1) At the top of the page, log into your RunSignup account. (Create a RunSignup account if you do not have one already. Secure it with a password and MFA)

2) Click "Join" and follow the prompts.

KARC then uses your RunSignup ID as basis for your club membership.

Training is done in the Katy, Cinco Ranch area and takes place on most days of the week. As members often mix running with a work schedule, most sessions are either early morning or early evening. Individual pace groups can arrange variations over the typical schedule below.

Join to get specific location details for KARC runs and events.

A typical week of club and community running options:

Monday

• 5:30 PM - No Label run at No Label Brewing

Tuesday 

• 5:00 AM - KARC Track Workout
• 6:00 AM - KARC Group Run
• 6:00 PM - GTRC Beer Run at Good Times Running Company in Villagio
• 6:00 PM - Fleet Feet run at Fleet Feet in La Centerra

Thursday

• 5:00 AM - Bagel Run from Good Times Running Company in Villagio
• 5:00 PM - Philly Flats Thirsty Thursday Run Club from Philly Flats Restaurant
• 6:30 PM - Thursday Night Run Club at Talyard  Brewing

Saturday 

• 5:00 AM to 6:30 AM - KARC long run groups depart

Sunday 

• 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM - KARC Recovery group run

• Organized group runs throughout Katy, Cinco Ranch and occasional destination runs, e.g. Bellville, Terry Hershey Park, Memorial Park.
• Supported hydration for long runs on Saturdays
• Insurance through RRCA for group runs
• Informational training clinics & seminars
• Social events throughout the year
• Access to a group training program and schedule
• Discounted race entries
• A new group of friends with a shared love of running

KARC covers all paces!

Pace groups (names borrowed from Katy ISD school mascots)

• Bobcats – Walkers
• Spartans – 12:00 min/mile or slower
• Mavericks – 11:00-12:00 min/mile
• Mustangs – 10:00-11:00 min/mile
• Tigers – 9:00-10:00 min/mile
• Cougars – 8:00-9:00 min/mile and Falcons – 8:00 min/mile or faster

KARC regularly receives member discount codes for running events and races, so if you run a lot of races you will save!

KARC members can order internal club merchandise at competitive prices

KARC members have access to discounted prices at select local stores.

Free member events are typically advertised on our club-internal Facebook group and members then register for that so that we can have a headcount.

Paid member events are typically registered for through an event hosted on RunSignup for participant headcount and payment.

Most events will be members only. If guests are welcome at an event, it will be specified in the event invitation.

Membership is for the calendar year from January 1st to December 31st. 

The membership fee is $40.  The fee is not prorated for membership during only part of the year.

No. 

A significant part of the KARC membership fee is used to pay the club membership in RRCA and to subscribe to their general liability insurance program.  Benefits of RRCA membership include insurance, listing of our Club and its events on the RRCA website, access to information related to all aspects of running, training opportunities for Club officers, directors and coaches and a subscription to the quarterly publication Club Running for those households who are on the roster at the time of our annual enrollment with RRCA. 

Individual membership is optional but can be gotten directly through RRCA.

No. 

Part of the KARC membership fee is used to pay the club membership in HARRA.  This gives us privileges to participate in HARRA races as one of their local clubs.  For one, that means we can bring along and set-up our canopy as a shelter, meeting place and baggage drop at HARRA races.  It also means that our club members can compete for points in HARRA race competitions. 

Individual membership to HARRA is optional and encouraged by the Club.

The waiver requires that all members are in good health, medically able and properly trained to participate in any specific activity.  The language of the waiver is general and without being excessively long it cannot list all of the possible situations.  One should understand from the waiver that it applies to a member’s particular personal situation.  The member will know whether they are in good health, medically able and properly trained for any particular activity.  With specific regard to “training”, the level of training for different activities will vary.  Coming for a group run does not require that a member complete a formal training program.  It does mean that they should be “trained” in pedestrian activities which, we expect, is common to all people.  On the other hand, if the Club were to put on a 10k road race then we would expect that the participants would have “trained” for the event by doing at least a few practice/training runs beforehand.  Again, formal training would not be required.  If the Club were to conduct a sofa-to-5k program then one would imagine that the appropriate prior training level to have achieved is quite low.  Some walking would satisfy that.  The bottom line is that formal training is not required.  “Training’ here means that members have prepared is some appropriate fashion for the activity they are about to undertake.

The Club discourages baby joggers, rollerblades, pets, and other things mentioned in the waiver during group runs.  Because we anticipate that a number of people will participate in any Club run, we believe these restrictions enhance the safety of the runs and are in the members’ best interests.

The Club discourages the use of headphones during group runs.  This is a safety issue.  Most of our group runs will be on public paths or roadways which we will share with cyclists, rollerblades, cars, etc.  The Club feels that hearing oncoming obstacles is in all members’ best interests.

The Club is a “full service” organization supporting area runners. One part of that service is to provide training programs and schedules. We expect that members will be able to use those schedules to plan for their upcoming races and/or fitness goals. In addition, the Club is composed of many experienced runners who are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience with regard to training, including helping understand and figure the training schedules and programs. Experienced members of our Club lead all of our group runs and can be relied upon for advice on training workouts suitable for any particular group run. This includes advice on routes, distances, pacing, and other workout elements. Club members are encouraged to use our network of members, our Facebook page, and emails to arrange groups having common distance and pace goals for all of our group runs.

YES!

We welcome all runners and all paces.

If you are new to running, then two smart first steps are 1) get some good shoes 2) get out there.

Join a group (KARC of course) for positive peer pressure and cameraderie and get out of the door to walking, jogging, running faster and further towards your goal.

We cover all paces in different pace groups, so you will always have someone to run with.

KARC uses the Slack platform (on smartphone, tablet and/or computer) for members in good standing to be able to communicate internally in the club.

Members joining the club will receive a link to join the private KARC workspace in Slack.

Slack can be used as an app on your smartphone and/or a computer browser.

KARC has a private group on Facebook for members in good standing.

Members joining the club will receive a link to join the private KARC Facebook group.

To join the member must

1. Anwer all the mandatory onboarding questions, and
2. Agree to the rules.

Note: On a phone the onboarding questions may hide under a "see more" button. Do not just click join without answering the questions!

These rules apply in order to keep out bots and scammers and safeguard KARC members from bad actors on social media.

The “CopShop” (17525 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77094) is a familiar name for the Sergeant J R Hatch Sports Park.  It shares a parking lot with a police sub-station – hence the familiar name.  The parking lot is the safest we know about and has access to excellent trails.  The CopShop is on the south feeder road of I-10 just east of Barker-Cypress.  (don't park in spots designated for the police)

George Bush Park (GBP) (aka Barker Reservoir) cover is between I-10 and Westpark tollway and between Fry Road and Hwy 6.

Terry Hershey Park (THP) is a long park along the Buffalo Bayou with great running paths stretching from Hwy 6 to Beltway 8. 

Good options for parking and access to the trails are at 15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079 (THP Gazebo) or 225 W Sam Houston Pkwy N, Houston, TX 77024 (under the beltway) or 17525 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77094 (aka The CopShop)

GTRC - Good Times Running Co is a locally owned running store at 22764 Westheimer Pkwy #650, Katy, TX 77450.

We often GTRC as a start/finish point for training runs.

GTRC hosts weekly run events on Tuesday evenings (the beer run) as well as Thursday mornings (the Bagel run) and sometimes they cook up a huge stack of pancakes to feed runners on a Saturday morning.