Polar Dash Half Marathon

Although I have run the Get Lucky and Monster Dash half marathons, I had never signed up for this Team Ortho race because it is in early January (when the weather is usually unpredictable). I was not planning on signing up for it this year for the same reason. This year’s race consisted of 5k, 10k, 1500 meter dash, and 15 mile races. Also, for the first time, Team Ortho offered the Yeti Challenge, which provided the opportunity to earn four medals if you ran the 5k, 10k, and 1500 meter races all in one day (a medal for each race and an extra medal for completing the challenge). Even though I was weary of signing up for an early January race, the Yeti Challenge hooked me in. So I signed up for it.
Packet Pickup: The registration packet consisted of the bib, chip, a winter running hat (three to choose from), and a fleece. I did an early packet pickup in December at Team Ortho’s Chicago office. It was smooth and they were also giving away stocking stuffers for Christmas. Given that they did not have my size fleece, I ended up having to take a bigger size. To make up for it, they let me pick up two free stocking stuffers (consisting of Monster Dash tech hats). Well done.
Race Day: I was worried about the weather being bad given that it had snowed and there were constant subzero windchills all week leading up to the race. On race day, there was a windchill advisory with windchills expected to be subzero all morning. The race proceeded as scheduled, so I just bundled up and hoped for the best.
I parked at Soldier Field for only $ 13. Luckily, the heated washrooms in the parking structure were open. Use those instead of the ones in the race village… which were not heated.
The race was very well organized. There was a special tent (with heaters) for Yeti Challenge participants so that we could stay out of the wind and have a designated bag check area where we could access our bags between races.
The 10k started at 9:45 and the temperature was only 2 degrees, with a –10 windchill. Despite recent snow, the course was in good condition (plowed and salted). The course went south on the lakefront path and turned around after about 3 miles and then headed back north to Grant Park. Despite the bone chilling cold and nasty wind, it was a pretty good course with clear signs and volunteers to direct us to the right direction. After crossing the finish line, they gave us our medals and goodie bags and we waited in the Yeti Challenge tent until the next race.
The 1500 meter dash went west and then turned around and headed back to the park. The course was not entirely clean and there was a patch where it was very slippery due to the slushy snow. Overall, however, it was a good course. Again, we received medals after crossing the finish line and I went to wait in the tent.
Finally, the 5k started at 11:45 p.m. The course went north along the lakefront path and turned back around going south, taking the same path that we came from. The course was clear and in great shape given the conditions.
After the race, I collected my last two medals and finally enjoyed some much needed hot chocolate before heading back to the car to turn the heater on high.
It was a tough race (because of the weather), but very well organized. I have come to expect nothing less from Team Ortho as the Get Lucky and Monster Dash races were also well organized. My hat goes off to the volunteers as they cheered the runners on and always pointed us in the right direction, while toughing it out in the subzero temperatures for hours. They are tough.
Medals: Team Ortho’s races give out great looking medals, and this was no exception. As with the Get Lucky, these medals were stained glass and looked great. The Yeti Challenge medal was the coolest looking of the four.
If you want to run a well organized race, with great looking medals, look for one from Team Ortho.

I have to totally agree with several points made by Unilocaler Leilo P. OK, so here is a summary of events, in order, for my experience with the 2014 Polar Dash 5K /​10K /​Half Marathon:
1) Registration is good. I like that they offered early packet pick-​up so I could enjoy the fleece and cute penguin hat as soon as it got cold. If I remember correctly, there was some sort of early registration deal via email and I signed up for the Polar Dash and Monster Dash (Oct 2014) in July 2013 and then soon after was able to pick up both jackets later that month to enjoy them ASAP! Both are really nice but the Monster Dash one, in particular, is pretty cool /​nicely made. Plus, I get tons of compliments on my penguin hat.
2) Continued promotions –got an email about early registration for the Get Lucky run (March 2014) and was able to pick that up after the Polar Dash. Super cute and nice quality green shamrock-​themed jacket.
3) Race Day: OK, here’s where it gets crazy. First, the weather made the run difficult –lots of melting snow and big puddles of water on the path. This, obviously, was not their fault. However, that said, I would likely not do another Winter race since this could not be helped. We got lucky with the relief of the sub zero temps but this meant a very messy (melted) course.
Second MAJOR issue: disorganization. There was a huge crowd waiting in line –unbeknownst to all of us, we were blocking the path for the half marathoners /​elite runners. At one point, the «spotter» bicyclist who was clearing the path for an elite runner hit one of the 5K runners. I felt so bad for her! She was literally knocked to the ground! This was very uncool. Very bad planning on the organizer’s part. There should be volunteers directing us /​keeping us clear of the path. Or organize it so the starting lines are separated from the finish.
There were no repeated announcements, nor organization, so as the crowd moved toward the starting line, we thought, «Oh cool, we are starting!» Um… we ran the 10K. Or maybe it was a half marathon because halfway through, with the puddles and cold and climbing up snow, that’s what it felt like.
Again, there was supposed to be a volunteer directing 5K (3.1 miles) runners to their correct path but we didn’t see anyone! It was only, say 5 or 6 miles in, that I told my husband, «This is crazy. I think we have run the 10K, let’s just turn around!» So that is what we did! I honestly think we were on the path for the 13 miles! I could see runners far into the distance and did not even see the turn-​around point! I’m so glad we turned around to head back when we did!
We finished in 1 hour and 15 minutes so I’m pretty confident that we ran at least 6 miles and were likely on that 13 mile course until we turned around. And (good point from Leilo P.)…now that I think of it, during the 6 plus miles we ran, I did not pass one water station! WTF? How did the poor half marathoners do it then?
In summary, great race gear and promotions /​packet pick-​up; terrible race day organization. I *really* hope that the other two races I’m scheduled to run later this year (Get Lucky and the Monster Dash), all from the same race series (Team Ortho) are much better organized.
I’m giving this race 3 vs. 2 starts because of the great race gear AND (light at the end of the tunnel)…the fact that, after all the drama, I was able to pick up my awesome Get Lucky jacket. My sour mood changed instantly and I left (albeit cold, wet and tired) in a much better mood.

The 5K race sucked! There were no water stations, no on course support, and they pointed half of the participants in the wrong direction so some of us actually ran a 7K while others ran a 3K. They also failed to mention that 5K participants would not be timed! I basically paid a lot of money for a heavy fleece jacket that I will never wear and a Penguin hat. The medal was nice, but I don’t know if I really deserved it since I don’t know the length I ran! I don’t know why this race was so disorganized and expensive when no major streets had to be closed.
Team Ortho did send out an apology email and granted entrance to another race, but I won’t be running a 5k they offer again. My friends that did the half-​marathon enjoyed it more, but also had gripes about the lack of water stations.

Great race! Not crowded. Love the women’s fit right sized fleece. Finally a fleece I will wear from a race! We lucked out with the weather in Chicago…50 degrees. Nice support, lake path. I liked this race and would do it again, in a nice mild Chicago winter!!!

First time running the Polar Dash. I have to be honest I cringed when I purchased my registration in the fall. What was I thinking, who the F* wants to run in the freezing cold in January in Chicago (it could be icy, snowing or better yet freezing rain)?!? I let out a sign of relief when the final weather forecast expected a high of 51 at the start (with temps slowly dropping to the mid-40’s). And no signs of any shiny or wet stuff falling from the sky. I’m still happily counting all 10 fingers and toes, not cold enough to fear frostbite this year.
Pre-​race day packet pick up was offered at two different places, glad for a downtown pick up option. Race gear was a high quality, half zip, polar fleece with embroidered logos on the front and back, with a little reflective trim detail. Also, a cute knit penguin hat with fleece lining to go with their winter theme. Team Ortho has never disappointed me with the race gear (I loved the quality jacket I got for the Monster Dash). I received my shoe time chip, bid and a energy shot at their mini expo (no gel shot station was going to be on the course).
The weather was a runners dream on race day, I had been fearing snow and ice. I never thought I’d be running in shorts and a tee in January! The lines for the bathrooms intermingled with the bag check lines and caused a little confusion before the start. There were plenty of bathrooms that the wait was one of the fastest pre-​race pit stops I’ve had at a race. But the bag check was ridiculously long and didn’t move very fast. It all worked out for me and I wasn’t delayed to the start.
Just like Team Otho’s other races, they offered different distances. There were 3 races going on simultaneously; 5K, 10K and a half marathon. Each race had a staggered start time with the first race beginning at 9am. The course was a loop that started near the Museum campus’s and ran south on the lakefront path along Lake Michigan. It felt like a smaller group of runners than the Monster Dash, and it never got overly crowded. I could comfortably run at my preferred pace from start to finish. They had pace runners too, you couldn’t miss em… they were dressed as penguins.
Aid/​water stations were located almost every 3 miles. I wished there were a couple more because the weather was warm enough to be sweating fluids out faster than I would on a colder day. The course was the same as the other Team Ortho races (the Monster Dash). It’s a nice lakefront, paved path that winds around the start for the first mile before heading South 7ish miles to the turnabout point and then loops back North. There are points where runners share the same path running in opposite directions… but it was never too crowded or a problem for me.
Post race was okay, the food tent handed out the same boring prepackaged bags that included a bagel, banana (this time it was greener than the grass and would need to sit on the counter before I would be able to enjoy it) and a little Ghirardelli chocolate square. They also had hot chocolate. The chocolate station wasn’t run super efficient. When I stopped there was a small line of 3 people and one man pouring… I imagine that’ll get backed up once more runners finished. It wasn’t very hot but it was super rich (like when your a kid and you dump 2 packets of hot cocoa mix into your 6oz mug).
The medals are super sweet. High quality medal and colored stain glass. If it had been raining or snowing, these medals were the only thing that would have been motivating me to get out. I love my medals… especially super sweet ones like this one.
I’m beyond happy with the quality of the keepsakes, satisfied with the race course, indifferent about the pre-​race logistics and wished they would think twice about handing out the same sad post race food bags. I know they can be more creative than a banana and a bagel (even on a budget).