Beginner-friendly run clubs
in Chicago Metropolitan.

Chicago · Chinatown · Wed, Fri, Sun

5W Run Club

Next run · Wed, Oct 28 · 6:00 PM

A near South Side crew out of Chinatown — a Wednesday 5K from Ping Tom Park, a Friday track workout at Dunbar, and a Sunday 8K from Buckingham Fountain. All paces, no one left behind.

Chicago · Bucktown · Tue, Thu

606 Athletic Club

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:30 PM

A neighborhood athletic collective — running and yoga year-round, biking when it is warm — doing a social three miles through Bucktown and Wicker Park twice a week and ending every one of them at a bar.

Chicago · Logan Square · Weekly

Album Runs

A run club built around records: each session is set to an album, sometimes with the local band that made it along for the miles. Usually meets by The 606, occasionally elsewhere.

Lake Zurich · City-wide · Tue, Wed, Sat

Alpine Runners

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:00 PM

One of the largest clubs in the northwest suburbs — a year-round Saturday 7 AM run from Lake Zurich High School with pace groups from 4 to 22 miles, seasonal Tuesday and Wednesday evening runs, and marathon, half and 5K training programs. Guests welcome.

Chicago · Austin · Thu · 5:30 PM

Austin Run Crew

Next run · Thu, Oct 29 · 5:30 PM

A free CARA crew on the West Side, alternating between two three-mile routes through Austin. Walkers are as welcome as runners.

Berwyn · City-wide · Weekly

Berwyn Runners and Walkers Club

A near-west-suburban club whose name says the important part: walkers are members, not guests.

Chicago · City-wide · Weekly

Black Girls Run Chicago

The Chicago chapter of Black Girls RUN!, whose stated mission is tackling health disparities among Black women by getting them running together.

Elk Grove Village · Busse Woods · Mon, Sat

Busse Woods Running Club

Next run · Sat, Oct 31 · 7:30 AM

A nonprofit RRCA charter club running the Busse Woods trails, with a free Couch to 5K program for people starting from nothing.

Hammond · Wolf Lake · Thu · 6:30 PM

Calumet Region Striders

Next run · Thu, Oct 29 · 6:30 PM

Northwest Indiana’s longest-running club, an RRCA 501(c)(3) founded in 1978. The Thursday-evening group run leaves Wolf Lake Pavilion and welcomes every experience level; the club also staffs a Chicago Marathon water stop.

Chicago · City-wide · Wed, Sat · 6:30 PM

Chicago Area Runners Association

Next run · Wed, Oct 28 · 6:30 PM

Chicago's nonprofit running advocacy organization and the umbrella over the free neighborhood Run Crews listed here — Wednesday track, weekend long runs, and marathon training across the city and suburbs. Friend-level membership is free.

Chicago · City-wide · Weekly

Chicago Endurance Sports

Year-round structured training groups for 5K through marathon, coached, across the city.

Chicago · The Loop · Sat, Sun

Chicago Muslim Running Club

A running community for Chicago Muslims — Saturday and Sunday runs that move around the city, all runners and walkers welcome, coffee after.

Chicago · The Loop · Weekly

Chicago Slow Run Club

Exactly what the name says — a downtown club where running slowly is the format, not an apology.

Chicago · City-wide · Weekly

CUSS Running

A Chicago running community with a sense of humour about the whole thing, and one of the better local guides to the rest of the scene.

Evanston · City-wide · Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun

Evanston Running Club

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 5:30 AM

Runs almost every day of the week in three pace groups — sub-8:00, 8:30 to 9:30, and 10:00-plus — from pre-dawn lakefront runs to the Saturday Morning Lakefront Run at Lighthouse Beach, plus summer and winter track series and an 0-to-5K program. Guests welcome with a waiver.

Chicago · Chinatown · Weekly

Family Style RC

A run club splitting its weeks between Chinatown and Montrose Beach, run like the name suggests.

Algonquin · City-wide · Wed · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet Algonquin

Next run · Wed, Oct 28 · 6:00 PM

A free Wednesday-evening store run, all paces and skill levels welcome.

Deerfield · City-wide · Mon · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet Deerfield

Next run · Mon, Nov 2 · 6:00 PM

A free Monday-evening store run on a 3.5 mile route, open to every pace.

Elmhurst · City-wide · Thu · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet Elmhurst

Next run · Thu, Oct 29 · 6:00 PM

A free Thursday-evening store run, all paces welcome, plus seasonal training programs.

Chicago · Lakeview · Mon · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet Lakeview

Next run · Mon, Nov 2 · 6:00 PM

A free Monday-evening store run from the Lakeview shop, all paces and skill levels welcome.

Libertyville · City-wide · Tue · 6:15 PM

Fleet Feet Libertyville

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:15 PM

A free Tuesday-evening store run covering three to six miles, all paces welcome.

Chicago · Lincoln Square · Mon, Sat

Fleet Feet Lincoln Square

Next run · Sat, Oct 31 · 8:00 AM

Free store group runs — Monday evenings and Saturday mornings — open to every pace, no membership and no signup.

Oak Park · City-wide · Mon · 6:30 PM

Fleet Feet Oak Park

Next run · Mon, Nov 2 · 6:30 PM

A free Monday-evening store run with good access to the Prairie Path, all paces welcome.

Chicago · Old Town · Mon, Thu · 6:00 PM

Fleet Feet Old Town

Next run · Thu, Oct 29 · 6:00 PM

Twice-weekly evening store runs out of Old Town, free and open to all paces.

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

Fleet Feet South Loop

Next run · Wed, Oct 28 · 6:00 PM

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

Chicago · Lincoln Park · Tue, Sat

Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:30 PM

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

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:00 PM

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 · 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.

Homewood · City-wide · Weekly

Homewood-Flossmoor Community Running Club

Unconfirmed

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

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:00 PM

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 · Wed, Sun

Indios Running Club

Next run · Wed, Oct 28 · 6:45 PM

A Cicero and Berwyn crew with deep neighborhood roots — a Wednesday-evening and a Sunday-morning run, no runner left behind.

Chicago · Lakeview · Tue · 6:30 PM

Lakeview Run Club

Next run · Tue, Oct 27 · 6:30 PM

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 · Sat · 9:00 AM

Let's Move Lawndale!

Next run · Sat, Oct 31 · 9:00 AM

A West Side movement group getting North Lawndale neighbors walking and running together — every Saturday at 9 AM on the Douglass Park track.