Members of Oxford’s She Runs This Town women’s running group competed in the Rock CF half marathon in Grosse Ille, Mich. on March 17. The Oxford-based group invites other women of all running levels from Oxford and surrounding communities to join them on regular runs. Photo provided

New members invited to join beginners running group

OXFORD – After training throughout Oxford all winter, 15 members of the Oxford She Runs This Town running group competed in the Rock CF half marathon in Grosse Ile, Mich. on March 17.
“Competed is a word we use loosely,” the group’s leader, Emily Lawless, said, adding that another member who is a nurse also volunteered at the 6-mile aid station. “While we like to set goals, like monthly running miles, we’re really here to support each other as women, friends and people who want to enrich our health in multiple ways. Running is our common denominator.”
Founded in 2018 as a Facebook group among friends, Oxford SRTT now has about 220 members from Oxford, Lake Orion, Ortonville, Rochester and other nearby communities.
Every Saturday, about 20 to 30 members meet at 8 a.m. outside White Pine Coffee Shop, 33 Pleasant St. Women share their names, their mileage goal for the day and other details about their planned run. Then they all take off on the Polly Ann Trail or through the neighborhoods nearby.
Some women run 8- or 9-minute miles. Some run intervals, running for a minute or two and walking for a minute. Some women walk only.
“The great thing about the group is there are women participating at all speeds and levels, including walking,” Lawless said. “And the best part – we all meet for coffee and friendship afterward.”
Members Pamela McMullin and Eva Metcalfe are starting a Couch to 5K training program beginning March 30. The training starts slow, assuming participants have no running experience. Through weekly Saturday group runs and additional runs during the week on their own, participants will prepare to run the Orion Veterans Memorial Day Run, a 5k taking place on May 27. The group will be using the free “Just Run: Zero to 5k” app as a guide, and there is no cost to join.
“We have such a good time and we wanted to offer something for women who have thought about running or want to get back to running but didn’t know how to start,” McMullin said. “This is a true beginner’s running program, and we’re excited to kick it off.”
Anyone interested in the Couch to 5K program or running with the group can join in at 8 a.m. on Saturdays at the coffee shop. No registration or fee is required. For more information, visit the Oxford, MI She RUNS This Town Facebook group page.