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“Chicago is one of the best places in the world from May through October, with all its festivals and events,” says Dave Zimmer, “and the running scene is vibrant year-round.” The Chicago-area native should know. Zimmer and his wife, Lisa, spent the last 28 years opening Fleet Feet stores across the city. And though he admits, “you have to be kind of hardy,” to run through the winters, when it comes to routes, races, and other intangibles, Zimmer says, “Chicago is just fantastic.”
Running the Windy City starts with the bustling Lakefront Trail. Extending 18.5 miles along the Lake Michigan waterfront, north and south of downtown, the smooth, flat, and car-free path is a road runner’s paradise. Numerous running clubs offer organized group runs at all hours, seven days a week. The air coming off the lake provides a (slight) respite from humid summer heat, and there’s even a series of hydration stations on weekend mornings from June through October, staffed by Fleet Feet and the Chicago Area Runners Association.
Beyond the lure of the Lakefront, there are downtown loops under…
