Roosevelt University Grad Joabe Barbosa Braces the Cold to Achieve Ambitious Goal of Running Every Street in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — Unfazed by the biting cold, one determined individual pursued his ambitious goal last Friday.

Joabe Barbosa, at 25, is on a quest to become the first person to jog through every street in Chicago, a staggering journey of nearly 4,000 miles.

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This challenge has become a significant life goal for Barbosa, as he sets out to traverse the entirety of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods, covering approximately 4,000 miles of streets.

“The people of Chicago are incredible; wherever I run, I receive overwhelming support,” Barbosa shared. “I feel secure no matter where I go.”

Currently a graduate student at Roosevelt University, Barbosa has already tackled around 80% of the city’s extensive street network by strategically planning his runs in a grid pattern, ensuring no block is left unexplored.

To reach different neighborhoods, Barbosa frequently relies on public transit. He maintains a rigorous schedule, averaging 10 miles per day, six days a week, undeterred by the elements.

ABC7 caught up with him Friday morning at a CTA Blue Line station.

“Oldest day in years, but that doesn’t stop me,” Barbosa said. “Because I’m gonna be out there with the Chicago flag representing and trying to get more streets.”

Barbosa’s journey began in August 2024. He posts his progress on social media and documents his runs on an app called Strava. He’s managed to check off a lot of the city and says some of his favorite communities have been on the city’s South Side and West Side.

“I really like running on the South Side. Amazing people there always supporting me on my journey,” Barbosa said.

Born in Brazil and raised in England, Barbosa went to college in Kentucky on a sports scholarship before moving to the Windy City a few years ago to pursue his doctorate in clinical psychology.

Ironically, he says he really doesn’t like running, but started it as rehab after surviving a life-threatening mountaineering accident in March of last year that left him with frostbite and hypothermia. His doctor told him he needed to get his blood flowing, so since he couldn’t play his favorite soccer every day, he took to the lakefront trails.

‘So with that, I started running on the lakefront trail cause I play soccer, but you can’t play soccer every day, but you can run every day,” Barbosa said. “But when I was running on the Lakefront Trail, I was just thinking this is beautiful, but it’s boring and so I thought, why don’t I go to different neighborhoods.”

Donning the Chicago city flag as a cape, Barbosa says while he often runs alone, sometimes he’ll pick up a running partner along with way, who loves Chicago and its people as much as he does.

“Just encouraging people to go out there and just explore Chicago and explore the world,” Barbosa said.

The Chicago man is not the only runner pursuing the challenge. At least two others also have designs on the city.

Barbosa hopes to finish his quest by April or May.

Once the run is complete, he plans on submitting his accomplishment for official Guinness World Record recognition and maybe even take his run every street effort to other cities.