CHICAGO (WLS) — More and more people are joining locally run clubs to meet new people, make friends, foster community spirit and even find love.
Experts say loneliness can contribute to dementia, heart disease and other health problems. So when people come to Lakeview Run Club, they not only get a good workout, they also get a second family.
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The group of local runners is like a family, but it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are because – like in a family – everyone is welcome.
“Everyone is a runner. If you want to move your body and you can run for two minutes or run behind the block, or even if you can’t run but you want to, you’re a runner,” said club founder Ben Sussman.
Sussman said he came up with the idea of starting a running club during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many, including himself, felt lonely.
“My gym was closed, my office was closed. I’m an extrovert and I just craved human contact,” he said.
The Lakeview Run Club started with less than 10 members but has grown steadily.
“This summer we have reached an average of 250 to 300 per week. It’s crazy. A few weeks ago we reached 340-350,” said sad director Ana Sarmousakis.
The data shows that more and more people are looking for this type of connection.
“We often talk about social behavior as a muscle. If you don’t use it, you lose it,” says Louise Hawkley, senior fellow at the National Opinion Research Center.
According to data from Running USA, 25 percent more people have joined running clubs in the United States over the past five years.
“I probably met half of my best friends in Chicago through the Run Club,” Sarmousakis said.
Sarmousakis said the club helped her cope with her loneliness when she moved to Chicago. Now, she says, she has built a community of her own.
According to the Census Household Pulse household survey, one in eight U.S. adults surveyed (about 12 percent) said they feel lonely most of the time. In Chicago, the figure is 10 percent, and a third of that group said they meet with friends less than once a week.
“If it’s chronic and you struggle with loneliness over a long period of time, the risk of health suffering increases,” Hawkley said.
“You can have 2,000 friends on Instagram but not have any personal plans on the weekend,” Sarmousakis said.
For many, the Lakeview Run Club is not only a community, but also a chance to find true love. Spencer Heywood met his partner in the club.
And at the end of each ride, it’s time for drinks and socializing at Roscoe’s Tavern, where more contacts are made and friendships are formed in the hope that the club will continue for many years to come.
Hawkley said loneliness is not about being alone, but about feeling alone. She said whether it’s joining a running club, book club or another activity, it’s important to do meaningful things with other people.
If you are looking for a place to find community, the Lakeview Run Club is for you. They meet every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
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