- Polar Bear Winter Classic
About this race
Saturday, February 27th - Polar Bear Winter Classic
Fowling Warehouse IndianapolisSJC Racing is proud to continue the tradition of one of the oldest races in Indianapolis: the 45th Annual Polar Bear Winter Classic.
We heard great feedback about the new location, and we'll be back at Fowling Warehouse for 2027!
This historic race is strategically placed on the calendar during the second half of February to be the first major road race of the year in Indy. The race offers a unique format including a 5K, 5 Mile or The Bear (5K + 5 Mile) The Bear is the challenge that allows you to run both distances, one after the other, for a total of 8.1 miles.
SWAG - The first 1000 registrants are guaranteed a finisher medal and "Wear the Bear" winter hat (watch your email and our Facebook page for alerts as we get close to hitting 1000). We also have an optional long sleeve and hoodie available as an add on during registration or directly from the race store.
Continuing with tradition, the Polar Bear Winter Classic offers cash prizes. age group awards in all three event distances. Post-race celebration will be inside at the Fowling Warehouse.
Pick your distance
Running
5K Run
5 Mile Run
The Bear (5K + 5 Mile = both races)
The Bear, running both races, is a tough one. This is why it has become a must do for those in Spring Training.
Virtual 5k
Virtual 5 Mile
Virtual Bear (5k + 5 Mile)
Typical race-day weather
Based on 10 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Indianapolis, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:20 AM and sets at 6:34 PM local time (EST) in Indianapolis on February 27, 2027 — 11h 13m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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Results — - Polar Bear Winter Classic
Other races near Indianapolis
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Sprint for the Soc Fundraising 5K Walk & Run
Bee the Light 5K - The Shelby Foundation for Kindness Delivered
Run the Monon (hosted by Indy Runners and Walkers)
St Jude Autumnfest 5K
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Indianapolis
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Indianapolis 5K Races 85 races
- 10K Run Events in Indianapolis 19 races
- Indianapolis Half Marathons 15 races
- Indianapolis Running Calendar 2026 116 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 126 Indianapolis events
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.