Brian O’Neill’s Running Club

Not a traditional running club, but more of motivation to run the loop at least once a week on Tuesdays.
Called Brian O’Neill because the pub where you check in (now the Gorgeous Gael) used to be called BON. Supposedly in the glory days that had free pasta dinners and free Gatorade, I have never seen this so perhaps it grew too large. But, there are still perks:
— $ 5 dinner at Gorgeous Gael after your run (grilled chicken plus two healthy veggie sides)
— Log 10 runs and get a free shirt (Supposedly if you wear free shirt on Tuesday you get a free beer)
–Log 100 runs and get $ 100 Amazon gift card
— Lots of nice people running this club!

Even though I haven’t actually met many people from the running club, I love the idea of the running club and find it great as motivation for running regularly! I’ve gotten the free shirt (after 10 runs) and a few other free goodies– what’s not to like?!
For those of you who have never been, you simply show up on Tuesday night in front of Gorgeous Gael (formerly Brian O’Neill) where they have a table set up, check-​in to get your run counted, and then run the Rice Loop (~3 mile loop). There’s usually cups and water at check-​in. I think they do a group run, but I usually just go with a friend or two! I’d also mention that it can be pretty dark on parts of the trail at night in the winter, so I prefer going once the sun starts to set later, since I typically run at 6pm.

What a great running club! So chill — just sign up/​in at BON and then run/​jog/​walk around Rice University and find yourself back at BON for a free pasta bar. I probably should have joined it back in the summer when I actually ran around Rice in a semi-​regular fashion. Better late than never though! You’ll find tons of people you may or may not know from the medical center/​Rice/​West U area while navigating the route!

My favorite run club! Found out about this club through a girlfriend and have been coming every Tuesday night for a while now. Such great motivation to run with the incentives! 10 runs get you a BON run club tee and it’s a nice Brooks running shirt! Oh, f you wear it on Tuesdays. after your run you get a free beer! SCORE! They also offer pasta and salad Free for all runners! Great way to stay in shape and mingle with friends!

Excellent club! Lots of people and a good atmosphere. It’s a shaded 5k course. Runners/​walkers of all levels are welcome! ! There’s also a farmers market along the track for anyone interested,

Been here, done it, got the shirt (after 10 runs).
This is the best running club in Houston. They also have a sister club that starts at Ruggles Green at City Center on Mondays if you live over there.

What a great idea! This running club is a great way to motivate people to run since they offer lots of free goodies.
I know there have been many Tuesdays where I start to feel lazy after work and would much rather do something else then run but you definitely won’t regret it once you are done!

Best running club ever!
Free to join, lots of freebies for completing runs, and free food/​water after your run inside Brian O Neals.
Friendly people, very nice trail, and the running club supports a great deal of charity with their events. If you are looking for running club in Houston, give this one a shot! Very friendly people!

Me and my boyfriend go running every now and then at Hermann, and for some odd reason its always on a Tuesday, so we see the BON running club next door to Little Woodrows afterwards, and its packed!
We’ve wanted to join for so long, but have been too nervous to try. After seeing the reviews I think I want to!
–take 2
Just read about 20 more reviews, and I couldnt be more pumped about this.
I hate running, but am willing to try, I love beer, and I love pasta.
I can’t wait to do this!

Simply awesome! First off its free! And there is free pasta and salad at Brian O’Neil’s too. After 10 runs you get a free t-​shirt and can get a free beer after your runs! (remember Tuesdays only.) The running circuit is a well shaded gravel trail that goes around Rice University.
So its not too hard on the feet and the sun doesn’t beat down on you the whole time. The trees also provides some protection when it starts raining— yes. sun, cold, and rain I will be running. Rice University peeps are pedestrian-​aware and typically yield to oncoming runners (just as long as they can see you). After 20 runs you get a 50% off a massage, and 30 runs earns you a free cool cup, and there is a perk at 50 runs, but I forgot. The big prize of course is 100 runs… Which earns you $ 100 voucher at Brian O’Neil’s.
If you are just starting out and need someone to get your back, BON offers running groups that set out twice in the evenings (time varies seasonally).
Everyone is really supportive and its just a really relax and a cool venue. Brian O’Neil’s is an awesome place and they have affordable beers and an awesome happy hour menu, all of which you can catch on a normal run day fun day.
Oh yea. Being fit… PRICELESS!

What’s not to love about a free running group? The fact that this group runs around the Rice U trail makes me love BON even more!
The perks: free food before the run, and after your 10^th check-​in you get a FREE BON DRI-​FIT RUNNING SHIRT! Okay, so I admit, that was the main reason why I started running in the afternoons on Tuesdays (yes, for the free shirt). I’m on my 9^th, going on 10^th run and let me tell you… I’m excited!!!
Also, the next goal for me on this run is their BON green jacket. Boys and girls, that means signing in for 75 run! There are other perks between your BON shirt and the jacket but I do not remember what they are.
Really quick, there’s plenty of water for you to hydrate. During the peak times, there are a group of girls who passes out water during the middle of your run and would also offer to throw water on you :)
Parking can be an issue if you show up later. If you don’t like holding your keys while running, the friendly folks who put the running group together does have a box to keep your keys for you (but don’t be dead last because they will pack up… However, the group does hang around for beers at BON and someone will have your keys).
Overall, I really enjoy this running group (so much I gave it 5 stars!) they also have a training group for those of you who are doing the half or full marathon in Houston.

I’m not great with routines, especially exercise routines. I work better with incentives so when I read on Unilocal about this and the free beer, I had to check it out.
My wife and I showed up the first time early this Spring and upon arrival, we were a little confused about the check-​in and the club motivation. Even though it was a little crowded, Dave Lee, the founder of the club greeted us and explained the laptop check-​in. He made us feel very welcome and impressed us with their charitable mission.
Shortly after, a sponsor came up to us and offered us a free sandwich. He also gave us cards for free lunches anytime at Chicken Kitchen.
The 3+ mile run on the Rice Trail was scenic and enjoyable. When we got back, we were treated to more free stuff, a buffet with pasta and salad.
10 runs later, we’ve enjoyed the free beer and are still motivated by the extra rewards, the fitness benefits for ourselves and the pet bulldog, and even more so, by being a part of great charitable club.

Best deal EVER!!! Run, get healthier, free salad and pasta, lots of new people to meet, cheap (and eventually free!!!) beer, Where is the negative here???
I started doing this with some friends to train for an event and I couldn’t be happier with this club. Everyone is friendly and welcoming! All types show up to run: family members with strollers and dogs, hardcore runners, frat boys with questionable health, women dressed in head to toe Prada that sweat Burberry, it’s amazing and fun!
Of course there are some drawbacks: the trail isn’t as wide as Memorial (I like to think of it as cozy), parking in most situations is illegal (but thinking about it, driving to a bar to run does seem pretty counter productive, right?!). I also recommend showing up early since the free stuff runs out eventually.
I highly suggest showing up Tuesday’s for this event.

I have to imagine that this is one of the better running clubs (if not the best) in Houston. Free. Rewards for checking in so many times and running with others. 5k or 10k Tuesdays (your choice) with free food. Organized runs if you’re training on Thursdays and Saturdays.
As for Tuesday’s running trail, most of it is decomposed granite and shaded. And the cars know about the runners and are much more polite than your average driver.

This is a wonderful club that promotes running by having little free treats for a good job & workout. Free salad and pasta is a nice small snack after a ~3 mile run. I’m only on my 4^th check in as I started a few months ago and am busy with school and work. I’m trying to attend as many Tuesdays as possible so I can get to my 10^th run and get a FREE Technical T.
Wonderful way to promote good health and exercise.

Oh, the things I’d do for beer. And boy let me tell you, there aren’t too many things I wouldn’t do for beer, especially when I’m a few beers in already. Luckily for my liver, my need to continue in life DUI-​free, and my self esteem — easily shatterable by an unseemly beer gut, there are other things I like more than beer, and running is one of them! Especially when, as it is in this case, I am virtually running to beer!
Here are some great things about Brian O’Neils Running Club which probably haven’t already been adequately flushed out in the prior reviews:
1. Running Rice’s 3.1 mile/​5K running trail prior to reaching Brian O’Neils insures against over-​consumption of alcohol. Here’s why:
— you’re kinda sweaty and stinky and you probably have about 1, or at most 2, hours before you really really begin to reek. Therefore, a few beverages is probably all you can squeeze in anyway.
— oddly enough, you prefer water! No kidding. You have just perspired 64 to 128 ounces of sweat (which will lead to the reeking mentioned above). The cool moistness of a cold one is eventually lost on you as you realize YOU NEED WATER!
— you cherish the sense of accomplishment you’ve obtained from each of the 300 calories you’ve burned in the last 45 minutes of grueling misery, hobbled by darkness and miscreant tree roots, motivated to continue only by said beers mentioned above, as well as the swarm of people breezing by you — including a man no younger than 80 years old — and your feeble attempts to not look utterly pathetic. After enduring all of this, you realize that while you could manage to down 3 Guinness in 1 hour or less, doing so would leave you about 300 calories fatter than you were before you started the run. And, being the progressive, forward-​directed runner/​drinker that you are, that outcome is unacceptable.
— you’re tired. It’s 3 miles. You’re not a Kenyan runner. You’re tired. And the beer isn’t helping. So 1… maybe 2, but you want a shower and a horizontal orientation.
2. It’s Tuesday. What else are you doing? Seriously, if you have a better idea for a Tuesday, let me know about it.
3. Think of this as a down payment on the rest of your week of fun. I always feel better letting it all hang out on a Friday or Saturday when I didn’t spend the week letting it all hang out Sunday through Thursday.
4. And as far as «it all hanging out», yeah, I’m talking about the gut. This run is going to help with that.
In addition to all these less-​mentioned rationales for running with BON, there are all the reasons you can read about in these other wonderful reviews: the free gifts and treats, the discounted beer, the «eye candy» as one guy put it (I enjoyed that review). Best of all you’ll probably meet some cool people there. Some weird ones too, but hey, if you’re running for alcohol then you’re already a member of the Cirque de Weirdo. Welcome, glad to have you.

A running club that i can arrive at my own leisure, run at my own pace, no fees it’s free!!!, and free buffet.
There are incentives that you do receive after a certain amount of runs. which is awesome!!!
You arrive, sign in, and run!!! or you can wait for the group runs. I do recommend running with the group if it’s your first time so you know the running route. If you hate running with your keys they are kind enough to hold your keys in this little tin.
After the run go enjoy the free buffet. Although the food is nothing to run home about. But still I won’t pass up free food =)
now go run your little heart out!

Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run=Free Shirt & Free Beer.
Just the facts (read the other Unilocalviews for the emo stuff):
Great ongoing event that will get you motivated.
Excellent place to meet other runners (and those just getting started).
Nicest campus in town to run around (Rice U).
Located at the great Irish Bar — Brian O’Neill’s in Rice Village.
Running is the best excuse to have a beer.
Alternatively, best excuse to run is for the beer.
There is such a thing as a free lunch (pasta & salad).
Cool stuff for repeat offenders (50 Runs=Free Running Jacket).
Mutual sweating is a great bonding experience.
What else are you doing on Tuesday evenings?
And the Number 1 Fact: It’s FREE!
My Tip: Keep track of your BON Social Run Club friends who are reaching a Century (100 Runs = Bar Tab).

@Alex Hilarious! I AM JESUS!
Quit your bitchin’ biaaatch! It’s FREE for crying out loud. It’s simply a nice way to meet some new folks while getting some excercise. If you want a free lunch go hang out at the homeless shelter.
The awesome sponsors pay for EVERYTHING!
Also, new beer sponsors. Once you achieve the 10 run mark and earn your shirt, you can now get a Bud Light or sometimes a Fat Tire (while supplies last).
Carry on…

Big props to Dave L for setting this thing up.
It’s nice to have something FOR FREE!
Not many things in life are actually FREE. They claim LOVE is FREE but that doesn’t account for all the gifts, meals, trips that come along the way.
With the BON Running club, just sign up, run/​walk around rice and BAM!!!
FREE FOOD! FREE BEER! and after your 10^th Run FREE SHIRT!!!
You really can’t beat that. Plus there is always free Red Bull, and many other times random sponsors will show up with various other items.
Great way to get people active!