By Allison Yates, founder of Read & Run Chicago

Each month, I highlight a dedicated member of the Read & Run Chicago community on Instagram that inspires others and positively contributes to our events. You can see all of our featured readers runners here.

Naturally, a February reader and runner of the month must relate to one of the best parts of this month: the theme of love. Last year for Valentine’s Day, I highlighted two runners–a couple named John and Kaylee–whose meet-cute couldn’t be more dreamy: they met at an American Writers Museum Valentine’s Day-themed book swap called Read Dating. Kaylee, despite being tired and almost not going, brought Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll (her favorite book as a kid) and The Bellwether Revivals by Benjamin Wood. She gave both of them to other people, but John gave her his book, Jesus' Son— the first book they bonded over— and the rest was history.

This year, our Valentine’s Day featured reader(s) and runner(s) showcases a different kind of love: friendship! (Arguably the best kind.)

There are no better readers and runners than Erica, Maria Fernanda, Heather, and Mary to point to to celebrate friendship. Their dedication to fitness and friendship is not only inspiring, but seems to be a rarity worth celebrating.

From left: Heather, Maria Fernanda, Mary, and Erica at the *Beauty of the Face-*inspired Read & Run Chicago event on February 12, 2023.

It’s easy to spot this group. Their big smiles, enthusiasm, and excitement bring so much joy to any meet up. When I first met Erica Agran, one part of the group, through a mutual friend, she told me she had recruited a couple of her friends for an upcoming Read & Run Chicago event. I had no idea they’d soon start to fill up the available spots and really show up–not just be there, but be fully present, supportive, and full of laughs. Since then, they’ve always caught my attention. How do four women, with busy lives and responsibilities, still make time to see each other and support each other and other groups like Read & Run Chicago?

Here’s what I learned.

How did they meet?

Maria Fernanda, Mary, and Erica met back in 2016 when they were part of the first ASweatLife ambassador cohort. A year later, Heather–who Maria Fernanda met in 2006 while they both taught at the same school–joined and connected with the group. Maria Fernanda is great about planning events, so this meant that there were brunches and other events that helped forge their bond early on.

How do they support each other?

You’ll frequently see them attending all kinds of fitness-related events together, from Read & Run Chicago to yoga to running marathons together. While they all have work, family, and other commitments, the common thread is the way fitness takes priority in their lives. Mary says that it helps to have friends with the same priorities, and with them in particular it’s helpful that they all love to try new experiences, which leads them to discover lots of other groups, like Read & Run Chicago! For Erica, she considers their knack of combining social with fitness activities (like a run with coffee or fitness class with other activity) a “two-fer.”

Erica describes their level of support as “unparalleled.” They can count on each other for anything, whether it’s as the “epic cheer crew for the Chicago Marathon, jumping in to pace and support each other in races and runs, supporting each other's charities/events and interests or just lending an ear,” she says.

Though their friendship may have started with fitness and serves as a central point, it now reaches far beyond. What they’ve created is “iIrreplaceable,” even, says Maria Fernanda.

They’ve found commonalities in their love of books, restaurants, and Peloton, and also share personal situations and challenges. Maria Fernanda says it’s not uncommon to find them belly laughing or bringing a smile to her face. From birthdays to creative socializing during the pandemic—including a cookie exchange in the back of Maria Fernanda’s car—to travel and even chocolate tastings, they also bond over their love of new experiences, fitness or otherwise.

In a society that struggles with loneliness and in which women often sacrifice friendship for work or family, it takes a lot of work and effort to maintain the life-saving ties of female friendship. But as these four women show, the benefits speak for themselves.

Their example shows us that it’s possible. It’s possible to do what you love, while spending time outside, while forming new bonds at any stage of your life or point in your career, and while simultaneously continuing to show up for others.

As Erica explains, the ASweatLife motto is “everything is better with friends.”

“It’s so much more fun and motivating to go to workouts or runs with friends. Our group is awesome, because everyone is up for trying something new and supporting one another,” she says.