So I’m starting a new project where I’m going to try to run with every run club in the city of Chicago, and then do a corresponding review on the website and a video. I’m going to rank them on friendliness, paces offered, route guidance, after run vibes, and just general vibes of the group.
I’m starting with my local neighborhood group, Rogers Park Running Club. They meet Sunday mornings, Tuesday mornings, and Thursday evenings. I joined them for their Thursday evening run, which is their biggest one.
What is Rogers Park Running Club?
Rogers Park Running Club is a free, community-based run club serving the Rogers Park neighborhood on Chicago’s north side. If you’re looking for a low pressure, welcoming group to run with on the north side, this is a great place to start. You can find them and follow along on their Instagram to stay up to date on meetup times and locations.
The Format
So first thing, you show up and there’s roughly 30 people there, which is a solid turnout for a neighborhood run club. They gather in a big circle and everyone goes around and says their name before the run. I actually really loved that. It’s a little old school, a little awkward in the best way, but you actually know who you’re running next to, which I think is cool.
After that you line up based on pace. Paces are roughly nine to thirteen minute miles, so there’s a pretty solid spread. Whether you’re out there trying to move or just trying to survive, there’s a group for you. If you’re newer to running and want to work on your pace before jumping into a group run, check out our running coaching options and we can help you get there.
The Route
The route is a 1.5 mile loop, and then they reverse directions and run it backwards so everyone passes each other. I thought that was kind of a gimmick at first but it actually works really well. You see everybody, you wave at people twice, there’s a nice energy to it. Rogers Park has some solid running paths, and if you want to explore more of the neighborhood on your own, Chicago Jogger is a great resource for mapped routes around the city.
The Vibe
Very friendly group, mostly road runners. No ego, no cliques that I could spot. The after run hang had a good easy vibe to it.
As my local group Rogers Park Running Club holds a special place for me, but I’m grading everyone the same. And honestly, solid start.
Rogers Park Running Club Scores
- Friendliness: 4.5/5
- Paces offered: 5/5
- Route guidance: 5/5
- After run vibes: 4/5
- General vibes: 4/5
If you want to get into trail running and step it up from the roads, we’ve got races and events coming up that are a great next step. Let me know if you’ve run with Rogers Park Running Club and what your experience was.
