
Olympia Lakefair Races - Half Marathon, 8K & 3K
Race Date
Jul 18, 2026
Location
Olympia, WA
The Experience
2026 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Olympia Lakefair Races, which include the Jerry Miller Half Marathon, an 8K and a 3K including free entry for Kids 14 and under; taking runners on routes that circle around the town of Olympia and beyond into Tumwater and Thurston County. Both the 3K and 8K start and finish on 5th Avenue in front of Heritage Park. They both circle Capitol Lake, with the 8K continuing into Tumwater Historical Park before returning. Both are flat and fast courses. The Jerry Miller Half Marathon heads briefly through downtown Olympia, then along the Woodland Trial and Chehalis Western Trail biking paths. The course continues on rural streets and a short trail and tour of Squaxin Park before heading back along East Bay Drive and running through downtown Olympia to the finish line in front of Heritage Park. Runners will enjoy tree-lined trails and scenic landscapes while enjoying flat and narrow paved trails throughout. Once runners have completed the course, there is an awards ceremony with several raffle awards as well as age group award up to 90+ for all three races. Participants, family and friends can then enjoy festival activities that are held all around Heritage Park including food and beer tents, carnival rides, booths, a parade and more. The Valley Athletic Club is proud to be the 2026 Presenting Sponsor. The Olympia Lakefair Races are brought to you by the Lake Run Organization and the Rotary Club of Olympia, and benefit local public High School Cross Country and Track programs and Rotary Club of Olympia Scholarship and Grant recipients. See you July 18, 2026!
Logistics
Race Day
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Start Time
7:00 AM
Giveaway
T-Shirt
Start Location
399 5th Ave SW, Olympia, WA, 98501
Course Info
Course Type
Loop Course
Terrain
road
Difficulty
Ultra-Flat
Elevation Gain
0'
Net Drop/km
0 m (Flat)
Separation
0.0%
Also Offers
Quality Score
Standout7612 years running
~449 finishers a year
growing or steady
22% returning runners
2 timing sources
runners from 20 states
winner 1:10:47
typical high 80°F
Race Day Weather
5-year historical avgStart (Low)
55°
Afternoon (High)
80°
Warm — hydration strategy is key, start conservatively
0.0"
Precipitation
9 mph
Wind
66%
Humidity
Historical Finish Times
How 3,132 finishers actually crossed the line across 12 years.
Most recent
2025
Total finishers
3,132
Median time
2:08:22
Latest turnout
294
States
34
Turnout by year
2016–2025
Hover the histogram to inspect specific finish times.
Race Photos
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