Run Your City Cleveland (RYC Cleveland), a nonprofit chapter led by Cleveland State University cross-country and track student-athletes, will return to Edgewater Park on Sunday, Sept. 6 for the start of its third season.

Run Your City Cleveland participants preparing to run at Edgewater Park.The free six-week program will give children in kindergarten through eighth grade the opportunity to run while building their confidence and connecting with collegiate student-athletes as mentors.

Run Your City Cleveland will meet every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. through Sunday, Oct. 11 at Edgewater Park, 6500 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway, Cleveland. The program is open to kids of all abilities.

The CSU student-athletes who lead the Cleveland RYC chapter volunteer their time to create an inclusive and supportive environment for local youth. Through running and team-based activities, participants are encouraged to develop healthy habits, build resilience, and create meaningful relationships with their collegiate mentors.

“We are really happy to [be] one of the first teams in Ohio to be a part of RYC,” says RYC co-president Deena Ingrassia. “This nonprofit has shown us every part of Cleveland’s youth that we don’t always get to see. We are so excited for our third season and have loved watching each kid grow individually as an athlete and into their [own] person! We love our Run Your City Cleveland kids, and hope to meet more soon!”

Nonproft Run Your City Cleveland gives give kindergarten through eighth graders the opportunity to run while building confidence and connecting with collegiate student-athletes mentors.Run Your City was founded in 2018 by Mary Blankemeier, a former University of Virginia student-athlete, with the goal of providing children with greater access to sports, mentorship, and positive role models through free running programs led by college athletes.

The organization has since grown to more than 80 active chapters across the United States.

In 2025, Run Your City reached more than 5,500 children and more than 500 volunteers nationwide. Through its free six-week programs, the organization works to break down barriers that can prevent young people from participating in sports, including financial limitations, accessibility challenges, and a lack of welcoming opportunities.

RYC Cleveland co-president Natalie Keller says the organization is committed to building an inclusive and accessible community through the sport of running. Its programs are designed to give every child, regardless of ability, gender or socioeconomic background, the opportunity to grow into a healthy, confident and inspired individual.

“I love seeing the joy on the kids’ faces when they try new things, work really hard, and succeed,” she says. “Cheering them on in a sport that means so much to me is why I keep coming back each season.”

This upcoming season, RYC Cleveland leaders say they hope to reach all local children and families who are interested in learning more about running.

Learn more and register through the RYC Cleveland website or scan the QR code on the program flyer. Interested participants with questions can email RYC Cleveland as well.