Sunday marked a significant milestone for a Chicago grad student who reached his goal of running every single street in the city.
Joabe Barbosa took the past two years to run each block in Chicago, completing over 5,000 miles on his journey.
“I just woke up one day and I thought I’m just going to run the whole city,” Barbosa said.
His final run went along Oak Street and Michigan Avenue before heading to Buckingham Fountain. The runner was far from alone on Sunday; he was joined by hundreds who have followed his journey.
“There’s just been an overwhelming level of support throughout the neighborhoods,” he shared.
Documenting his journey on social media, Barbosa said people would warn him about certain Chicago neighborhoods they said were too dangerous to run – but he wanted to share a difference perspective.
“As I kept going, I kept running, I saw how nice people were, so I started the message of positivity, trying to show how every single neighborhood in Chicago deserves respect, deserves love,” he said.
With every mile, Barbosa traced a different map of Chicago – not defined by blocks, but by the people who call them home. While his mission is complete, Barbosa said he wants to continue showcasing different neighborhoods in the city on social media, sharing them with the world.
This isn’t Barbosa’s first major feat.
He set a new Guinness World Record in 2025 for running to every single CTA station in under nine hours, something he documented on social media.
The graduate student’s time in the United States was uncertain earlier this year; it appeared his quest would end in June when his Visa expired. Barbosa said he was able to extend his visa to complete an additional practicum training with his school.
