Overview:

- Detroit's interconnected trails, like the Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut, make it easier to run from neighborhood to neighborhood while staying protected from traffic.
- Joining local running groups like WeRun313 or RUNdetroit offers support for runners of all levels and helps build consistency and endurance.
- The Detroit running community is growing, and more people are using the city's green spaces for both physical and mental well-being.

There’s never been a better time to be a runner in Detroit. 

The city is becoming more interconnected, with the Riverwalk, Dequindre Cut, Joe Louis Greenway, and other trails and greenways now connecting once-isolated parts of the city. 

These days,  it’s easier to get from one neighborhood to another on foot, and pedestrian paths are protected from traffic in many areas. You can run through parks, along greenways, and past many Motor City landmarks in just a few miles. 

Although you can lace up your running shoes and head out the front door on your own anywhere in Detroit, a little planning can make it a more enjoyable experience.

Using Google Maps, MapMyRun, or apps like Strava, it’s easy to map out an out-and-back route or a loop for the distance you want to run. 

Here’s Planet Detroit’s guide to running in the city.

Join a running group

Running does not need to be a solo experience. If you want some company on your run, several running clubs meet up regularly for group runs across the city. They include:

WeRun313 does weekly 2-mile Tuesday and 5k/10k Thursday group runs, plus Sunday long runs.

RUNdetroit, a running specialty store, leads runs from the store in Eastern Market on Saturdays and track workouts on Tuesdays at Wayne State University’s Tom Adams Field.

Detroit Downtown Runners and Walkers meet at different sites in Detroit for group runs on Tuesdays.

Atwater Running Club runs from Atwater Brewing on Thursdays.

Sometimes, joining a group can be intimidating if you’re getting into running. You may worry that you’re too slow, that you don’t look the part, or that you’ll get left behind. But many of these groups welcome people of all paces, including walkers. 

“That’s a huge fear for beginners. People think they’re going to be left. People feel that they’re too slow or they don’t have the endurance to complete two miles, so a lot of them end up not coming at all,” Lance Woods, cofounder of WeRun313, told Planet Detroit. But the group makes sure nobody gets left behind. 

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“It doesn’t matter what type of physical shape you’re in. We’re here to help you develop that consistency and develop yourself into being able to complete two miles. Then, eventually, you’ll be able to move over to our 5k/10k Thursday run because you’ll build up the confidence to do that.”

WeRun313’s 2-mile Tuesdays start at Breadless on Larned St. and run out a mile, where they wait for everyone to arrive and then run back.

Running groups can help people figure out how to train. “We’ve been doing this for five years now. We’ve developed so many different runners to be able to run a mile, two miles, three miles, all the way up to a marathon nonstop because of the way we structure our runs,” Woods said.

The top reasons people join WeRun313 are to get physically active and to be part of a community, Woods said. He and cofounder Joe Robinson started WeRun313 in 2019, and now it’s Detroit’s biggest running club, with more than 2,300 runners.

Camaraderie is also what brings people to RUNdetroit’s group runs, said store owner Justin Craig. “If you’re going to be out there and you are doing your 10-mile long run, for some people, that’s going to be two or two and a half hours. And so to be able to just have a conversation and spend that time connecting with somebody–you just happen to be doing it while you’re moving forward–that’s, I think, what draws a lot of people.” 

Try a new running route.

There are plenty of ways to get around, and a little research on apps like Strava can uncover where other people are doing their runs.

The Detroit Riverwalk: The Riverwalk is a good place to do an out-and-back run because it covers 3.5 miles from Joe Louis Arena to Gabriel Richard Park. You get to run along the river, and you don’t have to worry about car traffic. You can also run through Milliken State Park and along the wetlands there. 

WeRun313’s 5k/10k Thursdays meet at Robert C. Valade Park and go along the Riverwalk, through the newly finished Uniroyal Promenade, to the MacArthur Bridge and back for the first 5k. The people running 10k keep going toward the Outdoor Adventure Center and turn down the Dequindre Cut to the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard and back. 

“There’s a lot going on along the riverfront. There’s always people there. You’ve got the Aretha [Franklin Amphitheater] right there, you’ve got the Dequindre Cut, you’ve got the riverfront,” Woods said. “Looking over to Canada, it’s just gorgeous. It’s beautiful. That’s what I love about it.” This is the third year WeRun313 has partnered with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to host its runs at the park. 

The Dequindre Cut: The Dequindre Cut is a two-mile stretch of what used to be a Grand Trunk Railroad line. It runs mostly below street level and is lined with urban artwork—both of which can make a run more enjoyable.

“The Dequindre Cut is just such a cool experience, being separated from cars,” Craig said. And it’s a chance to appreciate the history of the train lines. “What you pass by were the loading docks of working markets,” he said. 

To get immersed in nature by running in parks, you can try:

Belle Isle: A loop around Belle Isle is 5.4 miles.

Palmer Park: This park contains a 2.5-mile loop that can link up with other paths.

Many Detroit parks have shorter trails that are good for a short run or can be incorporated into longer routes. 

Get equipped for running

One pair of running equipment trumps all others: The shoes, of course. Wearing the right pair of shoes for you is crucial. 

“Oftentimes, we see people running in shoes that they shouldn’t be running in,” like basketball and tennis shoes, Woods said. And if they continue to run in non-running shoes, “they’re going to experience some sort of pain,” he said.

You shouldn’t just buy any running shoe that looks nice, though. Running specialty stores can recommend shoes based on several factors, including your gait, whether your feet overpronate or underpronate, how many miles you’re running and the surfaces you’re running on. 

While many specialty running stores are located throughout metro Detroit, only one is in the City: RUNdetroit. The store opened in 2013 in Midtown and recently moved to Eastern Market.

“We’re the first and only, which is completely bonkers,” Craig said. “Because if we opened in Seattle, we would have been the 13th store in the area.” 

Craig said getting people into shoes that are right for them is essential, but it’s also important to do it without judgment. Walking into a running store can be intimidating, just like showing up at a running club. 

“We have a lot of very accomplished runners on our staff, but running can be such a pretentious sport,” he said. “We’ve created a culture where we don’t care how old you are, how big you are, how thin you are. Like—are you here to do the thing? Whether it’s walking your first 5k or running a marathon to qualify for Boston.” 

Craig noted that when his father started running to lose weight, “he would only run at night because he didn’t want anybody to see him. And that happens a lot.… There needs to be more humbleness in running, so we’re trying to bring that to everyday life here.”

To help eliminate the barriers that can get in the way of people running, WeRun313 does an annual community shoe giveaway that gives out more than 1,000 pairs of running shoes to community members. 

Embrace Detroit’s running community

Running is becoming more popular, and races are selling out faster, Woods said. 

“The running community is growing exponentially, so more people are getting outside and taking their physical health and mental health more serious, and running is a great outlet to do so.”

When RUNdetroit opened in 2013, people were surprised there was a running store in Midtown, Craig said.

“People would ask so many questions about, like, is it safe to run here?” But by around 2019, that question didn’t come up anymore. “We weren’t being asked, is it safe to be outside? It was more of like, where do I go? Because I want to be outside.” 

The Riverfront Conservancy’s “investment in pedestrian-specific green spaces has done so much for the city,” Craig added. “I’m very grateful for their work.”

Still, not everyone knows what to make of large groups of runners. Since RunDetroit moved to Eastern Market, between 160 and 170 people have been joining the group runs.

Craig said that after the first group run took off from the store, several people from the nearby coffee shop came over and asked what was happening.

“A woman was like, I just counted 163 people running away. Why is this happening?” 

Find a race for you

Detroit is home to many 5k races (3.1 miles) that are friendly to beginner runners and walkers. And for more ambitious runners, there are 10ks and the Detroit Free Press Marathon.

Here are some of the key races to know about:

The Detroit Free Press Marathon, which includes the marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), 5k, and 1 mile, October 19-20

Run the Dead, 10k and 5k, November 2 

Turkey Trot, 10k, 5k, and 1 mile, November 28 

Belle Isle New Year’s Eve Run, 5k and 1 mile, December 31

I Ran the D 5k, in May 

The Riverfront Run, 10k and 5k, in June 

Palmer Park Run/Walk, 8k, 5k, and 1 mile, in June 

Run the 313 5k, in August

The Growler Gallop, 10-mile and 5k, in September

Don’t forget these safety tips

One reason people join running groups is the safety of numbers. Running groups are also an excellent place to meet a running buddy for runs outside the group. 

If you run alone, basic situational awareness is important: be aware of your surroundings, and don’t blast music so loud in your earbuds that you can’t hear anything around you. 

You might want to wear a headlamp if you’re running in the dark or around dawn or dusk. It’s also a good idea to wear reflective clothing so that cars can see you. Some running clothes have reflective trim, but you can add a reflective vest or gear.

You should always carry your phone with you in a secure pocket or carrier, just in case you need to call for help.  

When running on the road, run against traffic. When running on a path, stay to the right. Especially if the path is shared with bikes, this gives bikes and faster traffic space to pass you. If you’re passing someone, a courteous “on your left” can avoid startling them. 

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