RUNNING THROUGH CHICAGO WITH THE CITY’S RUN CLUBS
BANK OF AMERICA CHICAGO MARATHON OFFICIAL PROGRAM
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BY CINDY KUZMA Chicago’s neighborhoods are more than just places on a map. Each area has a unique character that draws from its history, businesses and people. Local run clubs add to the fabric of the community, exploring the area on foot and giving residents a way to connect with each other. After a year of virtual and distanced meetups, these groups are eager to cheer on their members and all participants in the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
ROGERS PARK Rogers Park is on the far north side; it’s one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city, rich with food and culture from a wide range of backgrounds and countries. BEST PLACES TO RUN: Along the lakefront north; keep going a few miles, and you’ll reach Northwestern University in Evanston and the Bahai Temple in suburban Wilmette. Or, head to Warren Park (6601 N. Western Ave.). One lap around the park’s path is 1.55 miles, so two laps is a 5K, and there’s a sledding hill perfect for repeats in the middle. LANDMARKS/ATTRACTIONS: Mile of Murals is a public art display along the CTA Red Line track at Glenwood Avenue, from Estes Avenue to Pratt Boulevard. The paintings depict parts of the neighborhood’s past as well as inspirational messages to guide the future. LOCAL BUSINESSES: Smack Dab Chicago, 6730 N. Clark St.: This “urban bakery with a wandering soul,” as the owners put it, is famous for cheesy biscuit sandwiches and vegan donuts. They pay a living wage and offer benefits to employees; hosted a free community dinner during COVID; and offer a safe, affirming space for queer, trans and non-binary customers.
ROGERS PARK RUNNING CLUB “Thirteen years ago, I started running in the neighborhood at 5:30 in the morning. I put a post on a neighborhood message board looking for an accountability partner. At first, it was just me and my friend Bernadette running together. Eventually, we opened the Facebook group, and now there’s more than 600 people in it.
run separately, but we conference line going. A people are in service jobs; they were hit hard, local businesses. So we doing a weekly raffle.
“For example, we would your run, see if you can bunny and take a pictu and post it.’ At the end week, we would draw for a gift card to a Roge restaurant. It was a way back to restaurants, and “Through COVID, when we somebody needs a meal, couldn’t run together, we did got it. Plus, it encouraged phone call runs—we would all to post daily on the Fa
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