Sunday, March 13, 2016 • Bradford, PA • Course Map
Part of a multi-event running series that includes two 5K races, a 5-mile race, and 10K and 15K running events, the YMCA Polar Bear Series of Runs and Walks winds up its busy schedule that starts at the beginning of the year with its half-marathon in March.
Organized and run by the Olean Family YMCA, the event draws mainly local area residents but is open to all those who wish to participate. Named for the cooooold conditions in which the races are run, these running events aren’t for the faint of heart, as area temperatures routinely drop into the teens during January and February.
The March half marathon starts at the Olean YMCA (1101 Wayne Street) and takes runners on a course that winds through the surrounding city streets and neighborhoods, entirely along paved roads. Long-sleeve t-shirts are given out for complete series participants and “New Year’s Resolution” runners, and awards are given for the first-place finishers in each age group in the half marathon.
Race Weather & Climate
Located in the western corner of the state just over 10 miles from New York’s Allegheny State Park, the town of Bradford tends to experience slightly warmer conditions in the early spring, but the weather can still be very cold, as evidenced by record temperatures in March that have dropped as low as 23 degrees below zero (back in 1980) and risen as high as 80 degrees (in 1986).
On race day (March 13), the average low is 21ºF and the average high is 44ºF.
Course Map
See the race route map for the Polar Bear Series Half Marathon here.
Starting Time
1:00 PM
Fees
- $20 if registered before the day of the race
- $25 on the day of the race
Registration
To reserve your spot in the 2016 running of Olean’s Polar Bear Series of Runs & Walks Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, visit the event website here.
Official Race Website
Facebook Conversations
Ever run in the Polar Bear Series Half Marathon? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.
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