Come Join Us!

Looking for a great way to meet and walk, jog or run with other LGBT (and allied) men and women? Arizona Frontrunners is dedicated to promoting physical fitness for all people at all fitness levels. Our group is comprised of first-time walking partcipants through seasoned marathon runners.

We do not have a membership fee. Our operating expenses (which are minimal) are covered by the money we raise by sponsoring the annual Pride Run and through other fundraising events throughout the year.

Show up whenever you want to join us. We meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings each week, except for some holidays, and we participate in other walking/running events (refer to our main site EVENTS page for a full calendar). You do not need to make a permanent change in your schedule to participate, and you don't need to RSVP in any way.

Walk/run as far as you want. Most of our walks are around 2 miles and runs range between 4 and 7 miles. However, our walk/runs take us on paths that allow participants to head back when they want.

Walk/run as slow/fast as you want. Our group consists of slower to fast walkers all the way to swift runners. You set a pace that suits best, or a combination of walking & running.

Bring your well-behaved dogs. They'll enjoy it too! Just make sure to bring extra water for your dogs.

Post-run meals. Usually, many of the members will go out to dinner after an evening run or go to breakfast after a Saturday morning run. Again, no obligation, but the more the merrier.

Volunteer. Regular runners and walkers are encouraged to participate in our fundraising activities which includes producing the Pride Run, staffing our information booth at events, Pride Parade float, as well as taking other active rolls in club functions and leadership. Your involvement makes it possible to operate without dues. And, we have a great time, too!

Our First Steps

Arizona Frontrunners began in the Phoenix area in 1999 and was officially incorporated in 2001. Three runners started the group by just meeting once every two weeks. Following the organization of other Frontrunners groups in the nation, they eventually started spreading the word and inviting more people. Since then the group has grown considerably, especially since we have made an effort to recruit more walkers.

About Frontrunners

Arizona Frontrunners is a chapter of International Front Runners (www.frontrunners.org). The Frontrunner organizations take their name from "The Front Runner", a novel by Patricia Nell Warren, which was first published in 1974. It is a love story about a proud, out, world-class college sprinter and his coach, and their struggle to compete in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The first Front Runner group started in San Francisco in 1974 and adopted their name in 1978. The concept of an international organization began in 1986.