Follow Friday Running Edition

When I moved to Chicago, I set about learning the city on foot. As I trained for the Chicago Marathon last year, I changed my routes daily looking not for the most picturesque, but for a new street, a new neighborhood, a new side of the city.

It has been a fascinating, if sometimes lonely endeavor, but connecting and learning from others about running through Twitter reminds me that I’m part of a larger running community—all experiencing the same highs, lows and occasional frustrations. Here are a few of my favorite Twitter runners, some of whom participated in our running #MarketingHop, in the first edition of Lightspan’s Follow Friday series.

Chime in below with your favorite runners to follow!

@StreetsblogCHI

Formerly Grid Chicago, Streetsblog isn’t necessarily a running blog, but for us runners and cyclists in Chicago, transportation infrastructure is running and cycling news. Streetsblog is all over it. I find something to read in each of their daily emails, and they’re out doing the studying and advocating on behalf of all of us.

@CoachJenny

The c0-founder of Chicago Endurance Sports and a legendary coach, Jenny Hadfield is as generous and friendly on Twitter as she is in person. Her advice helps runners at all levels, and they come with a good dose of health tips too.

@TheBeerRunner

Tim Cigelski likes beer. He also likes running. He’s been enjoying both every day for several years. I would follow him simply on principle, but he also has great takes on everything from beer as running fuel to how to handle the flu with beer.

@Not_Margaret

The pen behind the MagMileRunner blog tweets about all things running gear and running gripes we all share, and she’s up on the latest on Chicago’s events (and an occasional rant about race prices). A great follow to learn about new races, changes and improvements.

@TomHeld

A Wisconsin guy, Held was the long-time silent sports writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before moving to his own blog, The Active Pursuit, last year. He’s prolific and has his finger on the pulse of pedestrian safety issues, race news, and particularly the issues facing cycling and running sports.

@SilentSportsed

The handle of Joel Patenaude, the editor of the bible for the Midwest’s practitioners of human-powered recreation, Silent Sports magazine. Like Held, Patenaude is all over the latest news effecting the sport and pedestrian transportation. He’s also down for trying anything, from hopping into cyclocross to getting into the fat tire craze.

@FleetFeetChGo

It’s a brand, and a Lightspan client, but for this Lincoln Square runner, it was a gateway into the city’s running scene. I love their store in my ‘hood, and they’re dedicated to the running community, with great advice on bundling up, event updates, and enough prodding to get me out my door on days when I’m dragging.

Who are some of your favorite running Twitter accounts to follow?