Miles for the Mind

Welcome to Trail Therapy Running — we’re so glad you’re here.

At Trail Therapy, we believe in miles for mental health. Our events are designed to challenge your body, steady your mind, and remind you why you fell in love with trail running in the first place.

Join us for unique, endurance-focused running experiences at beautiful local parks, including Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, WA and McCormick Forest Park in Gig Harbor, WA. We host timed events ranging from 3 hours to 24 hours, welcoming runners of all backgrounds, goals, and grit levels.

Learn more about our individual events:

• Loop Out The Year — December 26, 2026
• McCormick 24 — September 12, 2026

Come for the miles. Stay for the community. 🏃‍♀️🌲

Trail Therapy Running

Trail Therapy Run Club will be exploring a new park for the first time this Friday, May 29th at 6:00pm as we take on the trails at Swan Creek Park.

This week is a true run club takeover, with participants leading the way and showing us around the trails. Talk about a community effort!

We will meet at the Swan Creek Dog Park and MTB parking lot before venturing out onto the Swan Creek Canyon Trail.

You can expect roughly a 5-mile route, with the option for a little extra adventure if you’re feeling good. As always, we’ll have cold seltzers waiting at the finish, and if the weather cooperates, otter pops too.

Can’t make it Friday? You’ll have another chance to run with us this week.

On Sunday, May 31st at 7:00am, we’ll be hosting a preview run for our upcoming McCormick 24 race at McCormick Forest Park. Join us for as many or as few loops as you’d like. We’ll have water and light snacks available for everyone.

We hope to see you out on the trails this week!

Another beautiful night for a group run on Friday, 5/22 at Point Defiance Park. We lucked out with the warm weather, and I think we were all especially thankful for the cold seltzers and otter pops waiting for us at the finish.

A few of our friends are racing this weekend — race season is officially in full swing — and we’re wishing them the best of luck as they tackle their upcoming events!

Next week we’re heading somewhere new: Swan Creek Park in Tacoma. It’ll be a group run takeover, with one of our friends leading us through the park. Knowing them, we can probably expect a fun route with a side of extra adventure.

We’ll see you next Friday, 5/29 at 6:00pm at the Swan Creek MTB parking lot!

Join us this Friday, May 22 at 6:00pm meeting at the Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter in Point Defiance Park.

We have two options for distance: 4 miles or 6 miles. We will start by running the blue loop and for those wishing to go longer, we will get the additional two miles in on the surrounding trails. All paces are welcome in this no drop group trail run.

Come for the miles, stay for the post-run seltzer and conversation!

We hope to see you on Friday!

It was just our second ever group run featuring rain last night, Friday 5/15. Kind of hard to believe in the PNW! We are thankful for everyone who braved the downpours with us — not a single one of us had dry clothing by the end.

So many of our friends are out participating in events this weekend, especially @dirtyturtle25.50k, so they couldn’t pregame with this type-2 fun run. Good luck to all of you out there racing and adventuring this weekend. May the course and the weather be ever in your favor.

Next week’s group run takes us back to where it all started: Pt Defiance Park. Join us at the Ft Nisqually Picnic Shelter as we run the 4.3 mile blue loop, with an optional 6 mile route for anyone wanting a few extra miles. All paces welcome!

As always, post-run seltzers will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Join us this Friday, May 15th at 6:00pm for our weekly group trail run. This week we will return to Ft Steilacoom Park. We will meet near the red H barn near the Waughop Lake Trailheads/Dog Park Parking lot.

This route is 5 miles in length. All paces are welcome, but we typically operate on party pace.

As always, we will have some post-run seltzers available. Come for the miles, stay for the seltzers and conversation!

We hope to see you there!

Are you ready for McCormick 24 on September 12, 2026? We are excited for our first year offering this race. McCormick 24 features four options: a 24-hour race, 12-hour day start, 12-hour night start and a 6-hour day start. You choose how long and how far you want to go.

Why a timed event? Timed races are a great way to dip your toes into longer distances without the pressure of committing to a set mileage goal. It puts you in control of how much you want to challenge yourself while offering a relaxed, fun atmosphere to help keep you moving through the loops. Whether you’re chasing a new PR, your first ultra distance or simply looking to spend time on the trails with friends, there’s a place for everyone at McCormick 24.

We will also be hosting a group run and photo shoot on Sunday, May 31st at 7:00am. Everyone is welcome to come preview the course, meet other runners and see what race day will have in store. We’ll have a small aid station setup during the run as well.

We hope to see you there!

Our Friday 5/8 group trail run at Tacoma Nature Center featured friends, fun, seltzers, and unofficial Monkeyshines.

During the run, one of us spotted something hanging from a branch just off the trail. It turned out to be a beautiful piece of flat glass pressed with a flower design. For those unfamiliar, Tacoma has a long-standing tradition of hiding glass art and other handmade treasures for people to discover. While it’s most commonly associated with Chinese New Year and the annual Monkeyshines hunt, you never know what hidden gems you might stumble across out on the trails.

Who knew our group run would double as a treasure hunt?

Come see what treasures await and join us next Friday, May 15 at 6:00pm for our group trail run at Ft. Steilacoom Park..

We’re back at Tacoma Nature Center this Friday, May 8th at 6:00pm!

Join us for a short and sweet 3-mile run led by Trail Therapy, with the option to keep going if you’re chasing a few extra miles.

You can find our full weekly group run schedule on our website, and we also post all runs on Strava. Locations and distances vary each week, so there’s always something new to explore. Feel free to RSVP—or just show up. We’re easy like that.

Come for the run, stay for the post-run seltzers and good conversation.

See you this Friday!

Check out our group run schedule for the rest of May—we’ve got some great miles ahead and hope to see you at a few (or all!) of them.

You can find the full schedule on our website, and if you’re on Strava, be sure to give us a follow—we post all our group runs there too.

RSVP however you’d like: through the site, on Strava, shoot us a text, or just show up and surprise us. No pressure—we’re just excited to run with you!

Our Friday, May 1st group run at Chambers Creek Canyon was an absolute blast. We were surprised by a few Evergreen Turtle Rockets from Bremerton who made the drive down to join us, and it was so much fun having them out there. We definitely need to make an ETR x TTR group run mashup happen again soon.

A few of our friends also treated us to some side quests (aka extra hills) along the route. It was the warmest evening we’ve had yet for our group runs, so we came prepared with popsicles in addition to our usual post-run seltzers.

Needless to say, the popsicles and cold bubbly water absolutely hit the spot while we hung out and chatted after the run. It’s becoming less about the miles and more about the people we get to share them with. Watching this community slowly grow and take shape is as beautiful as it is heartwarming. Tacoma needed this just as much as we did

We hope to see you next Friday at Tacoma Nature Center!

Trail Therapy Running Co has officially turned the swag machine on! We partnered with an incredibly talented young PNW local, @hatsbyhudson, who helped bring our vision to life.

We’re excited to add some swag as we continue to grow within our community.

Next up: the McCormick 24 buckle reveal 👀 Another project we’ve been hard at work on, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Speaking of McCormick 24 — join us for a preview run of the course on Sunday, May 31 at 7:00 AM. We’ll be shooting photos and videos for our UltraSignup page and social media.

We’ll have a mini aid station set up and will be camping out for a few hours while everyone gets in their weekend miles. Come run as many — or as few — loops as you’d like!

You’re invited to our weekly group trail run this Friday, May 1st at 6:00pm. Celebrate May Day by running the trails at Chamber Creek Canyon. We will meet at the Chambers Creek North Trailhead off Chambers Creek Road W (Google Maps should take you to the right spot if you’re unfamiliar).

We will run through the Kobayashi Preserve, up through a neighborhood and connect to the Chambers Creek Canyon South trail. This route is 6 miles in length.

As always, post run seltzers are available.

We hope to see you all this Friday!

It’s no secret runners love their medals. 🏅

But beyond the medal… what’s your favorite type of race swag?

A t-shirt, a hat, a sticker, a keychain — what do you prefer most?

At Trail Therapy we want to know what you’d like to see for swag from our races. Drop yours in the comments.

Another stunning Friday night group run brought us to Point Defiance Park. A few friends couldn’t make it last minute, but we still made the most of a beautiful evening.

The trails felt like they were ours—even with the park bustling around us. Calm, peaceful, and full of those classic PNW views, we made sure to stop at every water overlook we could.

Next up, we’re heading back to Chambers Creek Canyon for a 6-mile run. We can’t wait to see you all out there!

Hello, Pt. Defiance—our old friend. We’ve come to run your trails again!

Join us this Friday, April 24 at 6:00 PM at the Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter in Point Defiance Park.

We’ll be running the Blue Loop (4 miles), with an optional 2-mile add-on for anyone looking to go a little farther.

Come for the miles, stay for the post-run seltzer. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!

Loop Out The Year 2025 was the spark that ignited our race directing dreams—and now we’re ready to build on it.

We’re excited to introduce the newest addition to our lineup: McCormick 24—a race designed to take you to new heights and push you into longer, deeper challenges.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 12, 2026.

McCormick 24 will offer three timed events:

* 24 Hour
* 12 Hour Day (8:00am start)
* 12 Hour Night (8:00pm start)

All races will take place at McCormick Forest Park on a 2.35-mile loop featuring roughly 320 feet of elevation gain per lap.
Run as many—or as few—loops as you’d like within your chosen event. Whether you’re chasing distance, testing your limits, or simply showing up for the experience, this course will meet you where you’re at.

Every participant will receive a finisher’s medal, and any runner who reaches 100 miles or more will earn a buckle.

Registration is now open on our website and UltraSignup—check it out for full details.

We’ll also be hosting a group run preview of the course in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more information.

Let’s see how far you can go.

Our Friday night group run took us out to the trails at Tacoma Nature Center—looping around Snake Lake and the surrounding hills for a short, sweet adventure.

Honestly, my favorite part is never the route—it’s the people. You never quite know who’s going to show up, and that surprise makes it special every single week. Seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones is what keeps this going.

Community—that’s always been the goal. 💛

We’re hosting a short & sweet group run this Friday, April 17th at 6:00 PM at Tacoma Nature Center!

📍 Meet at the trailhead sign in front of the nature center

It’s our first time bringing the group to these trails and we’re excited to check them out together! It’s a smaller trail system, but super fun and perfect for a relaxed evening run.

We will run 3 miles, with options to go longer if you’re feeling it. All paces are welcome (typically 11–13+ min/mile)

Come hang out, move your body, and kick off the weekend with us—we hope to see you there!

What another gorgeous night for a group run at Fort Steilacoom Park! We’re loving seeing so many new and returning faces each week.

Honestly, we’re enjoying it so much that we decided to make it work for next Friday, too. We had originally planned to pause due to our race the following day, but consistency and reliability matter to us—and to this group.

So here’s the plan for next week:

📍 New location: Tacoma Nature Center
📅 Friday, 4/17
⏰ 6:00 PM
🏃‍♂️ 3-mile group run (with the option to go longer if you’d like)

We hope you’ll come join us for another great evening on the trails!

Our weekly group trail run returns to Ft Steilacoom Park this Friday, April 10th at 6:00pm. We will meet at the Waughop Lake Trailhead Parking Lot near the dog park. Our group will be located next to the red H-barn near the parking lot.

The route is 5 miles in length. All paces welcome!

We will have post run seltzers following the run or feel free to BYOB!

Hope to see you there!

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful evening for our group run at Chambers Creek Canyon. We had some new faces join the fun and soak up the sun with us. It was truly a magical evening in the canyon connecting with our community.

Our group run next week will be at Ft Steilacoom Park on 4/10 at 6:00pm. We will meet at the Waughop Lake trailhead right next to the large tree trunk display. We will run our 5 mile route for our Loop Out The Year course in December.

We hope to see you there next week!

No April Fools' joke here - our group run returns this week to Chambers Creek Canyon Trail. Meet us at the Chambers Creek North Canyon Trailhead off Chambers Creek Road W this Friday, April 3rd at 6:00pm.

Our route spans 5-6 miles, taking us through the north canyon, Kobayashi Preserve, and a neighborhood before connecting to the South Canyon trailhead.

Check our website for directions. Non-alcoholic seltzer will be provided, or BYOB if you prefer.

We can’t wait to see you there!

This week's a break from our group runs, but we've got exciting plans ahead! Take a look at our April and May schedule below. We hope to share the trails with you soon!

To all our friends toeing the line this weekend: best wishes for a fantastic race - soak up the atmosphere and enjoy!

We had our last group run of March at Ft Steilacoom Park last night.. The rain stopped just in time and it ended up being a beautiful evening for a run. Our weekly group run is paused next week to account for multiple events going on in the state.

We will resume our group runs on April 3rd when we return to the Chambers Creek Canyon Trail. We will be posting our group run schedule for April early next week.

Hope to see you on the trails soon!

Last weeks snow and park closure forced us to cancel our group run on Friday the 13th. This week we are back at Ft Steilacoom Park. Join us this Friday at 6pm.

We will meet at the Angle Lane and Elwood Drive parking lot. From there we will run the new 5 mile course for our Loop Out The Year race in December.

Come for the miles, stay for a seltzer (or BYOB)! All paces welcome with regrouping every mile to keep us together!

We look forward to seeing you this Friday!

#grouprun #pnwrunner #tacomarunner

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Upcoming Events

Join us for our weekly group trail run every Friday at 6pm. Locations vary week to week. See schedule below for details.

1 day to the event

McCormick 24 Preview Run

Sun, May 31

McCormick Forest Park

Join us at McCormick Forest Park in Gig Harbor for a preview of the course for our race in September.

RSVP

6 days to the event

Tacoma Nature Center Group Trail Run

Fri, Jun 05

Tacoma Nature Center

Join us at Tacoma Nature Center for a 3 mile trail run. All paces welcome!

RSVP

Multiple Dates

13 days to the event

Ft Steilacoom Group Trail Run

Fri, Jun 12

Fort Steilacoom Park

Join us at Ft Steilacoom park for a 5 mile trail run! All paces welcome.

RSVP

Multiple Dates

13 days to the event

Chambers Creek Canyon Run

Fri, Jun 12

Chambers Creek Canyon North Trailhead

Meet us at the Chambers Creek Canyon North Trailhead for a 6 mile run. Mixed terrain with mostly trail and some pavement. All paces welcome!

RSVP

Multiple Dates

27 days to the event

Pt Defiance Group Trail Run

Fri, Jun 26

Fort Nisqually Living History Museum

Meet us at the Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter for a 4.3 mile trail run. We will run the blue loop. All paces welcome!

RSVP

105 days to the event

McCormick 24

Sat, Sep 12

McCormick Forest Park

24 hour, 12 hour day and 12 hour night Race in Gig Harbor, WA.

Details

210 days to the event

Loop Out The Year

Sat, Dec 26

Fort Steilacoom Dog Park

8, 6 and 3 hour endurance run at Ft Steilacoom Park.

Details

About Us

Our Passion for Running

At Trail Therapy Running, we strive to create an environment of growth, competition, inclusivity and support. Our community of runners are dedicated to helping each other achieve their goals and reach new heights.

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Trail Therapy Running

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Upcoming Events

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Trail Therapy Running Events