By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
Grab your growler and gear, it is time to run for beer!
The Delicious Double Mud Pi 10k fun run kicks off in Oxford on Sunday, March 13. Hosted by the Michigan Brewery Running Series (MBRS), the race showcases Oxford-made beers and pies.
“We are starting at GravCap Brewing and then [runners] will go out and run along the Polly Ann Trail, and then they are going to finish at Homegrown Brewery,” Catherine Jasionowicz, MBRS co-founder and co-owner, said. “And when the runners finish, they get a beer from both GravCap and Homegrown.”
Alongside the celebratory beer — and with the run being held so close to Pi Day (3/March 14) — runners will get a slice of Achatz Handmade Pie, which has a bakery in Oxford Township.
Since the 10k is a fun run and the route is not closed to traffic, the race is untimed and runners can compete at their own pace. And with competition out of the picture, the focus of the event is on raising money for the Oxford High School Survivors Fund.
“We do a whole bunch of runs throughout the state that showcase breweries and then we donate to local 501(c)(3) [nonprofits],” Jasionowicz said. “And because I am a teacher most of them have something to do with students, athletics or scholarship funds. After what happened this past year I thought it was very fitting that we did a run in Oxford to highlight Oxford and help them heal and to raise money for the students there.”
Runners will depart from GravCap at noon on Sunday and take the long way around to Homegrown at their own pace. Runners can sign up ahead of time by going to breweryrunningseries.com/michigan or at the brewery on the day of. Those only looking to run can join for $20 while $45 gets runners beer and pie; more goodies for runners are available at $52 and $60 levels.
The Delicious Double Mud Pi 10k is the first MBRS race of the year on a calendar that will take runners from Detroit to Marquette and everywhere in between, including another Oxford stop in September for Oktoberfest with Homegrown Brewery. The MBRS was founded in 2020 and holds 12-15 runs per year.
“We try to highlight local businesses and show off amazing communities,” Jasionowicz said.