Revised Polar Dash Schedule
Race Week Schedule (Revised)
Here are the updates to the schedule becuase of the postponement:
- Friday, January 20th
11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Packet Pick-up at the Blackstone Hotel. See our packet pick-up page for additional information. - Saturday, January 21st
9:30 a.m. 10K/Half Start
10:00 a.m. 5K Start - Start/Finish lines are located in Arvey Field at Grant Park (NE corner of Columbus and Roosevelt)
- See Parking/Transportation information
USATF Certification
The Chicago Polar Dash's 10K and Half Marathon 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
Coming from out of town for the race? The Blackstone Renaissance Hotel is just steps from the start and finish line in Grant Park. See the map here.
If you have reserved your room for this weekend's race and want to cancel or reschedule based on the postponement of the Polar Dash to January 21st, you can do so by calling the Blackstone directly: at 312-447-0955 or toll free at 1-800-468-3571. You must take this action by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 13th to avoid being charged for the room.
Remember, for reference, you will want to know the name of the room block is Team Ortho Polar Dash. You can change your reservation to next Friday night, January 20th and get same $119 discounted rate.
The Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel is located 636 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60605
Half Marathon & 10K
The Polar Dash Half Marathon and 10K will be a fun and frosty adventure. At our inaugural Polar Dash in Chicago, runners will be in the mood to get 2012 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 Half Marathon 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 Half Marathon & 10K Highlights
- Rescheduled date: Saturday, January 21, 2012
- 9:30 a.m. Start Time (5K starts at 10:00 a.m.)
- Time limit for 10K: 2 hours
- Time limit for Half Marathon: 3 1/2 hours
- Chip-timed races
- USATF certified
- Hot Chocolate at the Finish Line
- Unisex Polar Dash fleece
- 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.
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Beat the Penguin Contest: Runners who cross the finish line before the participant wearing the penguin costume for their distance will get a free Polar Dash hat at the finish! (up to 50 hats available)
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 21st. 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
- Saturday, January 21st, 2012
- 10:00 a.m. Start Time (10K & Half start at 9:30 a.m.)
- Time Limit: 1 hour
- Hot Chocolate at the Finish Line
- Unisex Polar Dash fleece
- 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.
- Beat the Penguin Contest: Runners who cross the finish line in front of the participant wearing the penguin costume for their distance will get a free Polar Dash hat at the finish! (up to 50 hats available)
Course Information
The Polar Dash will be a fun and frosty race on Saturday, January 14th, 2012.
Half Marathon & 10K
The Half Marathon and 10K courses will go south down the Lakefront Trail from Grant Park. Double click on map to the right to see a larger view.
- Start time is 9:30 a.m. at Arvey Field-Grant Park (NE corner of Columbus and Roosevelt)
- USATF Certified -- see certification maps here.
- Common Start & Finish location
- 10K course is an "out and back" and turns around at mile 3.1 on the Half Marathon course.
- See Aid Station Information
5K Information
Race starts at 10:00 a.m. at Arvey Field-Grant Park (NE corner of Columbus and Roosevelt)
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.
Bib Numbers -- last names A-L (updated 1.20.12)
Bib Numbers -- last names M-Z (updated 1.20.12)
The numbers are updated often, but are not instantaneous with your registration. Please be patient and check back every few days.
Packet Pick-up
We have two dates for packet pick-up for the Polar Dash, where you will pick up your fleece, bib and chip (chip only for 10K and Half Marathon). Get your Bib numbers here. There will be no packet pick-up on race morning.
Packet Pick-up Schedule:
Friday, January 20, 2012
11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Location:
Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel:
636 South Michigan Ave ยท Chicago, Illinois 60605 (Map)
Packet Pick-up discounted parking is located at the Hilton located on 720 South Michigan Avenue (next door to the Blackstone). Parking will be $6.00 for one hour. People who participate in this discounted parking will receive their parking voucher at the info table at packet pick-up. You will need this voucher to get your discount upon leaving the parking ramp. The parking ramp entrance is off of Balbo.
Options for getting your packet: Participants can either come to packet pick-up, or have someone else pick up your packet for you (they just need your bib number and a copy of your photo id). It is our policy that there is no race day packet pick-up.
Race Gear
The Polar Dash has GREAT GEAR for its runners! In 2012, racers will receive a super cozy Polar Dash Fleece! And if it doesn't fit quite right, take it to our courtesy gear exchange at packet pick-up or on race day. We'll do our best to accommodate your size.
Also, every finisher gets the 2012 stained glass medal!
Important notes: As always we will have a gear exchange at the Polar Dash packet pick-up and 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. You must come to the packet pick-up to get your hoodie. Unless you selected a mailing option that was available to all participants during online registration.
Partners
We will list our partners in this space, coming soon.
