Running Tour of West Loop Women for International Women's Day

Join Read & Run Chicago Programs Manager Fernanda Wetzel for a 3-mile, easy-paced (11:00 min/mile) guided running tour focused on women in West Loop's history in honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month. The route and content are inspired by Connie Fairbanks's Chicago's West Loop Then and Now. After the route, enjoy social time with snacks and drinks.

No prior reading required, but if you'd like to learn more, purchase Chicago's West Loop Then and Now at Madison Street Books after the route.

Here's what else you need to know:

MEET: Doors open at Madison Street Books (1127 W. Madison) at 9:45am on Saturday, March 8. You'll check-in, write a name tag, and mingle with other readers & runners. Our program will begin promptly at 10:00am and the route will take off by 10:10am. Any late arrivals after 10:10am should wait at the bookstore until the group returns.

TRANSPORTATION:

• Paid street parking is available around Madison Street Books
• Various CTA buses pass by Madison Street Books
• The closest Divvy station to Madison Street Books is at Aberdeen & Monroe.

ROUTE: We will run an easy-paced (11:00 min/mile), ~3-mile route with several stops. Not planning to run? Cyclists, rollers, rollerblades, scooters, and more welcome (take care of your own safety, please!).

END: After the 3-mile guided run, we'll return to Madison Street Books for social time with snacks and drinks and the opportunity to purchase books.

NOTE: If you are planning to join only for the social time portion, plan to arrive at Madison Street Books by 11:15am-11:30am.

All registered readers & runners will receive reminder emails and details 2 days and 4 hours prior to the event.

About your guide: Fernanda is an educator, baker, and runner who loves to read, cook, get crafty, and explore new places with her family and friends. She’s originally from Ecuador and has lived in Chicago for 22 years.

INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN: If it becomes unsafe to run outside, we will hold an alternative version of the event indoors beginning at 10am. You will be notified via email no later than 9am on Saturday, March 8 if there are any changes to the event as listed here.

Read & Run Chicago is a chapter of Read & Run Tours, the country’s first and only organization that hosts running events inspired by books. Founded in 2021 by queer educator, freelance writer, and runner Allison Yates, the mission of Read & Run Tours, LLC and the city chapters is to use movement and stories to explore locations. Our community-focused run programming includes running tours, book club runs, author talks, and other literary-themed fun runs all inspired by books set in the cities where chapters are located, written by local authors. While connecting runners to the city’s stories, we also actively support literacy programs, public libraries, independent bookstores, and local authors.

In Chicago, we have hosted more than 60 events (in English and Spanish) for over 300 Chicagoans, featuring over 30 authors or local experts, and we have been featured in various media outlets including CNN, Runner’s World, Midwest Living, NBC’s Chicago Today, Fox32 Good Day Chicago, WGN Radio, Block Chicago, and more.

More information at readandrunchicago.com, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Madison Street Books, 1127 West Madison Street, Chicago, United States