Monday's Featured 5k of the Week - Chicago Polar Dash

Runners are a crazy bunch! 

This 5k is part of a full-fledged “event”.  There is a 5k, 10k, 15 mile, and 3 (yes 3) 1500 meter dashes on this day.  Runners can sign up for 1, 2, or 3 events.  (can’t sign up or 10k/15mile as they occur at the same time, and can only run the 1500 on time).

Runners can sign up for the “Super Yeti Challenge” which consists of the 15 mile, the 5k, and a 1500 meter dash.  They get a medal for each, plus a special “Super Yeti” medal.  They can pick which of the 3 1500 meter dashes they want to run.

Or, they can sign up for the “Yeti Challenge” which consists of the 10k instead of the 15 mile – and then the 5k and 1500.  Same deal, a medal for each, plus a 4^th “Yeti” medal.  They can also pick which 1500 meter they want to run.

Or, runners can sign up for just the 5k, just the 10k, just the 15mile, or just the 1500 meter.  By the time the day is complete, 6 separate events will have been run.

8:15am 1500 meter

9:00am 15 mile start

9:45am 10k start

11:15am 1500 meter

11:45am 5k start

12:30pm 1500 meter

That means 6 races in about 5 hours.  Talk about need some coordination and logistic magic – and some great volunteers!!! 

The 15mile and 10k both leave Grant Park and head south past the Museum Campus, Soldier Field, and McCormack Place and continuing south on the Lakefront Trail.  Both are “out-and-back” courses. 

The 5k leaves Grant Park and heads north up the Lakefront Trail all the way to Lakeside East, almost to the Chicago River.  It is also an “out-and-back” course.

The 1500 meter leaves Grant Park and heads east towards Michigan Avenue and is basically also an “out-and-back” course.

The volunteers to make such a diverse event happen, over so much property, and so much time deserve MAJOR PROPS.  Just imagine all the moving parts during race day to make this happen – let alone before and after.

Now, back to the opening sentence – “Runners are Crazy”.  Look at these temperatures – Mother Nature guaranteed the “Polar” in the Polar Dash this year.

8:00am : Air temp -2, windchill –19

9:00am : Air temp 0, windchill – 7

12:00pm: Air temp 10, windchill –4

Yes, those ARE minus signs!

Anyhow – a very well organized event – EACH race started at the same start line – and EACH race ended at the same finish line.  At times, runners from different events would even pass each other (opposite ways) on parts of the course, and in theory different races could be finishing at the same time.  For me, I think that added to the uniqueness and “coolness” of the event – having all these runners sharing parts of the same course, at the same time-ish.

Great food bag and medal at the end.  Chip-timed (shoe chip) – and they even announced runner names as they crossed the finish line – which, as a runner, I found very cool!!!

And of course, it’s Chicago – beautiful Lake Michigan along the side and Skyline in the background!!

Chicago Polar Dash - official site