Joabe Bayer Barbosa, a 25-year-old clinical psychology doctoral student at Roosevelt University, has completed an ambitious project to run every public street in Chicago, covering some 4,000 miles in total. Barbosa, originally from London, finished his quest on June 14, 2026, with a final run along Michigan Avenue, spanning from Oak Street to Ida B. Wells Drive. The event drew a crowd of supporters, many of whom wore Chicago flags as capes, mirroring Barbosa’s own attire throughout much of his journey.

Barbosa took up running after recovering from a mountain hiking accident, using it both as rehabilitation and personal motivation. He embarked on the challenge in August 2024, aiming to run every street in the city. Over the course of nearly two years, he documented his progress on social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok, where his posts attracted millions of views and a growing fan base.

His effort caught the attention of local officials and community figures, some of whom joined him during the final 20% of the route, completed over the last four months. Barbosa described the conclusion of the challenge as “bittersweet,” emphasizing that the experience was “more about the journey than the actual end goal.”

The completion of this undertaking marks a unique intersection of athletic endurance and urban exploration, highlighting Barbosa’s dedication and the broad public interest his project inspired across Chicago.