White Lake Striders — A running club in White Lake, Michigan

01 About

Started by neighbors. Powered by community.

Founded 2011 by a few neighbors who wanted company on long runs. About forty members now, mostly within a few miles of White Lake. We're casual — no qualifying time, no roster cuts. Good company makes long runs shorter.

Founded: 2011
Members: ~40
Dues: $45 / year
Pace: All welcome

02 Weekly schedule

The weekly lineup.

Same rhythm year-round. New members are welcome at any of them — just show up.

Wednesday

Track night

6:30pm the high school track in town

Speed work, all paces welcome. The coach picks the workout. We bring water; you bring shoes.

Saturday

Long run

7:00am the metro park boat launch

Distance varies by training cycle — 8 to 18 miles. Everyone runs their own pace; nobody finishes alone.

Monday

Optional hill work

6:00am the trail

Repeats on the steepest section, for whoever wants them. No pressure either way.

Race weekends

Together at the start

~10 races a year

We pick the races, sign up as a group, drive together when the race is far. See the list

03 How it works

A club, not just a group.

$45 a year

Covers the singlet, race-entry discounts where we have them, and the Saturday Gatorade. Pay once; renew in January.

The water rotation

Members take turns dropping water along the long-run route. Sign-up sheet goes around at Wednesday track. Everyone takes a Saturday eventually.

Mike picks the workouts

Mike Ellsworth founded the club with a couple neighbors fourteen years ago. He still picks the Wednesday workouts and runs the Saturday route briefing.

04 Members

Faces of the club.

Most of us live within a few miles. Some of us have been running together for a decade. All of us started as a stranger who showed up at the boat launch.

A group of about a dozen Striders members in red singlets at the finish area of the Bayshore Half marathon. — Bayshore Half Marathon 2025

Two Striders members in red singlets hugging at a finish line, race medals around their necks, both laughing with broad smiles. — Sarah's first half marathon. October 2025

Three runners on a wooded trail in casual training clothes. One is waving at the camera. — Saturday long runs

05 Races we run

Our favorite finish lines.

The races we emphasize most. Members run plenty of others on their own — these are the ones the club signs up for as a group. New members welcome at any.

March Hot Chocolate 15K Detroit
May Bayshore Half Marathon Traverse City
June Dexter–Ann Arbor Run Ann Arbor
July Independence Five in town
August Crim 10-Mile Flint
September Brooksie Way Half Rochester
October Detroit Free Press Marathon Detroit
November Townline Turkey Trot in town

Most signups open in January. The Wednesday email goes out the day registration opens.

06 Join

Run with us.

Drop us your name and we'll add you to the email list — Wednesday workout reminders, Saturday route notes, race signups when they open. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Or just show up at a Saturday. We're at the boat launch by 7am — Striders singlets, gray van, coffee thermos.