Beneficiary
Team Ortho Foundation is proud to have Shriners Hospitals for Children - Chicago as the beneficiary for our Polar Dash.
This hospital treats children who have orthopaedic and neuromusculoskeletal conditions, spinal cord injuries as well as cleft lip and palate.
Team Ortho Foundation's mission is to keep people active and promote good orthopaedic health, by organizing amateur athletic events. We also donate to orthopaedic research and programs.
You can find out much more about Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago by clicking here.
USATF Certification
The Chicago Polar Dash's 10K and 14 Mile are both USATF-certified events. You can check out the official certification documents here.
Racer FAQ
You may have a few questions regarding the Polar Dash. You can get them all in one downloadable document.
Travel & Lodging
Book your hotel now for the 2014 Polar Dash!
15 Mile & 10K
The Polar Dash 15 Mile and 10K will be a fun and frosty adventure. At our inaugural Polar Dash in Chicago, runners will be in the mood to get 2015 started on the right foot with a good, old fashioned winter race! Because in Chicago we run outside YEAR 'ROUND!
Both the 10K and the 15 Mile are chip-timed races on a USATF-certified course that takes runners from Grant Park, south down the lake shore of Lake Michigan and back. See Course Information here. All runners get their Polar Dash fleece as well as a finisher's medal. Once you complete this race we'll have Hot Chocolate waiting for you at the finish line!
This is a cold weather race and participants must come ready to run in any kind of wintry weather.
Polar Dash 15 Mile & 10K Highlights
- Date: TBD
- 15 Mile Start time: 9:00am
- 10K Start time: 9:45am
- Time limit for 10K: 2 hours
- Time limit for 14 Mile: 3 1/2 hours
- Chip-timed races
- USATF certified
- Hot Chocolate at the Finish Line
- Unisex Polar Dash fleece
- Penguin Hat
- Stained-glass medal
- Bag Drop/Pick-up
- Shriners Hospital for Children is the beneficiary for this race. It does fabulous orthopaedic work for children all over the U.S.
5K Information
The Polar Dash 5K is a fun, quick jaunt along Lake Michigan which starts and ends in Grant Park. The recscheduled date is Saturday, January 11th, 2015. See the course information here. All runners get their Polar Dash fleece as well as a finisher's medal. Once you complete this race we will have Hot Chocolate waiting for you at the finish line!
This is a cold weather race and participants must come ready to run in any kind of wintry weather.
Polar Dash 5K Highlights
- Date: TBD
- Start time: 11:45am
- Time Limit: 1 hour
- Hot Chocolate at the Finish Line
- Unisex Polar Dash fleece
- Penguin Hat
- Stained-glass medal
- Arrange to have your gear and packet mailed to you during online registration (no mailouts after December 27th)
- Bag Drop/Pick-up
- Shriners Hospital for Children is the beneficiary for this race. It does fabulous orthopaedic work for children all over the U.S.
Course Information
The Polar Dash will be a fun and frosty race in January 2015
15 Mile & 10K
- 15 Mile Start Time: 9:00am
- 10K Start Time: 9:45am
- See Aid Station Information
5K Information
- 5K Start Time: 11:45am
- See Aid Station Information
1500m Information
- Heat 1 Start Time: 8:45am
- Heat 2 Start Time: 11:15am
- Heat 3 Start Time: 12:30pm
Bib Numbers
This is where you need to be if you're looking up a bib number. You will need this number for packet pick-up.
The numbers are updated often, but are not instantaneous with your registration. Please be patient and check back every few days.
Click here to see your bib number (updated 1.08.14)
Packet Pick-up
Soon you will be able to pick up your fleece, penguin hat, bib and chip (chip only for 10K and 14 Mile) for the Chicago Polar Dash. You will need you bib number and a copy of your photo ID for Packet Pick-up. When bib numbers are posted you will your Bib numbers here. There will be no packet pick-up on race morning.
Packet Pick-up
Friday 1/9/15
11am - 7pm
Congress Hotel (see map)
1st Floor Windsor Room
If you don't want to, or can't come to packet pick-up you can ask a friend to pick up for you. All they need is a photo copy or a picture of your photo ID and your bib number. Also, you can always request that we mail your packet for an additional $9.99 during online registration. If you wish to add on the mail out option any time after you have already registered the total fee is 29.99, which consists of the 9.99 mail out fee plus a 20.00 processing fee. Mailout requests must be made by December 26th, to ensure delivery by race day.
If none of those options work and you would like to pick up your packet on race day, you must have it pre-arranged by January 7th, to ensure your packet makes it to the race. Race day price is $30. If you arrange for a race day pickup, we will do our best to give you the gear size you requested, but there is no guarantee your size will be in stock. Click here by January 7th to arrange your race-day gear pick-up and click on "registration" in the dropdown.
If you don't pre-arrange your packet pick-up and come on race day, you will pay $30 but only get to choose from the sizes of gear we have available.
Race Gear
The Polar Dash has GREAT GEAR for its runners!
Important notes: As always we will have a gear exchange at the Polar Dash on race day so you can try to get the size you want. There will be no size exchanges after the event. Gear exchange is considered a courtesy. We will do our best to accommodate the size you want if it is available at gear exchange.
