The best Chicago running clubs

Neighborhood: Hyde Park 

GumboFit was founded in May 2019 to bring everyday Black and Brown athletes on the South Side together through movement, primarily running. GumboFit offers weekly and, depending on the season, twice-weekly runs. Since its inception, runners have been offered special opportunities like 20-week comprehensive guided marathon training programs, team racing opportunities and access to gear drops through Nike Chicago. Beyond running, other personal and professional development have been available to members, including wellness and recovery events, sports photography fellowships, RRCA running coach certifications and more. Follow GumboFit on Instagram for the latest news, run times and locations.

Tuesdays at 6:30pm (season dependent) and Saturday mornings.

Neighborhood: Pilsen 

As a kid, David Pascal Ruiz spent a lot of time visiting the Pilsen neighborhood where his father grew up. After Ruiz’s father passed away, he founded Tortugas (”turtles” in Spanish, and the same name his mother uses as a team name in 5K races with her sisters) and planned the run club’s weekly two-mile route to pass by his father’s childhood home, church and meaningful spots as a way to honor the neighborhood and his dad’s legacy. Members are invited to walk, jog or run and most weeks you’ll find runners hanging out after the run in Harrison Park laughing, socializing and hosting pitch-ins. Interested in more nature time? Join their offshoot, Tortugas Hiking Club, for hikes in the Chicagoland area.

Sundays at 10am.

Neighborhood: Bronzeville

Seven miles, at 7am, every Sunday; if you’re not a morning person, this joyful and supportive community will quickly change your mind. Co-founders Aaron Ingram, Ian Gonzalez (of Last Lap Corner Store in Bronzeville) and Craig Taylor all founded the group for varying reasons, but the overlapping idea was to bring more visibility to Black and Brown runners on the South Side and serve and inspire members of the Bronzeville neighborhood. Runners also meet Tuesday mornings for a “Blue Bridge Tuesdays Workout” at William Davis Park’s 41st Street Pedestrian Bridge.

Tuesdays at 6:15am and Sundays at 7am.

Neighborhood: Little Village 

Viento Little Village Run Club (LVRC) has been motivating and empowering the Little Village community to create a safe space for all to walk, jog and run for more than 10 years. What started out as four friends—founders Cristina Carreto, Yesenia Mariscal, Carmen Vergara and Jess Vergara–has grown into a familia of runners of all paces. This bilingual group (Spanish/English) meets three times a week at the mural at 26th Street and South Central Park Avenue.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm, and Sundays at 7am.

Neighborhood: Pilsen 

The Pilsen-based, family-friendly group Venados Running Club (“deer” in Spanish, a name that original members can’t recall the origins of) has been a Chicago staple for decades. With the motto “on the run since ‘81,” this group hosts weekly Wednesday runs from Monochrome Brewing. After running three to five miles, runners stick around for social time and beer. All paces are welcome.

Wednesdays at 7pm.

Neighborhood: Logan Square 

As one of the OG neighborhood run crews, many clubs in the city look to 3Run2 for its model of creating community among runners. Initially started as a way for runners in Logan Square and Humboldt Park to train and connect, this group brings people from varying neighborhoods and paces to run multiple-distance routes two to three times per week. All route details and information is shared at the beginning of the run.

Tuesdays at 7pm and Thursdays at 6:30pm.

Neighborhood: South Loop and North Side 

Rainbow Run & Roll is a community for BIPOC runners, rollers, walkers or anyone who wants to incorporate movement into their day. Focusing on accessibility and inclusivity, the group is appropriate for all levels. Those new to running or rolling in groups will find an especially welcoming and non-intimidating setting to test the waters. Weekly runs head south along the Lakefront Trail for around 45 minutes. Organizers are dedicated to ensuring accessibility for all, so if anyone has specific needs they can contact them ahead of time.

Tuesdays at 6pm.

Neighborhood: West Town and other locations 

Every Friday morning, this group of runners of all levels meets at a new coffee shop in the city at 6:40am. Referencing organizer Patrick Dwyer’s basketball background, runners take turns each week ripping off snap pants to signify the start of the easy-paced run, which usually finishes after about three miles. Runners stick around the coffee shop post-sweat for brews (the morning kind!) and social time.

Fridays at 6:40am.

Neighborhood: Midway 

This Latinx-women-run group started in 2013 and has been welcoming runners of all levels in the Midway area ever since. Besides training together, Midway Mile Chaser Run Club runners have a strong dedication to bettering the surrounding community–founders and coaches Celia and Martin Corral often organize races and events to raise money for local nonprofits and small businesses that struggled during the pandemic. Details on meet up locations, mileage and routes are shared in a Facebook group.

Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 6am.

Neighborhood: Humboldt Park 

Each Tuesday at 6:30am, runners of all paces meet at Atmos Coffee in Humboldt Park for a three-mile route through the park and back. You’ll hear encouragement, small talk and great music from fellow runners. Run leaders direct along the way to make sure no runner gets lost. The halfway point—the top of Bunker hill overlooking the baseball diamond and skyline—means a quick stop for photos and cheering on other runners before looking forward to coffee.

Tuesdays at 6:30am.

Neighborhood: Bucktown 

If your reason for running is to meet new people rather than push for a PR, the 606 Athletic Club is a non-intimidating environment for running and socializing around post-run drinks at Lottie’s Pub in Bucktown. Since February 2013, this group has brought folks together for a three-mile run in Bucktown (including some time on the Bloomingdale Trail). During the summer, runners also meet Thursdays for easy runs and drinks at a different patio.

Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Thursdays at 7pm.

Neighborhood: Lakeview 

If you’ve seen more than a hundred people running through Lakeview on a Tuesday night, chances are you’ve spotted Lakeview Run Club. At the start of the pandemic, one of the founders, Ben Sussman, wanted a COVID-conscious way for other runners to socialize in a non-competitive environment. Runners’ paces range from six minutes per mile up to 13 minutes per mile—and power walkers are welcome, too—so whatever type of runner you are, you'll find good company. Mileage options include 1.5-5 miles.

Tuesdays at 6:30pm.

Neighborhood: Garfield Park 

Lululemon ambassador and Chicago Leadership Fellow Jackie Hoffman founded the nonprofit Peace Runners 773 in 2020 with the aim of improving the health and vitality of Garfield Park residents. Each Saturday, free community workouts include a three-mile run or walk, strength and a lot of high fives. Expect hugs, lots of encouragement—the best arguably coming from the senior citizen athletes, affectionately called The Young at Hearts—and gratitude circles.

Saturdays at 9am.

Neighborhood: Various

GRC Run Club is more than a running space: it’s a chance for runners to pause and connect with themselves and others. A sibling to a nonprofit project called Grocery Run Club, this group is a health and wellness-focused platform providing running and free strength programming. At these meetups, you’ll find a friendly and diverse group of runners from across the Chicagoland area who run at a welcoming and accessible pace. Founders Lucy Angel Camarena and Jorge Saldarriaga are proud to be the first Latinx-identifying and women-led run club sponsored by Lululmon in the U.S.

“Being able to represent different Latinx cultures and open doors to runners and athletes from all backgrounds in Chicago has been an amazing opportunity,” they explain.

First Friday of every month at 8am at KIUBO in Little Village. Check social media for additional runs and details on monthly strength and conditioning workouts.

Neighborhood: Bronzeville

Black Men Run Chicago is the local chapter of Black Men Run, a worldwide network of groups aiming to improve the health of Black men through running. While this group has a local focus, members also travel around the country for vacation races and national park half marathons. Local captain Mannis Wesley hosts twice-monthly runs from 31st Street Beach on Saturdays during the summer season and one group race per month year round.

Saturdays at 9am. 

Neighborhood: Gold Coast

This women-led club is a space for both runners looking to chase their goals and also those seeking an approachable and social running experience. Founders Anchisa Pipatpinyopong, Tammy Nguyen and Ali Barzyk started Gold Coast Run Club in February 2023 with the goal of closing the gaps in mileage and approachability they found in other groups. Pace groups, ranging from 9 minute/mile to 11:30 minute/mile, and the twice-weekly Lakefront runs vary in mileage. Members also frequently meet for non-running social and fitness activities like swimming, volleyball and more. Follow on social media for updates.

Fridays at 7am and Saturdays at 9am.

Neighborhood: Various South Side neighborhoods

When Chicago native Neishé Russell started Onthe9 in February 2024, she had a mission to both fill a gap from a previously dismantled running group and create more opportunities for runners on the South Side. The running community’s North Side focus meant that Russell, a mother of three who says running has become her “therapist and a very deserving friend,” had a chance to share her joy for running with others on her side of town. And as for the group’s name? South Siders need no explanation, Russell says. They’ll recognize it as a phrase to describe 79th Street. Routes change weekly depending on the group's mileage. Find up-to-date information on social media.

Saturdays at 7am or 8am (season dependent).

Neighborhood: West Loop

Boasting over 60 members with a diverse range of training goals, running levels and athletic interests, West Loop Run Crew has grown from a small group to a neighborhood staple. Originally founded by Dominique Sabbs in 2021 as an outreach program sponsored by Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA), the group is now headed by Scot Fairfield and runs routes weekly, with mileage ranging from 4.5-5.6 miles through places like the Riverwalk, Lakefront, UIC/Pilsen area and Grant Park. But it’s not just running that bonds West Loop Run Crew members: You’ll often catch them grabbing coffee or brunch outside of their runs.

Thursdays at 6am.

Neighborhood: Various

The creative and community-oriented group Family Style RC—a self-described “ad hoc community” that centers its fitness meetups on upcoming races, holidays or special events—was purposefully named. “Family style,” says group founder Sany Nguyễn, is synonymous with “community” in AANHPI culture, and this was her way of saying, “everyone is invited to the table.” Stemming from Nguyễn’s struggle to feel a sense of belonging and understanding as she trained for the 2019 Chicago Marathon, she conceived Family Style RC as not only running, but a space for understanding, healing and connection.

The group’s events include activities like special runs in AANHPI neighborhoods or to an AANHPI-owned restaurant to acknowledge the contributions of this community, as well as inviting others to curate their own runs celebrating their cultures. Depending on the season, the group also hosts weekly or twice-weekly track workouts and other wellness events like bike rides and workout classes.

Check social media for updates.