Overall, this race may or may not be worth your time if the race management makes some small improvements to the overall race logistics. When I ran the 15 miles in 2015, it was absolutely FREEZING. Mind you, they don't call it a polar dash for no reason at all!

PROs
- The race offers plenty of options for different types of runners - shorter distances (around 1 mile, I believe), 10K, and half marathon + distances. You can do 'challenges' incorporating more than one race in the single morning!
- The medals themselves are pretty cool. If you choose to run more than one race, you get medals for each one you complete.
- Packet pickup was relatively straightforward and easy (at fleet feet and/or out in the suburbs) and they gave you a few weeks notice as to the dates and times.

CONS
- The race should probably have been canceled IMO due to the horrendous weather. -2 degree start with a -15 windchill on the lakeshore is just not safe. The alert banner was red, but there's only so much that could be done to prevent hypothermia. People's beards were freezing, and everyone was huddling for warmth. It just just not a very fun or uplifting atmosphere!
- Pre-race and post-race, there were a few heating tents available to runners. Those were overcrowded and hard to get space by. I felt especially bad for the spectators who were not allowed access - they probably needed it more than the runners!
- The aid stations were not ideal. They were few and far between, and all of the water and gatorade was frozen!!!! I think I got a few drops of liquid every time I passed one. They should have planned for this, given it's a polar race.