A light 2-mile jog Sunday morning was all that stood between Joabe Barbosa and the finish line of a journey more than 5,000 miles long. His goal: to run every street in Chicago.
“I’m the first person to run every single street, every single dead-end,” Barbosa said. “I don’t know if I’m happy that I’m done, or if I’m sad that I’m done.”
As the skies cleared from morning rains, hundreds of people carrying red, white and blue Chicago flags joined the 25-year-old on his final stretch along the Magnificent Mile — the culmination of a nearly 2-year-long challenge.
In August 2024, Barbosa said he woke up one morning determined to run the entire city. What started as a personal goal evolved into a citywide movement that attracted his nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram and drew support from public officials, community leaders and residents across Chicago.
Over the course of thousands of miles, Barbosa ran through all 77 neighborhoods and was joined at times by figures including Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. He also holds the Guinness World Record for fastest visits to every CTA station.
For Sunday’s finale, Barbosa spent about $1,600 of his own money on 500 Chicago flags for participants.
“This is priceless,” he said.
A Brazilian-born doctoral student of clinical psychology at Roosevelt University, Barbosa said his future in Chicago was uncertain until recently. This spring, he faced the possibility of losing his F-1 student visa while trying to secure a practicum placement required for his studies. However, last month, he said the university offered him an on-campus position that will allow him to continue his education and remain in Chicago for the next year.
Now, Barbosa plans to continue documenting his runs while pursuing his degree and his broader mission of unifying the city on foot.
“He’s an inspiring person,” said Jahmal Cole, the founder of the Chicago nonprofit My Block, My Hood, My City. “It’s not just for the ‘gram. To get up at 3 in the morning every day for the last year and run, he’s disciplined.”
Cole and Barbosa bonded over similar missions of creating more connections across diverse Chicago neighborhoods. For over a year, Cole has lived in a new neighborhood each month as he pursues a goal of living in all 77 community areas. He said he met Barbosa while running in Hegewisch.
“I saw him doing his thing and (said) ‘I’m living in a new community every month, you’re running every street every day,” Cole said. “‘Let’s get up and let’s kick it.’ I gave him some gear, he gave me a flag.”
Since he’s new to running, Cole said Barbosa’s been training him to run the Chicago Marathon together in October to raise money for the organization.
Barbosa’s message of inclusion for runners and non-runners alike has resonated with his thousands of social media followers. Caitlin Piazza, a 10-time Chicago Marathon finisher, considers Barbosa a “local running hero” in connecting the city through his runs.
“He’s just trying to relate to all walks of life,” she said. “Running should be accessible to everybody, and everyone has a story to tell.”
Barbosa, who shared on social media last week that he intended to finish the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 in last place, said he’s fostering an inclusive running community in Chicago.
By Sunday morning, hundreds gathered at Oak Street Beach and along Michigan Avenue to celebrate Barbosa’s achievement. One man played his bagpipe while jogging with the crowd as they made their way south.
Before the group set off, Barbosa encouraged everyone to join in.
“We’re gonna finish off at Buckingham Fountain, and no one’s gonna leave until the last person arrives,” he told the crowd.
Among those supporting him were his parents, who traveled from England, and his brother, who came from Kentucky.
“In the beginning, his goal was just to complete all the streets,” James Barbosa said of his older brother. “But once doing this and really going into every neighborhood, he realized that Chicago is amazing.”
For Barbosa, the project was never simply about mileage.
“This thing is not about running,” he said. “It’s about exploring, meeting new people and supporting each other. Because we’re all Chicago.”
