other Wednesday on the following dates: June 17th, July 1st, July 15th, July 29th, Aug 12th, Aug 26th, Sep 9th. Check-in for each race will be held in Civic Park at 6:00pm. Race announcements will start promptly at 6:30pm, with the official start to immediately following. On the weeks that we do not race, we do have a group run from Civic Park at 6:30pm that we encourage everyone to join as well.🙂

We can't stress enough how fun these races are! So, come on out and see for yourself! 😀

Excited to see you all out there!

~Coach Dalty

Sponsorship Note:

We (a very small group of individuals) love hosting these free events for the community and have no plans on stopping! With that said, we have no large or consistent sponsors - so these events are not free for us to host! If you are in a position to donate and help keep these events going in the future, we would greatly appreciate it. Donations can be made during registration or directly to Coach Dalty in person. Every contribution is much appreciated!

Pulse Brewed Coffee (owned by Coach Dalty) also contributes a portion of his sales to funding Ten Trails Active Club events, so if you'd like to try some great coffee, give Pulse Brewed a try! You won't be disappointed!