Still I Run: Runners for Mental Health Awareness

By San Diego and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

Sasha Wolff is the founder and executive director for Still I Run, a nonprofit organization that promotes the benefits of running for mental health. This May, City Fit Tours is donating 10% of our proceeds to this incredible organization. We’ve partnered with Still I Run for numerous events (like a Marine Corps Marathon shakeout and shakeout runs in NYC) in our cities and are delighted to do so again.

Sasha’s Story

“I was hospitalized for depression and anxiety in 2011. When I was there, they taught me I have a chronic illness that needs to be managed. The other thing they taught was developing a healthy habit to go in your mental health toolkit, if you will,” Sasha said when she spoke with us last month.

Her parents were runners growing up. Sasha realized, “They modeled this healthy behavior. I figured, I've run on and off before, I guess I could try this out. So when I was discharged from the hospital the next day, I took my dog for a walk, jog, slog, whatever you want to call it. When I got back, I felt a little better, not just because I went outside but because there are all these physiological things happening in your body when you're moving. I felt this huge sense of accomplishment as well. The next day, I went a little longer and I kept going longer and faster. Eventually it occurred to me that running for mental health needed to be a permanent part of my mental health toolkit.”

Sasha lives in the Grand Rapids area home to a strong running community, so she figured it would be easy to find a group of people who ran for mental health. But when she couldn’t find one locally she expanded her search county–, state–, and countrywide. Still she found nothing. “It shocked me because I know lots of people run for mental health. So why wasn't there a group that was established to promote that? I figured if there was nothing out there I may as well do it myself.”

She started with a Facebook page, which is still active today, and “then a really poorly designed website I made by myself with my story: why I ran, about my hospitalization, and just being really vulnerable about the whole thing.”

People started reaching, saying they also run for mental health. People asked how to get involved, what kind of events there were, where they could donate. Sasha realized there was a real need for an organization the focused on running for mental health. On mental World Mental Health Day, October 10 2016, Sasha met this need by creating a nonprofit.

Still I Run

Still I Run is the only organization that works nationwide to promote the benefits of and provides programming for running for mental health.  

The organization has a number of different programs, including: 

• The Ambassador Program has over 200 Ambassadors throughout the country this year. “We're all about promoting the stories of individuals who run for mental health. They wear our gear, get access to quarterly mental health chats, we offer them free suicide prevention training and certification.”

• Chapter Programs connect people with other mental health running warriors. While Still I Run’s community is big online, this gives people a way to connect face to face. There are 12 chapters across the country.

• The Starting Line Scholarship helps people overcome any barriers they may have to run for mental health. There are three different application periods a year, and people from all around the country can apply. Once accepted, they receive all the gear they need to run for mental health. “We had one individual indicate they needed an adult jogging stroller for their disabled son because if she couldn't take him she couldn't run. 

Sasha said, “My dream is to make Still I Run a national movement, make running for mental health as normal as running for your physical health.” 

If you’d like to connect to Still I Run, the easiest way is their Facebook page. Their online presence is large and active, so be sure to check them out there.

Running Community: San Diego's Milestone Running

By San Diego and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

Dylan (left) and Alex (right) sit in the Pacific Beach Milestone Running store.

Above all, City Fit Tours values the opportunity to showcase our cities. Our guides love their cities, enjoy learning its history (even those born and raised there), and are passionate about sharing that love and learning with visitors. But we’re not the only ones showcasing our cities through running. We’ve gotten to know some of the running communities in our cities, and we’d like to showcase one of these for you here.

When I moved from Chicago to San Diego, the first place I went to meet people was Milestone Running’s Monday Night Run Club. I was welcomed by the other runners, each week I finding someone new to run and swap life stories with. Within a few weeks I was feeling like a regular as I said hi to those I had gotten to know. Alex Sakelarios and Dylan Marx, the hosts, were kind enough to sit down with me to talk about this awesome community they’ve created for runners.

Runners mill about inside and outside the store, catching up with friends, before the run starts.

monday run club

Every Monday evening dozens of runners gather in front of Milestone Running in Pacific Beach, San Diego. As the 6 p.m. start draws near, runners can be seen jogging in from all directions. 

Around 6:15 p.m. Milestone employees and hosts Alex Sakelarios and Dylan Marx hush the dozens of conversations happening to go over the route and distance options (usually three, four, and six miles) they’ve drawn on a large chalkboard.

Before heading out, Sakelarios snaps a photo of the crowd, then they're off in groups of twos and threes. Any cars unlucky enough to be crossing the road must patiently wait as runners go by.

A focus on community

Part of what makes this run club unique is how Alex and Dylan approach their role. Alex explained, “We are runners. We just happen to be here and have some more responsibilities, like filling up the water jug. But at the end of the day, our motivation is what is best for our runners. It's a little bit of ‘what would we want to do?’” They channel their “runner selves” when deciding the routes, how often to have vendors, and other considerations.

Alex in front of a map of the Pacific Beach and Mission Beach neighborhoods.

Alex and Dylan value community and genuine connection. Each Monday runners start their week meeting old and new friends. As Marx observed, “People [are] having conversations and catching up with each other from last week, ‘Remember you told me that’ or 'Oh, how's the job?’ We're seeing this cohesiveness with the people coming. We're building and maintaining friendships and relationships.”

Celebrating Pacific Beach

While Milestone's North Park store also has a weekly run, Alex and Dylan capitalize on their Pacific Beach (or “PB” as the locals call it) location. Alex said, “Running by the beach is awesome. We always dangle that above our North Park counterparts, ‘cool, go run an urban loop.’”

But why do that, he says, when you can “come run by the beach or the bay.” While they do welcome runners from across town, Dylan notes, “we have this cool PB community that's embraced it. They have their offshoots, like brunch clubs, [so] you have genuine, big groups of friends having breakfast parties.”

Alex does the smell test for the night’s pineapple and tells everyone it’s perfectly ripe and should be eaten soon.

The Grand Prize Pineapple

 Once runners are back at the store, it’s time for the raffle. Sakelarios raffles prizes based on the national days. National avocado day? He raffled guacamole. National chocolate milkshake day? He raffled a milkshake from the Jack-in-the-Box across the street. The one thing you can always count on is the pineapple.

In North Park Greg Lemon, one of the store’s owners, used to raffle a pineapple or watermelon as an extra prize. But, Sakelarios said, “it turned out people stopped caring about the watermelon; they only cared about the pineapple. Some have waited years to win. It's almost turned into a small achievement, a check off the bucket list—probably a little bit more special [because] it’s named ‘the grand prize’.”

While Pacific Beach’s ocean routes are hard to beat, Milestone offers numerous runs throughout the week, including speed workouts and trail runs. There’s a run for every ability, pace, or terrain.

Frequent Flier Miles: David has run 100 miles with us in NYC

David lives in Windsor in Ontario, Canada and has made a regular trip to New York City since XX. Two of his favorite things to do while visiting are 1) see shows on Broadway—he’s seen an impressive 18 shows—and 2) run with City Fit Tours. He’s run with us so many times that this past December, David ran his hundredth City Fit Tour mile. He usually goes out for more than the standard 5k distance with us, so he’s accrued this amount of miles in 10 runs since 2018.

Many memories in 100 miles

One of his most memorable experiences was running and came across the legendary Holcombe Rucker Park basketball court (many who’ve played in the “Rucker Tournament” have gone on to play in the NBA, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant). He was so excited to see this iconic cout that he asked his guide John if they could stop and shoot some hoops. But no one happened to be playing ball at that moment, so in order to take a shot, David went into a nearby bodega. He said they must get this kind of request all the time, given their proximity to the court, because while he wouldn’t ordinarily expect a corner store to have basketballs, this one had plenty. So he bought one, tore it out of its box, and took his shot.

Shout out to his many NYC guides: Dina, Jillian, Mike, Tara, Rachel, Joseph, and Melissa. “I’ve developed friendships with them; we follow each other on social media and still keep in touch.”

Reigniting his love for running the streets

Given he’s hit 100 miles in NYC, it may not surprise you to hear that David calls himself a “street runner” but he’s also done 10 ultras. “I've done everything from a 5k to 100k and every distance in between. But trail running is more solo. It was gorgeous, but I think after I ran through New York—how exciting that was—I was like, this you can't beat, this is kind of crazy. When you do street running, you’re more engaged. It got me back into street running and since then I've done mostly street races.”

Some may find it surprising to learn that David considers a marathon to be more challenging than a 50k (about 31 miles), but hear him out. “I find the full marathon way harder because you race a marathon. You go to a marathon with a goal time and it's stressful. A 50k you’re kind of kickin it, eat pizza. It’s a lot more relaxed. But I found the full marathon to be the toughest race I've ever done.

A runner without borders

From his home in Windsor, David has become a bit of an ambassador for runners between his city and nearby Detroit, Michigan. “I run in Detroit two or three days a week during the summer.” 

I interrupted to ask, “Do you show a passport every time?” 

“Well, yeah,” David said. “From my house, I can be in Detroit in 15 minutes. So I run with about three or four groups over there. We've built a community. Windsor and Detroit have come together in running for the first time. We're starting to go over there; I'm trying to bring people there. So, my Detroit friends love Windsor. They love that we have a beautiful waterfront. It's been really cool, this international community.”

He’s been so inspired by his international running that David has started a running group called The Dub City Runners (you can follow in Instagram). “We have a group run every Friday and get together for drinks after at Walkerville Brewery. We are very involved with local community events and have a good running relationship with our American friends across the river.”

When I remarked how neat this was, David said, “I love people. So it's fun to me.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. GUIDE: STEVE RATTIEN

B y: Chicago and San Diego Manager Chelsey Stone

Steve is a seasoned City Fit Tours guide in Washington, D.C. and shares some of his most memorable experiences below.

Steve wears his City Running Tours shirt for our Zoom call

How it all began

“I came to Washington for what was supposed to be one year, in 1971. I was a university professor at the time, and I came to work on a special problem called the Trans-Alaska Pipeline at the President's Council on Environmental Quality. One year became two years…”

And then “not quite 20 years ago, I saw a blurb in the paper saying [City Fit Tours] was coming to Washington. I had just retired as Director for Science and Technology at the RAND Corporation. When I saw this, I said, ‘Well, I'll write a note.’ I said, ‘I may not be the kind of guide you're thinking about, but I do run every day, and I know Washington really well.’ They got in touch with me and that's how it began.”

“Part of [my role] is to open [the client’s] eyes to a broader part of Washington than just the monuments downtown: that we have beautiful neighborhoods, various restaurants we appreciate and which they might enjoy, or the National Cathedral is an absolutely spectacular place that should be visited.”

Memorable clients and experiences

After so much time, it’s no surprise Steve has so many great stories from runs he’s led.

“I was supposed to lead a tour, but the weather was awful: 92 degrees with 100% humidity. So instead of going on what would have been a four or five mile run, we ran two miles to the gallery of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery and walked through the nice air conditioned galleries before jogging back to their hotel, which I think they appreciated far more than the traditional run we would have done, which—if it wouldn't have killed them—probably would have killed me.”

Another time he led a White House tour for a woman from Tasmania. They were “running along, seeing the various monuments and museums and whatnot—I worked in Washington 50 years so I know the place pretty darn well—And it became a color commentary rather than pointing out various places. She enjoyed that because it included opinions about politics of Washington and the country as a whole and how it [applies to] Australian issues. In fact, because the RAND Corporation is a think tank, I knew a fair bit about national security issues, even though my own interest was science and technology. Anyway, She didn't tire at all. The 5 mile tour became 6… 7… 8… We saw lots around town and enjoyed ourselves.”

They had such a great time that many years later, when Steve and his wife were going to Australia, he sent her an email and asked if they should check out Hobart, where she and her husband lived. “She insisted we do and that they would love to have us. We flew to Hobart, met at the airport, and came to their home on the coast of Hobart. We had a lovely time with them.”

“What I've enjoyed more recently is the group tours as part of conventions. There's been a regular group of bankers, and these same people congregate around me and want to have the same tour every year. I know them already, but they just keep coming back.”

Steve “went through several thousand photos and found a few in the 2010 period from leading tours.  None have me in it, but I'll include one as illustrative of sites I've visited.  The attached photo is of a guest in the lap of Albert Einstein, a statue on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences, which is near the Lincoln Memorial.”

As Steve reflected on his years as a guide, he said, “it's been a wonderful experience. I've met folks from all over the country, but in fact all over the world, including Latin America, Germany, France, and Australia.”

“I don't think I've had an unsatisfactory relationship with any clients over 20 years now. As I've gotten older and slower, I think they've had to put up with me as a runner but have enjoyed their visits. Runners enjoy the personal relationship, so I've made that a special part of the runs.”

Enjoying retirement

Steve may think he’s slowing down, but he sure doesn’t sound like it. “I do something every day. I'll walk six miles at a fast pace with a little jogging and bike usually 18 miles. Or I'll swim a mile and a half.”

“I might exercise for the equivalent of six miles, but I'll eat for the equivalent of seven.” He laughed, “but whatever, it's enjoyable in the process.” We couldn’t agree more.

Client Features: 75Ks for 75 years

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

A group of semi-retired professors at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri have set out to walk/run their age in 5Ks, which at 70 and older, is no small feat. It was a delight to hop on a Zoom call with these inspiring individuals aging in stride.

Nancy was the one who started it all. “I turned 70 in 2017. I don't do resolutions anymore but sometime in January of 2017 I wasn't falling asleep and thought Oh darn!—not exactly my word—I'm going to be 70 this year. How do I get my mind around that?”

At that point, Nancy was walking every day and had done a few 5Ks with her children. “I thought, gee, I wonder how many 5Ks—math was not my topic—but how many 5Ks are in 70, and it came out a whole number. I thought, well there you go. I'm almost committed now.” She made the mistake of taking this fledgling idea to her trainer Ryan at her community center. “I said, I'm kind of wondering about doing 5Ks, it's 14 5Ks—not all at once, of course. So Ryan being Ryan, he said to everybody in the training room: What do you think about Nancy doing these 5Ks?” Someone there happened to be in charge of student activities and offered to help Nancy find some 5Ks to sign up for.  

As Nancy was feeling more committed, she brought it up with her friends during a wine night, and “everybody said hey, that would be so cool. Can I go with you?” 

Nancy said, “for all but one of the 14 I did, I had a team with me—these people here [gestures to those on our Zoom call]. So I made a shirt for everyone, and we started doing them and I thought, you know, why would I stay just in Maryville? I started connecting with people: a friend I hadn't seen in a very long time in Michigan, a brother and sister in California.” With these trips planned, her next thought was, “we've got to end this on a bang. I was looking at 5Ks all over and that's when I found the Central Park tour in New York City.”

She emailed Mike at City Fit Tours and he offered to lead a personalized tour. “A bunch of us showed up in New York City for that and it was amazing.”

From left to right: Sue, Vicki, Cathy, and Nancy

Sue was the next to turn 70 and complete 70k, finishing in Memphis for a friend whose son came through cancer treatment at St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital. 

Cathy, the next to turn 70, said “if it wasn't for Nancy, we'd all be big blobs sitting on our couch. I told her, you made us strong. We did the ones together we could, and we ended up in New York again.” This time Mike took out their group of 12.

Cathy continued, “it was the highlight of being in New York. Now I'm starting to do 75Ks by the time I hit 75. I've done 14 or 12. I do some of them with Sue as she's going and some with Nancy and some of them with Vicki, so we just keep going on and double dipping.” As they should with so many to run!

Sue said of their upcoming trip to Chicago (completed since our interview),  “the one we're doing in Chicago this time is my 75K for 75 years because I turned 75. My grandson who's 23 is joining us [from D.C.] in Chicago.

“I chose Chicago because I don't know Chicago. I haven't been there for probably 50 years, so I just really wanted to get to know Chicago.” Once she confirmed with Mike that we offered tours there, Sue was set.

Next up? Vicki: “I turn 70 in 2024.” [“she’s the baby,” Sue interjected. “Well Cathy too,” Nancy added.] My birthday is on the 24th of August. So I decided to do 24 5Ks from age 68 to 70. So I'm at about 12 after we go to Chicago.”

Sue and the gang in Chicago with our guide Noma for Sue’s final 5K.

Vicki said, “these people here set the bar pretty high. I've done a few by myself recently and I really do enjoy that. It surprised me a little that I liked doing it by myself because I just love doing it with all of these folks, but it's kind of peaceful sometimes to just be out there walking by yourself.”

Of the tour experience, Vicki said, “One of the things that stands out for me, at least from New York City, is we learned so much about the history of Central Park. Mike focused on different things both times, the history piece of it was hugely important to me. The second time reinforcing what we learned the first, but I never would have known all of that about Central Park if it hadn't been for Mike.”

Nancy said the City Fit Tours have become “the capstone for ‘All right, we did it.’ I'm grateful that Mike’s been flexible with us. I know that it's not the usual, but that's motivating for somebody to recognize that in us and be willing to adapt.”

Cathy added, “he did a great job of adapting to us. That's my big point with it. He just really focused on what we needed, which was stretching and walking at a pace where we were good.”

Nancy said, “The funny thing is that I was almost 70 before I ever got a medal that was athletic.” “Me too,” a few of them chimed in. “And now being 70 we're in another age group, which is a smaller pool so you might even win.” Not that this is what it’s about for them, but it certainly adds some fun. Sue even decorates her Christmas tree with her medals.

When I asked if they were going to keep at it until they were 100 and do 100K, Nancy said, “If it's divisible by five and I can wiggle, I’ll start working on it.” Sue added, “I think we can all echo that.”

Frequent Flier Miles: Personalized Tour Experience

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

One thing that often comes up when talking with guides across the country (from San Francisco to NYC) is how much we love leading personalized tours. City Fit Tours offers at least one standard 5k route in each city every day of the week, but for personalized tours, the client determines the distance and location, which lends itself to a rare opportunity for a guide to showcase different parts of their city. 

I took Elise and her husband Troy on a tour of Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, 10 miles from the start of our Chicago Highlights route downtown. I lived in the nearby Uptown neighborhood and couldn't have been more excited to share the history of my local landmarks.

Having heard plenty from our guides, it’s time to hear from a client about their experience booking and running a personalized tour.

Elise in Brooklyn on our tour while visiting NYC. (Click the right image to see more.)

This was not Elise’s first rodeo

The first time she ran with City Fit Tours was in Seattle in 2015. “I went to Seattle by myself, I was only a couple years out of college. I felt I should go on an adult vacation, but friends were not able to join. So I was like, I guess I'm gonna go by myself somewhere. And I wanted to incorporate running into the trip. I was originally thinking about doing a 5k and then stumbled across running tours.” A few years later Elise ran with us in New York City. “My friend and I were staying in Brooklyn. I got to know that part of New York. Then I ended up doing a Boston one spring of 2022.” Between these she also did one in Washington, D.C. in 2019.

Elise on our DC tour August of 2019.

Any similarities among all the cities you’ve run?

“How knowledgeable the guides have been, including yourself, and the information feels ingrained but not boring. I think of someone in Florida giving a boat tour 10 times a day—that would get boring—so it's nice to have guides who are really knowledgeable but haven't lost energy with the information.”

“I enjoy hearing how running is incorporated in each guide’s life, whether they're a parent or student or starting a new job or transplanted or been in that city for a long time.”

“Usually I get to hear a story or two about another client. When I was in Boston, the tour guide was talking about how she's run with a flight attendant and then she's run with an Olympian who just needed to log these miles. The flexibility [of what City Fit Tours can accommodate] is impressive.”

Troy and Elise on our tour of Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood included the edge of the nearby Edgewater neighborhood.

After so many standard tours, why choose a personalized run in Chicago?

“My aunt and uncle have lived in Rogers Park most of my life. It hit me that I've visited family in Rogers Park for years, and I've spent very little time in the neighborhood. I came back [from the tour] with some facts I don't think they knew, or they said, ‘oh, yeah, that makes sense,’ but just had never played tour guide in that area.”

a great alternative when your destination doesn’t have a race during your stay

“It's a nice option for people that feel they're getting exercise in and sightseeing but not having the pressure of needing to train. It seems the runs are designed where the pace is set by the slower members. That's more inviting.”

Running with City Fit Tours instead of a race is also “less logistically complicated. You don't have to pick up your bib and wait for [the race] to start and then do it and then be at the finish line and get to your parking spot.” While Elise has traveled for a few races before, she said, “I'm not usually looking to put that stress on myself.”

Elise with Mala joining our Zoom.

puppy love

Elise and Troy’s dog came up on our run and made her presence known on our Zoom. “She thinks running involves sprinting and then dragging behind me, so that's her form of running. She doesn't quite understand pacing.”

And the name Mala?

“Troy picked her name because when he adopted her, her name was Miranda. Which she didn't really respond to because it was too complicated, three syllables. But he wanted to keep the “m”. And he likes the Lion King. So Nala but also Mala because it means bad in Spanish.” And she certainly can be a little mischievous.

Consider a personalized tour on your next visit

The next time you are in one of our cities, a personalized tour is a great option for those who want to see beyond a city’s typical highlights. Learn more on our website.

San Francisco Guide: Tom Hill

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

Tom (right) described this photo best: “here’s a very damp picture of the bridge with two very damp runners“

On your next visit to San Francisco, consider hitting the trails. Guide Tom Hills is a long-time San Franciscan and has some great recommendations.

“I'm originally from the UK, but I've been here since the ’90s. My husband's from here, and San Franciscans don't leave. I did become an American citizen this year, so I'm now, like, bonafide.” We laughed that it “only” took him 25 years. Be sure to read everything below with a charming British accent.

“I started in 2019. I'm an artist, so it fits really well, being a guide, because I set my own schedule. I make sculptures, mostly of birds and animals. I show in some galleries and then do commissions.

I mostly do trail running myself, but many of our runs are downtown. I would never run there by choice just because you think, Oh, why would I go downtown to run? It’s not in my neighborhood. But it's nice to go early morning and run through Chinatown or the financial district.”

Tom (right) on a recent, sunny run with a client at the Palace of Fine Arts.

“It's nice one on one because you can actually really chat with somebody. But in group settings you see people getting to know each other even over quite a short space of time, like the running we just did for the American Chemist’s Society. We've got grad students and the guy who's about to be president of the whole thing, and they're all running together, and it's such a good level. Everyone's huffing and puffing up the hills, all in the same boat, the lowliest to the highest.” (Our clients couldn’t agree more; read one client’s experience with run-networking.)

I asked if running tours have bounced to pre-pandemic frequency, and he assured me they have.

“There's been so much in the press about San Francisco not being safe, so I think people have been put off, but it seems totally fine to me. It's nice to see big conference groups come back. It's an amazing experience when there are 60 of us running downtown.”

Hit the trails

“I've learned the great trails we have. [When you’re on them,] you can't even believe you're in a city.

Golden Gate Park is beautiful. You see coyotes, raccoons, and all sorts of birds. Even though it has busy parts, it has a perimeter trail that goes the whole way around. That's an easy one anyone can do. You're really close to the street, so you're not out in the middle of nowhere.

There's the Sutro Forest, which is close to where I live, and I think Mount Sutra is about 900 feet. So it's not exactly Mount Everest, but it has wonderful trails, and you’re in the middle of nowhere. You'll get great views. You can do that and run to Twin Peaks, the two hills you see from Market Street. You can do a complete trail run all the way up to the top without having to go on the sidewalk, pretty much. 

There’s also Mount Davidson just beyond there. There’s even fewer people there.”

“Then of course, the Presidio. Sometimes on Golden Gate Bridge runs we come back through the Presidio because it's so amazing that we have what was a military base, and it’s now a national park. It's this huge area of the city with wonderful trails and woodland. This weekend I ran with a client, and we saw dolphins from the Golden Gate Bridge. It's great we have nature so close to us. But, the dolphins are not guaranteed!

Just be sure to heed Tom’s warnings if you’re going to venture onto the trails: “Some of it's quite technical. There are bits of loose stone and rock. You'll be more comfortable in trail shoes. There're a few mountain bikers out there. Prep for the poison oak.

Because of the funny microclimate thing here, the west tends to stay really foggy, especially in the summer. Sometimes it’ll be a sunny day and you go out for a run and you get to the west side and it's filled with mud. You come out, especially if you slip and you have mud up to your knees, and you're running back through the neighborhood completely covered in mud. People look at you like, how did that happen?”

How to put a personalized tour to good use in San Francisco

“I've had clients where they've been like, can we do a trail run? So we don't do the usual, but we go up for beautiful views of the ocean. If you just want to be in nature, it’s a great option.”

Chase the Cable Car

“I run with A Runner’s Mind on Sacramento St., and we occasionally do this “race,” Chase the Cable Car, where we meet just above Fisherman's Wharf, and there are two blocks where you chase the cable car, and it's really, really steep. The object is to beat it to the top of the hill. It's fun because everyone on the cable car is cheering and the muni driver is ringing the bell. 

You have to wait for the cable car to actually show up and then to see people's faces as it climbs is hilarious. It's one of those things you think, this isn't going to be too bad. And then you think, my legs are going to drop off!

We did it recently and a coyote wandered out and joined in the race. That was quite mad.”

I asked if anyone had ever beaten it. “Usually there's a guy that runs with us, a paleontologist of all things, and he can. He's amazing. But sometimes we have months where no nobody can do it.”
Are you up to the challenge? Check out A Runner's Mind's social media for the next chase or join Tom and City Fit Tours any day of the week in San Francisco for our regular routes or go off-roading on a personalized tour.

You can follow Tom and his amazing sculptures on Instagram @tomhillsculpture.

NYC Guide: Jill Krebsbach

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

In addition to guiding with City Running Tours for an impressive 14 years in New York City, Jill started doing our social media a year ago.

In our interview, Jill shares how she’s gone back to school a few times to pursue her many interests, her favorite parts of being a tour guide, and recommendations for lesser-known museums. Scroll to the bottom for Jill’s exclusive recommendations for NYC Marathon runners and visitors.

Jill leading a pizza run tour. See her pizza recs at the bottom of the post.

Back to school

Jill moved to New York right after college and has been working as a fashion technical designer for the last 18 years. But, she said, “I've gone back to school a few times. I studied culinary arts five years ago, and I was working part time in restaurants and as a private chef.” She became interested in cooking when changing her own diet. “I grew up mostly an omnivore, and then over time I transitioned from a flexitarian to vegetarian and that got me more interested in cooking. I thought it was a really fun, creative area, a good way to de-stress.”

This year she went back to school for a completely different field. “I did a boot camp for user experience and user interface design. That’s the industry I'm transitioning towards, something more tech with a bit more flexibility. I'm working on some projects, trying to build up my portfolio and get some experience.”

Don’t quit your day job, yet

Jill voiced something many guides can agree on: “I would love to do this full time, like I'm sure everybody would, because you get such great feedback from people in the moment. It's like meeting a new friend. Everyone's very warm and receptive to the tours. I think a lot of people, like you [gestures to me], end up keeping in touch with clients even after the runs, which is cool, whether we're following each other on Strava or Instagram, checking in from time to time or having a returning client come back. It's always fun, even if it's been a couple of months or years; it’s kind of like you're right back where you started.”

Personalized tours are just as much fun for the clients as they are for the guides. It’s a chance to shake up the standard route. Jill said, “everyone's always drawn to Central Park. It'd be great if people wanted to branch out a bit. Anytime somebody books a personalized run, you're able to mix and match from a couple of different runs, whether it's the Lower Eastside Culture Clash or doing the Brooklyn Bridge Run highlights. 

Keeping it interesting

“I definitely like to change up my running routes. I'm in Astoria, so I'm just over the 59th Street Bridge. Sometimes I take the subway in and run in Central Park, if I'm doing a longer run. Sometimes I'll run part of it with a group for extra motivation and then do a couple miles on my own. Generally I enjoy doing bridges because you're crossing from one borough to the other and it provides that separation and change in scenery. Definitely like to run anywhere by the water too.”

“I run with a club called the Reservoir Dogs and they meet on the Upper East Side, pretty close to the Met. They run three or four days a week. We actually have gotten a few out of towners here and there, which is pretty cool. I also run with a group called Woodside-Sunnyside runners. That's more Queens, Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside. It’s a new neighborhood group, very socially active. It’s cool to have other activities outside of running and is definitely a group that likes to eat.”

Macy’s float preview community run

Jill’s must-see museums

“Everyone always goes to the Met or the Museum of Natural History, which are great, but if you want something a little bit smaller [but equally] interesting. I really like the Museum of the City of New York. It's across from the Conservatory Garden, a nice area to walk through spring, summer, and fall. It's usually [exhibiting] something in New York City history or pop culture and something you can see in a couple hours.”

As someone who appreciates the Chicago Transit Authority, living in Chicago, I loved that Jill suggested a transit-themed museum. “The other one I really like bu feel isn’t advertised enough is the Transit Museum. That's super cool because you get to go on board these old vintage subway cars and the tour is just incredible.

Check out our personalized tours and maybe you’ll get to run with Jill and make her day!

NYC recs for our marathon travelers and visitors

Below you’ll find some rapid-fire recommendations—enjoy!

Pizza (it's always debatable) 

• If you like lighter, no frills Italian thin crust style I would say Lazzara's in the garment district (https://lazzaraspizza.com/)

• If you like something more decadent, Artichoke is really good, their signature slice is insane in size/richness, come hungry (https://www.artichokepizza.com/)

• Another good standby for slices joe, they have the perfect fold if you are on the go! (https://www.joespizzanyc.com/)

Coffee/treats

• Culture espresso (a CRT favorite) multiple locations, get the choc chip cookie! (https://www.cultureespresso.com/)

• Maman: amazing pastries (https://mamannyc.com/)

• Blank Street Coffee: Cold Brew and non artificial ice PSL (https://www.blankstreet.com/)

Places to See

Little Island Park is a cool spot to visit and walk around or Gantry State Park in LIC (Queens) has an amazing waterfront views of midtown manhattan, Queens Bridge and Roosevelt Island (https://littleisland.org/)

Can't say enough good things about the views!

San Diego Guide: Julie Canales

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

Julie (right) taking me out for a run of San Diego’s downtown route.

I met Julie Canales at Ruocco Park, the start of San Diego’s downtown tour, on a foggy morning in late July. I had just moved to San Diego earlier that month and was eager to see the route I hoped to be leading soon—as San Diego’s newest running guide.

Julie moved to San Diego from Texas twenty years ago and never left (except for visits to see family, of course). I quickly learned, as we swapped guide stories, that Julie goes above and beyond for our clients.

No distance is to great

She once had two friends training for a marathon request to do their 20-miler with City Running Tours while on vacation in San Diego. Julie had her husband set up aid stations throughout their route with City Running Tours banners hanging from the tables and waters and gels. One of Julie’s friends joined for the last several miles to help get these two women to the finish as well. Julie chuckled as she told me that by the time they got to their final miles, the two were tired of hearing her talk about the sites they were passing by. But she understood, so she eased back on the impulse all guides have of inundating our clients with every fascinating fact about our cities.

Julie talks with corporate clients in town for a conference. The USS Midway and “kissing statue” are to the right and up ahead, two famous attractions.

Recreating a race

Another time, a client had missed a 10k race due to an injury, so he wanted to recreate the route exactly and run it when he was recovered. Julie went to a craft store to get the materials to create a finisher’s medal with the City Running Tours logo on the side.

getting by with a little help from her friends

When there have been larger corporate tours, Julie enlists friends to help break participants up into smaller groups. These friends have even made City Running Tours candies to share with participants after they’re done.

Julie leading a run with a client through the Old Town route. They’re looking out over San Diego from California’s first mission.

you’ll always have a friend in San diego

I can’t guarantee that Julie will provide your next San Diego tour with these unique and thoughtful gestures, but I can guarantee that you will get a great tour of the city and feel like you’ve run with a true friend.

City Features: Chicago's best eats, runs, and sights

By San Diego Guide and Chicago Manager Chelsey Stone

While interviewing Chicago Guides Rebecca Greenberg and Lauren Hooks as well as Read & Run’s Allison Yates, Chelsey asked for their ultimate recommendations for the best food, running, and sights in Chicago. Whether you’re in town for the Chicago Marathon this October or plan on visiting the city soon, check out these recommendations from one runner to another.

Where the locals eat 

Like many runners, we’re a frugal group who love healthy, nutritious food that fuels our runs, so we like to cook a lot of meals ourselves. But when pressed for their favorite places to eat out, our crew came up with some great places, in a variety of neighborhoods throughout the city.

Becca’s recommendations 

Guide Becca

"There’s sort of a neighborhood for everything. Try the deep dish pizza if you have to [more on this below], but there’s some really good Italian spots in Little Italy."

"Hotel Lincoln [points to it as we happened to be coming up to it on our run] has got 12 different bars and restaurants. But the rooftop has amazing cocktails, and you can see all of the city."

"I always recommend going to a brewery. District Brew Yards has Around the Bend, one of my favorite breweries. The place is a little expensive, but it’s by the pour and you get to try 4 different breweries. It’s in the middle of the West Loop. In the summer, it has huge outdoor seating, board games, music.

Allison’s recommendations

Read & Run’s Allison

If you think you know Chicago style pizza, think again. Read & Run led a run based on Steve Dolinsky’s The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide and the book covers Chicago’s pizza history and where to get the best slice.

“At Robert’s Pizza and Dough Co. Robert uses as many local ingredients as possible, and he has even been using the same yeast starter for over 25 years. When he goes on vacation, he has a yeast babysitter. He has really great combinations and very creative pizzas that he does all himself. He’ll be walking around the restaurant and come talk to you and say hi. I truly think that pizza is amazing. It's more tavern style, but it's cut into triangles, so it's technically contemporary but very good.” The good news for visitors, this spot is right downtown. You might not expect to get a really good pizza spot so close to the epicenter of Chicago’s tourism, but for those staying downtown, this place is a half mile walk to Michigan Ave. and the Mag Mile.

If we're still talking about pizza though. Pizza Friendly Pizza in Ukranian Village on Western Ave. They’ve got really good and affordable slices and beer. They're right next door to The Empty Bottle, which has free shows on Mondays. They have a lot of up and coming artists but they've also historically had shows of people who became very famous. It's grungy, almost a seedy looking place, but very accessible to listen to live music of all types.

Lauren’s recommendations

Guide Lauren

“When you’re newer to a city, you want to try all of the Chicago restaurants.” Her favorite spots to play tourist are Range in Lincoln Park. She said eating there was “one of the best experiences ever. They have a very seasonal menu. The chef comes over to your table and talks with you. Great drinks, good vibes, great atmosphere.” But Lauren warns to make your reservation now as they can book up.

Another of her favorites is Gather.

Chelsey’s recommendations

Chelsey (left) and Allison (right) at a Read & Run event

My favorite post-20 miler breakfast spot is Tweet in Uptown. It’s a popular place, so be prepared to wait it out in the bar with a well-deserved mimosa. They know you’re hungry after all that waiting though, so they give you a tasty fruit cup and toast right when they seat you; it keeps you from getting too hangry while waiting for your order.

The Chicago Marathon takes runners down S Wentworth Ave., right by Chiu Quon Bakery in Chinatown, combining the opportunity to check out the course and grab something delicious to eat. They have tons of buns, cookies, and cakes on display; just remember your eyes are bigger than your stomach. I’ve been known to order in excess after a run around nearby Ping Tom Memorial Park.

Chiu Quon Bakery

If you are staying downtown, try Aster Hall, a food court in a swanky shopping mall where you can sample many of Chicago’s finest like Small Cheval (petite version of the famous Au Cheval), a Chicago-style hotdog, ramen, and more. And if you’re thinking you’re recommending a food court like my mom did after I suggested it for my post-Chicago Marathon dinner, I promise, it’s not your typical mall food court.

Where the locals run

Becca Greenberg: "I really like to go up N Clark St. and down N Lincoln Ave.; you see a weird cross-section of the city, a combination of schools and houses, music and theaters and bars, and everything in between. You pass Wrigley Field. How often can you go on a run and pass a major league field? Though sometimes it’s not a great idea to run through the crowd entering or leaving the stadium."

The Lakefront is a runner’s paradise, and no wonder. It’s an 18-mile long path with almost no intersections (a few stop-signed areas, where you have the right of way, and crossings with the separated bike path). Some of my favorite spots on or right off of the Lakefront Trail include Promontory Point on the south side, Montrose Bird Sanctuary on the north side, and Northerly Island in the center. Allison agreed and described them best:

“Promontory Point is my absolute favorite spot on the lakefront for so many reasons. It has great views and I love the type of people who go there. Because of the University of Chicago, it's a really intellectual crowd, so I like overhearing their conversations. You can hear a lot of different languages there. And it's great for community barbecuing.”

“Montrose Bird Sanctuary feels like an urban city where nature is uniting and thriving together. I feel the same about Northerly Island. I love that you cannot hear the city but see it and feel so far away but also you're very close.”

Skokie Sculpture Park

My favorite routes are anywhere along the Chicago River. You can of course run on the famous Chicago Riverwalk and while it’s not very long, you can add distance by going north or south on the Lakefront Trail. The North Shore Channel Trail will take you right along the river and up to the Skokie Sculpture Park. You can also run from the Eleanor Street Boathouse to the Canal Riverwalk Park, it’ll just require some running on the streets to connect.

Chicago River at Lathrop Homes

Where the locals hang out

Allison provided neighborhood attractions that won’t necessarily be on every list of things to do…

“One of my favorite places to take people is Shit Fountain. I take everybody there because it tells a really fun story. It’s a great example of how you can have something so funky in a pretty standard neighborhood. And people just love it and it became a beloved by the community feature. Jerzy S. Kenar is the artist. He does a lot of religious art, but apparently he has ties to the Daley family via a priest because he's very Catholic. And Daley came to the unveiling of Shit Fountain.
Andersonville: “I love neighborhoods with concentrated strips of restaurants, bars, and culture. There’s the Swedish American Museum. Their children's section is so fun, but it’s for any age. It's meant to mimic what the neighborhood used to be, which was Swedish. I also love that they have some dive bars, amazing Middle Eastern grocery stores and restaurants all in one concentrated area, and of course Women and Children First bookstore.”

See Chicago through our guides

There are, of course, just about a million websites for recommended eating and sight-seeing in Chicago, but our guides and community have curated the above list for with their fellow runners in mind. We hope you enjoy our favorite spots in Chicago just as much as we do.