Photo of Frontrunners/Frontwalkers at Proud to Run 2007 provided by the organization._________
John Jones has been a part of Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago for 23 of the group's 25 years, and he's held numerous positions within the gay running club that calls its home, so to speak, that totem pole near Addison and Lake Shore Drive. He's been the president in the 1980s, vice-president twice and now serves as its treasurer.
Ultimately, though, he's just like everyone else: a gay runner, for the 3- and 5-mile twice-a-week runs along the lakefront.
'It's a running club and, well, that's what we do: we run. And not too much has changed since I joined,' said Jones, 48, a retired Lakeview resident.
Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago will officially celebrate their 25th Anniversary on Saturday ( Sept. 15 ) with a special commemorative brunch at the 'Signature Room at the 95th' inside the John Hancock Building, 875 N. Michigan. The three-hour event will start at noon after the club's fun run/walk. The cost is $35 for members, $50 for non-members.
There will be a short program and champagne toast.
After the brunch, the celebration will continue with a boat cruise on Wendella Boat's signature Combined Lake and River Tour. This is Chicago's most comprehensive boat tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, featuring an overview of architecture and history. The cost will be $22 ( tickets will be sold at the dock ) .
'Frontrunners is a very important club to me, and I'm sure many others too,' Jones said. ' [ For ] my little black-book of phone numbers, I just use the Frontrunners directory … and if I actually have a friend who isn't a Frontrunner, I just write his or her number into the directory.
'There are a lot of people who have put a lot of time and effort into the club.
'Personally, it's a great social club for me, and also is a health thing, too.'
Ironically, though, Jones admits he was quite nervous the first day he arrived at the totem pole, set to run. 'I was so nervous because I was joining this gay club, and didn't know anyone. But they were very welcoming, and since there are runners of all different abilities, it's easy to fall in with runners of your caliber.'
Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago was founded by the late Peg Grey and several others in July 1982 after the success of the first Proud To Run. The club took its name from The Front Runner, a best-selling novel written by Patricia Nell Warren. In the novel, running is a symbol of gay and lesbian pride.
There are about 200 Chicago members, including some from the suburbs. About 20 percent are female, Jones said. The majority of the runners are gay or lesbian, though straight friends and family of LGBT runners often run too. ' [ Being gay ] is not a requirement [ to join the club ] , just an assumption since there are other straight running clubs in the city,' Jones said.
Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago meet year-round every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the totem pole—the site of the group's first-ever meeting back in ྎ.
The Frontwalkers portion started in 1989, which has grown to almost match the number of Frontrunners in Chicago.
Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Chicago runs a popular, award-winning water station annually along Broadway in Lakeview at the eight-mile mark of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.
