About this Event
Join Read & Run Chicago guide Chelsey Stone out of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel for a guided running tour (3.6 miles at 11:00 minute per mile pace) through the Loop that explores how Chicago’s riverfront has been shaped—by infrastructure, design decisions, and evolving ideas about what our waterways can be.
Along the route, we’ll showcase how people, buildings, and ecosystems interact along the Chicago River at spots like bridge houses, a fish hotel (!!!), and the Lyric Opera House.
Whether you’re a regular river runner or someone curious about how Chicago’s waterfront is changing, leave with a better understanding of the river and a deeper connection to the physical spaces we call home!
Following the run, readers & runners will hear from Mejay Gula of the .
No pre-reading required to attend running tours. If you're interested in continuing learning, all attendees will get 50% off their copy of The Chicago River thanks to the Southern Illinois University Press!
INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN: If it becomes unsafe to run outside, we will hold a modified version of the event indoors starting at the same time, 6:00pm. You will be notified via email no later than 4pm on Wednesday, February 25 if there are any changes to the event.
The TL;DR:
DOORS OPEN: Doors open on the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel (12 S Michigan)'s 4th Floor Stagg Court at 6:15 PM. Check in, make a name tag, purchase merch, and mingle with other readers & runners.
ROUTE: The 3.6-mile route (11:00-12:00 min/mile) traces the river in the Loop with several stops.
POST-RUN: Stick around after the route for light bites and sips and to hear from Mejay Gula of the .
All ticket holders will receive reminder emails and details 2 days and 4 hours prior to the event.
About your host and speakers:
is a community organization managed under Read & Run Tours. Founded in 2021, the mission is simple: to use movement and stories to explore Chicago. Programming includes free community meetups like book swaps and reading nights, plus what the organization is most known for: book-themed guided runs where stories take place, all inspired by books set in Chicago, mostly written by local authors. Read & Run Chicago’s ultimate goal is to help Chicagoans better connect with themselves, each other, and the physical spaces they call home. Along the way, Read & Run Chicago champions literacy initiatives, local nonprofits, public libraries, independent bookstores, and the writers who bring Chicago’s communities to life. They’ve hosted over 120 events featuring 30+ authors and local experts and have been highlighted by CNN, Runner’s World, Midwest Living, NBC’s Chicago Today, FOX32 Good Day Chicago, WGN Radio, Block Club Chicago, and more. More information at readandrunchicago.com, Instagram, and Facebook.
Chelsey Stone: Chelsey Stone is a freelance editor and writer. She's worked on projects like Adam Nimoy's memoir and written for Runner's World, Bicycling, and National Geographic (about the Chicago River!). A former Chicagoan, she's now living in the Washington, DC area. She spends her free time visiting all the free museums she now has access to.
Mejay Gula: Mejay Gula, AIA, is a licensed architect and the founder of the Tender House Project, an initiative dedicated to preserving and culturally activating Chicago’s historic bridgehouses as civic infrastructure along the Chicago River. With more than twenty years of experience in architecture, urban design, and planning, her work advances adaptive reuse and civic design strategies that strengthen community agency and public value.
Mejay also serves as Studio Director of Development, Culture, and Engagement at Site Design Group in Chicago. She is a frequent lecturer on civic design and cultural stewardship and serves on the boards of the Chicago Architectural Club and the McCormick Bridgehouse Museum.
Tender House Project is a Chicago-based initiative working to preserve the city’s historic bridgehouses and imagine them as community-centered cultural spaces along the Chicago River. These iconic structures sit vacant today, but THP sees their potential to connect neighborhoods and expand public access to the riverfront. Through preservation planning, community engagement, and cultural visioning, we are building a foundation to bring these civic landmarks back to life. Starting with the bridgehouses at Cortland and Ashland Avenue, THP aims to create a network of cultural hubs that link Chicago’s neighborhoods and strengthen connections along the river.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Chicago Athletic Association - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, 12 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, United States
