The running scene across
Chicago Metropolitan.

Chicago · South Loop · Mon, Wed · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet South Loop

Free evening store runs twice a week out of the South Loop shop, every pace welcome.

St. Charles · Great Western Trail · Wed, Sat, Sun

Fox River Trail Runners

Founded in 1995 to promote running from Elgin down to Aurora, now 400-plus members. Wednesday group runs move with the season — the Great Western Trail in St. Charles when it is warm, the Fox River Trail out of downtown Batavia when it is not — with weekend runs from the Fabyan Forest Preserve, and everyone eats afterwards.

Frankfort · City-wide · Weekly

Frankfort-New Lenox Running Club

A south-suburban club covering Frankfort and New Lenox, with the Old Plank Road Trail running through both.

Chicago · Lincoln Park · Tue, Sat

Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago

Chicago's LGBTQ+ running and walking club since 1982, and a Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame inductee. Runs go 3 to 5 miles, walks 1 to 2, and both end with a shared meal.

Glen Ellyn · City-wide · Tue, Thu, Sun · 6:00 PM

Glen Ellyn Runners

Founded in 1999 and now 250-plus runners of every age and ability — Tuesday speed work with coaches, a Thursday mid-week long run, and Sunday training runs plus an 8am fun run/walk. Guests can try it before joining.

Chicago · Edgewater · Thu · 6:00 AM

Glen Glen Runners

The CARA crew for Edgewater and Andersonville — starts at Glen/Glen, collects more runners at Sheridan & Berwyn at 6:20, then heads for the Lakefront Trail. Three to eight miles depending who shows.

Chicago · Gold Coast · Fri, Sat · 6:30 AM

Gold Coast Run Club

"Friends Fridays" runs five miles at 7:50 to 10:00 pace with a 5K option at 10:30, starting from Castaways on the lakefront, plus a 9am Saturday run. Just show up.

Grayslake · City-wide · Weekly

Grayslake Running Club

A Lake County club serving Grayslake and the surrounding villages.

Chicago · Hyde Park · Tue, Sat

GumboFit

Founded in Hyde Park in 2019 to bring everyday Black and brown athletes on the South Side together through movement. Beyond the weekly runs it has put on 20-week marathon training, team racing, coach certifications and photography fellowships.

Crystal Lake · City-wide · Weekly

Health Bridge Road Runners

Unconfirmed

A road running group out of Health Bridge Fitness in Crystal Lake.

Chicago · Lincoln Park · Tue, Thu, Sat

Heartbreak Hill Running Company

Store-based training with actual structure: Heartbreaker Practice on Tuesdays, Signature Speed on Thursdays, and a Saturday long run.

Crystal Lake · City-wide · Weekly

Hillstriders Running Club

A McHenry County club running the roads and trails around Crystal Lake.

Homewood · City-wide · Weekly

Homewood-Flossmoor Community Running Club

A south-suburban community club serving Homewood and Flossmoor.

Chicago · City-wide · Weekly

Hot Girl Run Club Chi

A social-first Chicago run club that leans all the way into the hang.

Chicago · Humboldt Park · Tue · 6:00 PM

Humboldt Park Run Crew

A free CARA crew alternating weekly between a neighborhood route and a park route, about three miles. Jogging strollers and leashed dogs are welcome and it goes rain or shine.

Cicero · City-wide · Weekly

Indios Running Club

A Cicero and Berwyn crew with deep neighborhood roots, running the near west suburbs together.

Itasca · City-wide · Tue, Thu, Sat

Itasca Runners Club

A DuPage County village club formed in 2005 — a ~5 mile Saturday run from Fulla Beans Cafe at 7:00 AM, plus Tuesday and Thursday early-morning runs from Catalpa and Bryn Mawr.

Lake Forest · City-wide · Sat · 8:00 AM

Lake Forest / Lake Bluff Running Club

A North Shore club serving both Lake Forest and Lake Bluff — a Saturday 8:00 AM run from the Lake Forest East train station, rain, snow, or shine, with coffee afterward.

Chicago · Streeterville · Tue · 6:30 PM

Lake Shore Park Track

CARA's Tuesday night track workouts — 1.5 to 3 miles of intervals, arrive early to warm up. Regulars race the CARA Circuit as the Lake Shore Park Racing Club.

Chicago · Lakeview · Tue · 6:30 PM

Lakeview Run Club

One of the largest weekly turnouts in the city — 150-plus runners doing an out-and-back on the Lakefront Path, 1.5 to 5 miles, then dinner and drinks at Vines. Explicitly noncompetitive: no signup, just show up.

Chicago · City-wide · Weekly

Latinas Run Chicago

The Chicago chapter of Latinas Run, building a running community for Latina runners across the city.

Chicago · North Lawndale · Weekly

Let's Move Lawndale!

A West Side movement group getting North Lawndale neighbors running and walking together.

Libertyville · City-wide · Wed, Sat

Libertyville Running Club

A Lake County community running club meeting at Cook Park — Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, both from the same start.

Chicago · Lincoln Park · Sun · 9:00 AM

Lincoln Park Pacers

A Sunday-morning neighborhood run that starts and finishes at the same Lincoln Park bar, built around the hang as much as the miles.

Lyons · City-wide · Weekly

Lyons Run Club

Run out of Lyons Health and Wellness, serving the southwest suburbs.

Chicago · Marquette Park · Tue · 5:00 PM

Marquette Park Run Crew

A free CARA crew alternating between a neighborhood route and a park route, three miles either way. Jogging strollers and leashed pets welcome, and it runs rain or shine.

Chicago · Bronzeville · Sun, Tue

Men Run Deez Streets

A South Side crew running Sunday and Tuesday mornings out of Bronzeville.

Chicago · Garfield Ridge · Weekly

Midway Mile Chasers

A Southwest Side crew running the neighborhoods around Midway.

Chicago · Lincoln Park · Fri

Nameless Track Club

A Friday-morning lakefront crew with a track-club bent, documenting its sessions publicly rather than running a formal membership.

Naperville · Downtown Naperville · Weekly

Naperville Running Company

A woman-owned independent running store in the community since 2000, hosting free casual weekly run groups out of its downtown and Route 59 shops, plus the NRC Track Club for competitive runners.

Downers Grove · City-wide · Weekly

Naperville Running Company Downers Grove

The Downers Grove storefront of Naperville Running Company, with free weekly run groups.

Wheaton · Downtown Wheaton · Weekly

Naperville Running Company Wheaton

The Wheaton storefront of Naperville Running Company, hosting free group runs with Prairie Path access.

Northlake · City-wide · Weekly

Northlake Running Group

Unconfirmed

A Meetup-organized group run from Centerpoint Preserve in Northlake.

Chicago · The Loop · Wed, Fri · 6:06 AM

November Project Chicago

Free 6:06am group fitness, twice a week, outdoors in any weather. Fridays are at The Bean, the last Friday of the month is PR Day at AMA Plaza, and Wednesday locations move monthly.

Oak Park · City-wide · Mon, Wed, Sat

Oak Park Runners Club

Founded in 1982 and one of the oldest active clubs in the Chicago area — 280-plus members, 20 to 40 runners at a typical run, year-round. An all-volunteer 501(c)(3) that puts on the Good Life Race and has staffed a Chicago Marathon water station for 25 years.

Chicago · Chatham · Sat

OnThe9 Run Crew

Saturday mornings out of Carver Park on the South Side.