Vancouver Chilly Chase

The Vancouver Chilly Chase is an event featuring 5 km, 10 km and half marathon running races. It’s part of the Try Events series of runs.

Starting and finishing in Olympic Village, in 2024 the event took place on Sunday, January 28th. 2025’s event takes place on Sunday, January 26th.

Other Lower Mainland runs in the Try Events series include the Fort Langley Historic Half, Vancouver Chocolate Run, Shamrock’n Race, Rubber Ducky Race, Boundary Bay Marathon and Vancouver Historic Half.

To learn about the Vancouver Chilly Chase, either continue reading or visit the Try Events website.

Chilly Chase Running Events in Vancouver

The Vancouver Chilly Chase is the first run of the year in the Try Events series of races. As its name implies, the Chilly Chase takes place in winter. Participants embrace the cold January weather, bundle up in warm clothes and gloves, and run along the picturesque False Creek Seawall. Actually, January isn’t usually too cold, and the toques and mitts typically come off just before the start.

As with other events in the series, the Chilly Chase offers a few different distances to choose from. Folks can run a total of 5 kms or 10 kms. There’s also the option to run 21.1 kms, which is a half marathon.

All participants borrow a time tag which tracks their time to complete their chosen route. The top three fastest runners for each distance receive a special medal. All participants receive souvenirs as well. In 2024, all runners received a Chilly Chase hat and a finisher’s medal. The event also features music, snacks and random prizes to be won each year.

Another reason to participate in the annual event is to help support local charities. Try Events partners with a different charity for each of its running events. As in 2023, the charitable beneficiary for the Chilly Chase event in 2024 is the Strathcona Community Policing Centre which approaches crime prevention as a community.

Where and When

In 2024 the Chilly Chase happened on Sunday, January 28th. The event goes along the False Creek Seawall. The start and finish line is behind the Creekside Community Recreation Centre, located at #1 Athletes Way in the City of Vancouver.

Warm-ups begin at 8:45 am and the runs kick off at staggered times shortly after. The half marathon begins at 9:00 am and the 10-km and 5-km runs begin just a few minutes after that. The route closes at noon so everyone has almost three hours to finish.

All three runs begin at the same spot and then follow the seawall towards Stanley Park. Again, the start and finish line is at the same location, meaning people have to turn around halfway and head back along the same path.

With the 5-km run, participants go along the False Creek Seawall as far as Yaletown, just before David Lam Park, before turning back. Runners in the 10-km event go until the Inukshuk at English Bay Beach before retracing their steps. And finally, with the half marathon, the halfway point of the race is just past Brockton Point in Stanley Park.

To see the routes for all three races, click Chilly Chase Race Map.

Registration Details

Costs to sign up vary depending on how early you register and which route you run.

Price ranges for the 2024 races are listed below. These will likely be comparable when the event happens again next year on January 26th. The lowest prices were available until November 30th in 2023. The highest prices, on the other hand, are the costs to register on the day of the event.

5 kms – $50 to $65
10 kms – $55 to $70
21.1 kms – $65 to $80

All participants receive a race bib, souvenir finishing medal and swag item. Everyone has the chance to win random prizes as well. The same as other years, in 2024 there were also snacks available after the races, including oranges, bananas and hot drinks.

Vancouver Chilly Chase at Olympic Village

Vancouver Chilly Chase Video

For an idea of what the Chilly Chase looks like, check out the following video. It shows scenes of the start of the event.

As you’ll see in the video, there is a warm-up session before the races begin. It’s led by one or two fitness instructors and the entire crowd takes part. After the warm-up, runners in the various race categories are invited to the starting line. The half marathoners head out first followed by the 10-km and 5-km participants soon after.

The races start and finish right outside Creekside Community Recreation Centre. The races begin with the runs heading east for a couple of blocks, then north past Science World, and then west along the north side of the False Creek Seawall. Runners in each category run half the route in one direction and then turn around and head back along more or less the exact same route.