About the 45th Annual - Polar Bear Winter Classic
The Polar Bear Winter Classic runs on urban streets through the heart of Indianapolis, making it one of the more city-focused courses you will find at a winter race. The two distances follow similar but not identical routes, so runners doing both back to back will see some variety. The terrain is road surface throughout, with no trail or gravel to worry about.
The post-race celebration is indoors at the Fowling Warehouse, which is also where packet pickup happens the evening before the race. Race-morning pickup is available too, though the pre-race-day window is the easier option. Both the course and the start area sit close to downtown, so orientation is straightforward for anyone familiar with the city.
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Finish-Time Stats
Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
13.05K · 2026 results
292finishers
40:21winner
1:13:21median
2:07:41cutoff
Top 3: Caleb Kerr (40:21) · Cameron Villarreal (40:43) · Carter Lindfelt (42:01)
5K · 2026 results
279finishers
17:16winner
33:57median
1:04:42cutoff
Top 3: Daniel Hartwig (17:16) · Abbey Warth (17:20) · Collin Trent (17:30)
5 Miles · 2026 results
132finishers
25:58winner
50:27median
1:31:20cutoff
Top 3: Evan Gaynor (25:58) · John Poray (26:25) · Alexander Gudeman (26:31)
The 45th Annual - Polar Bear Winter Classic is in its 45th year.
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
5K2/27/2027 08:30$40
5 Miles2/27/2027 09:15$45
13.05K2/27/2027 08:30$50
5K2/27/2027 08:30$40
5 Miles2/27/2027 08:30$45
13.05K2/27/2027 08:30$50
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Where to Stay
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