Women, sign up for charity 5K May 19 in Batavia

The Fox River Trail Runners will host its second annual She Runs the Fox 5K, the only running event exclusively for women in the Tri-City area. It will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at Fabyan East Forest Preserve, along Route 25 in Batavia. Registration is now open at www.sherunsthefox.com.

This 3.1 mile event is an opportunity for women to come together with their girlfriends, mothers, daughters and co-workers to celebrate running, walking, fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle.

The race will be held along the Fox River Trail, both starting and ending at the Fabyan East Forest Preserve. At the finish line, both runners and walkers can celebrate with food, drinks and a local DJ.

"I used to run alone but since joining the club, I have been empowered, encouraged and motivated by the most wonderful female runners. As a club, we are excited to create this connection with a group of 300-plus female runners," said Karen Willuweit, president of Fox River Trail Runners, who championed the creation of this race.

Women of all ages, regardless of athletic ability, are invited and encouraged to join the race. In addition to the race activities, $10 of every race fee will go to benefit Mutual Ground, a local nonprofit which provides life-changing services and education aiming to end the cycle of domestic violence.

For information about the race, contact Rob Meiner at communications@frtr.org.

The Fox River Trail Runners, was founded in 1995 to promote running in the Fox Valley, from Elgin to Aurora. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, with more than members, who host four races a year to benefit charitable causes and provide educational seminars, endurance training programs, and scholarship opportunities for local high school seniors. For more information, visit www.foxrivertrailrunners.org, www.facebook.com/foxrivertrailrunners or www.twitter.com/frtrsocial.

As one of the oldest and largest domestic violence and sexual assault service agencies in the state, Mutual Ground is the place where the healing begins. Its mission is to provide education, awareness, and life-changing services that empower individuals, families, and communities to end the cycle of domestic and sexual violence. For information, visit www.mutualground.org.