Marathon Details - ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > OH > Ada > ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon

ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon & Half Marathon

Ada, OH USA

January 26, 2025

http://www.onusports.com/sports/mtrack/marathon

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Name:	Jason Maus
Address:	525 S. Main St. Ada, OH 45810
Phone Number:	419-772-2451
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.2

Organization 4.6

Spectators 4.5

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Number of comments: 21 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 > ]

b. w. from lawrenceburg, IN (11/16/2021) "you must not be afraid to do multiple loops" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I did this race three times. I knew after one race that I was in the right place, indoors on a track instead of outdoors on roads or trails. My car, when I walked out to it to drive home, had accumulated about eight inches of snow during the race. The support of the young ONU runners was great. They always had my lap count and cheered me on. Prior to the event you will receive an email asking what music you would want to hear during the race. They always included some of my suggested songs.
Eric Weatherbee from Tennessee (1/28/2019) "First-Class Event" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The prospect of running in circles for 4 or 5 hours is daunting, but Jason and his team of counters makes the experience one-of-a-kind. We had an absolute blast this weekend. High level of hospitality and organization.
Rob Klein from Paradise, Michigan, USA (1/31/2018) "A Great Though Small Indoor Winter Run" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Finding a marathon in the upper mid-west this time of year - in January - is a challenge. This particular marathon is in the northern part of Ohio, so it was a winter marathon I could drive to. It still took planning ahead to get in. They only allow 40 runners for both the marathon and the half-marathon (as best as I can tell). There were 20 marathon runners; one switched to the half during the race and one injured runner could not, did not finish (DNF), and 16 half-marathoners. So there must have been a few no-shows. The RD got information out to the runners ahead of time, making sure we had necessary information. Packet pick-up was fast and easy. The pasta dinner was at the same place - and just down the hall from where the track was. The track opened at 7:00 a.m. and it was pretty organized. There were tables set up for runners to put their carb snacks and fluids on. Some tables had water and Gatorade that was provided. At least one table had bananas, Granola bars, and chewy Oatmeal bars (probably intended to be post-race food). As runners organized their stuff, the Cross-country Team student athletes - who were lap counters - connected with the particular runner they would count laps for. It seemed well organized. This event had a six-hour hard cut-off. They would not give anyone past six hours to finish. The marathon runners started on the near side of the track and the half-marathoners on the other side. Marathoners had to complete 211 laps! At 7:30, the gun sounded and we were off. It was seeing the same thing lap after lap, but runners did not have to carry anything, and we still had access to refreshments every time around the track. That is one great thing about indoor marathons. They had music playing throughout, but I did not hear one thing that I recognized. My lap counter was a student named Megan, who counted through about 175 for me. Then Kiley took over and counted for the last 35 or so. They did a great job and were encouraging too. The RD and his staff kept track of everybody on the course, and did announcements as runners closed in on their final laps. The staff, volunteers, and students all cheered us on. The medal was actually an acrylic disk with ONU carved into it - different from the more typical medal - and an orange ribbon. The event T-shirt was gray polyester, but the design was all in orange, with ONU and a Polar bear -probably school colors. I know the shirts cost more when more colors are used, but the Polar bear should have been white. Overall, they did a great job with everything, and this is a great indoor marathon for those in the Mid-west with few other marathon choices close to home during the cold of winter. Just make sure you sign up early if you want to run. Once they get to 40 total registrations, they will send your application and check back to you saying the field is full.
B. B. from Pittsburgh (4/14/2016) "Fun race that needs better organization" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I had been eyeing up this marathon for several years and finally decided to register in the Fall. I contacted the race director in September 2015 and he is the University's track and cross country coach. He was very cooperative alerting me as to when registration would open as I wanted to make sure I registered in time since they cut it off at 40 total participants between the full and the half marathons. The prior reviews that I read regarding the marathon were all very helpful and positive but I have a few things Id like to add. Starting with the pasta dinner the night before, it was just fair. While I do like to eat pasta the night before a marathon, I prefer to eat cleaner than what was offered as there were a number of cheesy dishes and cream sauces. I'd recommend finding a restaurant in town instead if thats something thats important to you. The Inn at Ohio Northern was first rate and my wife and I really enjoyed our stay there. Additionally, it was a tremendous value at $99 per night which included breakfast the next morning for both of us. The Inn was also about a 5 minute walk to the sports center which was also a top rate facility. I really enjoyed the quaintness of the gym where the track was located and they also have a very nice sitting area for spectators. The race itself was fun and the track was obviously softer than pavement and easy on the legs. Each runner is assigned a student-athlete to count laps and my counter was a super kid and very friendly. The student-athletes all sat on the inside of the track and cheered each runner as they finished their race. My only other comment was that some of the student-athletes brought in McDonalds breakfasts for themselves and that smell didnt particularly sit well as I was running by while they ate. So if the race director happens to read this, that is something that you may consider addressing in future races. Another area that I think the race director should consider addressing is that there were no post race snacks. I feel that this is very key for runners as I know that some runners like to eat and drink immediately upon finishing if theyre able. I recommend having at least bottled water and snacks such as pretzels and bananas at the finish. I realize this adds to the cost but I'd be willing to pay more of a registration fee for this and my feeling is that most runners would likely agree. Regarding hydrating during the race, the recommendations on the web site are very clear and I would add that I highly recommend bringing your own bottles to use during the race as suggested. There was a table where they kept cups filled with water and sports drink and thats what I used, but in hindsight I think it would have been much easier to grab a bottle on the run which you really couldn't do with the cups since youd inevitably spill some fluid on the track. So I stopped at the each table each time I need a drink and I prefer to keep moving.
B. W. from South Lyon, MI (2/13/2016) "Well run friendly indoor marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This marathon takes place in the tiny college town of Ada on their indoor track. This was a warmer than usual winter, so it did get warm in the fieldhouse, but not too bad. This was my fifth indoor marathon and ranks near the top. The race organizers did a good job with providing food the night before and runners were invited to set up their own aid tables around the track. Members of the track team served as our lap counters and they also cheered us on during the race. I felt sorry for them since they got back from a meet at 1:30 AM and then had to be at the fieldhouse to count for us at 7:00 AM. They were still very energetic though. The only complaints I have about the race were that there no post race food and the signage directing us to the pre-race dinner was confusing. I walked by the room several times. In all, it was a good time. Definitely one you should consider.
J. C. from Bradford, ohio (1/28/2014) "Making the best of winter in Ohio" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well organized and everything went off without a hitch. Any indoor marathon may sound confusing and boring, but this race adds lots of details to make you feel special and entertained. Each runner had their own lap counters, splits, pacer for the last few miles, and even a custom poster made just for you. Yes, you do run in the same circle for 211 laps, but the direction change every 30 minutes does wonders. No, the course isn't exactly Big Sur, but there are no potholes or street crossings either.
S. K. from Delaware, OH (1/27/2014) "The miles go by quickly for an indoor track" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The 211 laps go by very quickly because of the support and encouragement from the cross country team members who are tracking your laps. The temp was good and the various music choices kept you going. The race is limited to 40 runners so it fills up fairly early.
M. S. from northern Kentucky (7/4/2013) "1st time indoor half marathon. Surprisingly FUN!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My ankles did whine a little~but I did NO track training, which I will change next year if I'm fortunate to get registered!
S. L. from Kennesaw, GA (1/29/2013) "Unique Race With a Personal Touch" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great small town race that benefits the cross country team at ONU. What makes this race great is the enthusiasm of the kids on the XC team. They make signs for each runner, track your laps, run with you the last few miles. Also, more good stuff: free pasta dinner, and hat or arm warmers in addition to the long-sleeve shirt.
P. C. from Columbus, OH, USA (4/3/2012) "Running Indoors in Ohio and indoors can be Big fun" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great run indoors on the field house track of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Great management, Great pasta dinner, Great hotel accommodations, Great long sleeve race shirt, Great ONU student athlete lap counters and motivators, Great facility, and Great EMT staff! I am hoping this becomes a winter running tradition for the institution.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 > ]

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b. w. from lawrenceburg, IN (11/16/2021) "you must not be afraid to do multiple loops" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I did this race three times. I knew after one race that I was in the right place, indoors on a track instead of outdoors on roads or trails. My car, when I walked out to it to drive home, had accumulated about eight inches of snow during the race. The support of the young ONU runners was great. They always had my lap count and cheered me on. Prior to the event you will receive an email asking what music you would want to hear during the race. They always included some of my suggested songs.
Eric Weatherbee from Tennessee (1/28/2019) "First-Class Event" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The prospect of running in circles for 4 or 5 hours is daunting, but Jason and his team of counters makes the experience one-of-a-kind. We had an absolute blast this weekend. High level of hospitality and organization.
Rob Klein from Paradise, Michigan, USA (1/31/2018) "A Great Though Small Indoor Winter Run" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Finding a marathon in the upper mid-west this time of year - in January - is a challenge. This particular marathon is in the northern part of Ohio, so it was a winter marathon I could drive to. It still took planning ahead to get in. They only allow 40 runners for both the marathon and the half-marathon (as best as I can tell). There were 20 marathon runners; one switched to the half during the race and one injured runner could not, did not finish (DNF), and 16 half-marathoners. So there must have been a few no-shows. The RD got information out to the runners ahead of time, making sure we had necessary information. Packet pick-up was fast and easy. The pasta dinner was at the same place - and just down the hall from where the track was. The track opened at 7:00 a.m. and it was pretty organized. There were tables set up for runners to put their carb snacks and fluids on. Some tables had water and Gatorade that was provided. At least one table had bananas, Granola bars, and chewy Oatmeal bars (probably intended to be post-race food). As runners organized their stuff, the Cross-country Team student athletes - who were lap counters - connected with the particular runner they would count laps for. It seemed well organized. This event had a six-hour hard cut-off. They would not give anyone past six hours to finish. The marathon runners started on the near side of the track and the half-marathoners on the other side. Marathoners had to complete 211 laps! At 7:30, the gun sounded and we were off. It was seeing the same thing lap after lap, but runners did not have to carry anything, and we still had access to refreshments every time around the track. That is one great thing about indoor marathons. They had music playing throughout, but I did not hear one thing that I recognized. My lap counter was a student named Megan, who counted through about 175 for me. Then Kiley took over and counted for the last 35 or so. They did a great job and were encouraging too. The RD and his staff kept track of everybody on the course, and did announcements as runners closed in on their final laps. The staff, volunteers, and students all cheered us on. The medal was actually an acrylic disk with ONU carved into it - different from the more typical medal - and an orange ribbon. The event T-shirt was gray polyester, but the design was all in orange, with ONU and a Polar bear -probably school colors. I know the shirts cost more when more colors are used, but the Polar bear should have been white. Overall, they did a great job with everything, and this is a great indoor marathon for those in the Mid-west with few other marathon choices close to home during the cold of winter. Just make sure you sign up early if you want to run. Once they get to 40 total registrations, they will send your application and check back to you saying the field is full.
B. B. from Pittsburgh (4/14/2016) "Fun race that needs better organization" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 I had been eyeing up this marathon for several years and finally decided to register in the Fall. I contacted the race director in September 2015 and he is the University's track and cross country coach. He was very cooperative alerting me as to when registration would open as I wanted to make sure I registered in time since they cut it off at 40 total participants between the full and the half marathons. The prior reviews that I read regarding the marathon were all very helpful and positive but I have a few things Id like to add. Starting with the pasta dinner the night before, it was just fair. While I do like to eat pasta the night before a marathon, I prefer to eat cleaner than what was offered as there were a number of cheesy dishes and cream sauces. I'd recommend finding a restaurant in town instead if thats something thats important to you. The Inn at Ohio Northern was first rate and my wife and I really enjoyed our stay there. Additionally, it was a tremendous value at $99 per night which included breakfast the next morning for both of us. The Inn was also about a 5 minute walk to the sports center which was also a top rate facility. I really enjoyed the quaintness of the gym where the track was located and they also have a very nice sitting area for spectators. The race itself was fun and the track was obviously softer than pavement and easy on the legs. Each runner is assigned a student-athlete to count laps and my counter was a super kid and very friendly. The student-athletes all sat on the inside of the track and cheered each runner as they finished their race. My only other comment was that some of the student-athletes brought in McDonalds breakfasts for themselves and that smell didnt particularly sit well as I was running by while they ate. So if the race director happens to read this, that is something that you may consider addressing in future races. Another area that I think the race director should consider addressing is that there were no post race snacks. I feel that this is very key for runners as I know that some runners like to eat and drink immediately upon finishing if theyre able. I recommend having at least bottled water and snacks such as pretzels and bananas at the finish. I realize this adds to the cost but I'd be willing to pay more of a registration fee for this and my feeling is that most runners would likely agree. Regarding hydrating during the race, the recommendations on the web site are very clear and I would add that I highly recommend bringing your own bottles to use during the race as suggested. There was a table where they kept cups filled with water and sports drink and thats what I used, but in hindsight I think it would have been much easier to grab a bottle on the run which you really couldn't do with the cups since youd inevitably spill some fluid on the track. So I stopped at the each table each time I need a drink and I prefer to keep moving.
B. W. from South Lyon, MI (2/13/2016) "Well run friendly indoor marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This marathon takes place in the tiny college town of Ada on their indoor track. This was a warmer than usual winter, so it did get warm in the fieldhouse, but not too bad. This was my fifth indoor marathon and ranks near the top. The race organizers did a good job with providing food the night before and runners were invited to set up their own aid tables around the track. Members of the track team served as our lap counters and they also cheered us on during the race. I felt sorry for them since they got back from a meet at 1:30 AM and then had to be at the fieldhouse to count for us at 7:00 AM. They were still very energetic though. The only complaints I have about the race were that there no post race food and the signage directing us to the pre-race dinner was confusing. I walked by the room several times. In all, it was a good time. Definitely one you should consider.
J. C. from Bradford, ohio (1/28/2014) "Making the best of winter in Ohio" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well organized and everything went off without a hitch. Any indoor marathon may sound confusing and boring, but this race adds lots of details to make you feel special and entertained. Each runner had their own lap counters, splits, pacer for the last few miles, and even a custom poster made just for you. Yes, you do run in the same circle for 211 laps, but the direction change every 30 minutes does wonders. No, the course isn't exactly Big Sur, but there are no potholes or street crossings either.
S. K. from Delaware, OH (1/27/2014) "The miles go by quickly for an indoor track" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The 211 laps go by very quickly because of the support and encouragement from the cross country team members who are tracking your laps. The temp was good and the various music choices kept you going. The race is limited to 40 runners so it fills up fairly early.
M. S. from northern Kentucky (7/4/2013) "1st time indoor half marathon. Surprisingly FUN!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My ankles did whine a little~but I did NO track training, which I will change next year if I'm fortunate to get registered!
S. L. from Kennesaw, GA (1/29/2013) "Unique Race With a Personal Touch" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great small town race that benefits the cross country team at ONU. What makes this race great is the enthusiasm of the kids on the XC team. They make signs for each runner, track your laps, run with you the last few miles. Also, more good stuff: free pasta dinner, and hat or arm warmers in addition to the long-sleeve shirt.
P. C. from Columbus, OH, USA (4/3/2012) "Running Indoors in Ohio and indoors can be Big fun" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great run indoors on the field house track of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Great management, Great pasta dinner, Great hotel accommodations, Great long sleeve race shirt, Great ONU student athlete lap counters and motivators, Great facility, and Great EMT staff! I am hoping this becomes a winter running tradition for the institution.

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Marathon Details - ONU Polar Bear Indoor Marathon