Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, all of our runs/walks are continuing as scheduled. Seattle Frontrunners follow all state, county, and local health recommendations and guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19. Visit our COVID-19 page for the most up-to-date information.

Seattle Frontrunners is more than just a running and walking club. It’s a great way to exercise while socializing with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their friends who have similar goals to yours. It’s a great way to build camaraderie while learning how to enhance your athletic ability. Many of our members credit the club for meeting their goals, increasing their pace, and even for having completed their first marathon. In addition to our weekly runs/walks, our members meet monthly for potlucks and other social events.

There is no minimum per-mile speed at which you must run to join our runs or walks. We have runners and walkers at all different speeds, or paces. If you want to run with a pace group, we typically have volunteer pacers running at 7:00 min/mile (4:21 min/km) to 10:00 min/mile (6:13 min/km) and above. You do not have to join a pace group if you’d rather set your own pace. For those looking to walk, there are members that participate in fast walking or simply enjoy a casual walk

Yes! Our club is made up of runners and walkers of all physical abilities. Our runs and walks are led by pace groups with one to six mile distances available depending on the run. We can help pair you with someone with similar abilities or running goals prior to the run.

Depending on the time of year, we host up to four scheduled runs/walks on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in Seattle:

Tuesday Track Workout
During the spring and summer months, our track program meets at 7:00 p.m. Visit our track page for the most up-to-date information.

Wednesday Run/Walk in Capitol Hill
Our Wednesday run/walk meets at 6:30 p.m. in Volunteer Park. Visit the Wednesday run/walk page for more information.

Thursday Trail Run in Capitol Hill
The Thursday Trail Run also meets at 6:30 p.m. in Volunteer Park. Visit the trail run page for more information.

Saturday Run/Walk in Green Lake
The Saturday run/walk meets at 9:15 a.m. at Green Lake Park, west of the Green Lake Community Center. Visit the Saturday run/walk page for more information.

All of our runs/walks will take place, rain or shine, and we encourage you to bring appropriate gear depending on the weather and sunlight available.

If it is your first run/walk, be sure to let another member know and they can help introduce you to other members. The group leader will have everyone circle up and welcome existing and new participants. After sharing some important announcements, the group leader will provide route details (verbally, digitally, and printed) and identify the pace groups. Finally, all participants are invited to name off and share their pronouns. Following the run/walk, there will be time to mingle and socialize with other members.

Our routes range in length from 3 to 6 miles. But route lengths vary by the day, so check out all of our weekly runs and walks.

Before each run/walk, we will provide turn-by-turn directions for each route (excluding Thursday’s trail run). There will also be printed directions and QR codes to use during your run/walk to ensure you know where to go. The best way to avoid getting lost is to connect with a pace group, or pair up with someone of similar athletic ability. There is always a member nearby to make sure you know the directions and can get back to the starting point safely. View some of our routes ahead of time:

Wednesday Night Routes / Saturday Morning Routes

We suggest wearing clothing that you are comfortable in, especially footwear. In cold weather, wear layers that will keep you warm but which you can take off if you get too hot. In hot weather, you should think about bringing some water as public water stations are not always available. During winter months, our Wednesday and Thursday evening runs/walks are usually after dark, so we highly recommend that you wear bright or reflective clothing to stay visible to cars, cyclists, and other runners. A headlamp can also be helpful for dark evenings.

Yes! We welcome any and all visitors. Pets are not always allowed at post activity social gatherings, so please check with the venue prior.

Depending on the run/walk, day of the week, and time of year, some but not all of our meetups have restrooms and water fountains. Please plan accordingly.

A major priority of ours is ensuring that our runs/walks are accessible. All of our run/walk locations are near Sound Transit Light Rail stations and bus stops. Please see individual run/walk offerings for more specific information about how you can get to our meetup locations.

Run & Walk with Pride is Seattle Frontrunners’ annual fundraiser for local non-profits in the LGBTQIA+ community. The event happens in June of each year. For more information visit the Run & Walk with Pride website.

The best part about Seattle Frontrunners is that even though the members come from all backgrounds, we all are brought together by our love for running and walking. We know that community is important, which is why we provide additional opportunities for members to connect and socialize outside of the scheduled runs/walks. Once you become a member, join the club’s Heylo group or read the monthly newsletter for specific details regarding monthly potlucks, themed parties, and other special events.

Following each run/walk, there will be time to socialize and mingle with other members. During this time, participants typically stretch, hydrate, and wait for the remaining members of their pace group to finish. Once everyone has completed their run/walk, you can join us for additional social time. We typically meet at local bars, coffee shops, or restaurants, depending on the day of the week. Currently we meet at Shelter Lounge on Saturdays in Green Lake, Union Bar on Wednesdays, and rotate Capitol Hill restaurants on Thursdays. Be sure to check with a fellow attendee to confirm the location of the post-activity social gathering. Attending post-run/walk social events is an optional but fun way to better know your fellow runners and walkers.

Nope! Feel free to attend a few runs or walks before deciding to join us officially. If you would like, contact us before meeting up with us so that we can make sure to look for you. Members receive access to our monthly newsletter along with email updates on all our run/walks and events.

We offer a couple of membership options to choose from. The annual cost for a standard membership to Seattle Frontrunners is $20. We also offer a student or limited income membership for $10 annually. Membership is not required for your first run/walk, so feel free to try us out before making the decision to join. If you’d like to join but the membership fee is prohibitive, contact us. We have funds reserved to support potential members for whom the cost is out-of-budget.

Your annual membership dues help maintain the website and other membership communication tools. In addition, fees help cover the costs of many of our social events throughout the year. We host monthly potlucks and special events such as holiday parties. Seattle Frontrunners is just as much a social outlet as it is a running and walking club, and membership dues help provide more opportunities to meet other LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies.

Yes, any paying member is welcome to attend our monthly board meetings. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the inner workings of the club. Check out the upcoming events in our Heylo group to find out when the next meeting is scheduled. If you are interested in becoming a board member, elections happen annually in September.

There are many ways to get involved, such as volunteering to lead a pace group, participating in committees, or running for a board position. Check out the Get Involved page for more information.

For general inquiries, please contact us through our Contact Us form.

For DEI related feedback, please contact us through the form on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page.

To contact a member of the Executive Committee, you can do so through the Board of Directors page.