Good Guys Run Club started in 2022 with one goal. Founders Jake Bootz and Rodney Ripley were training for the Texas Independence Relay, a 200 mile relay race across Texas. Bootz, Ripley, and another friend Collin Slattery were putting together a competitive team made up largely of former Texas A&M athletes. They finished fourth overall that year, but the bigger outcome was what happened during training.
“We started training every Wednesday at 7:00 because a lot of the guys had been on teams their whole lives,” Bootz said. “That was their social structure, and when that goes away, something is missing.”
What began as a focused training group revealed something missing in Houston’s running scene. There was a need for a club that could be competitive without sacrificing the social connection that brings people back week after week. “We were founded on a competitive drive, but we’ve been kept alive by social connection and exercise becoming part of people’s weekly routine,” Bootz said.
That balance between effort and connection is built into the club’s identity, starting with its name. Ripley traces Good Guys Run Club back to pickup sand volleyball games where teams were split into “good guys versus bad guys.” “The good guys always win,” he said. The phrase stuck. Over time, it came to represent more than a joke. Being a good guy means showing up, supporting the group, and contributing each week.
Wednesdays remain at the core of that rhythm. The weekly run meets at MKT in The Heights and includes multiple pace groups, making it accessible to a wide range of runners. “Go run four miles and then we’ll have a beer,” Bootz said. “Everyone sticks around. People aren’t really meeting up just to run. They’re meeting up to hang out afterward.”
That accessibility is intentional. Bootz believes Good Guys was one of the first Houston clubs to fully lean into openness. “We invited everyone,” he said. “It was an easy ask. Run a few miles, then stay and talk. That’s it.”
Ripley credits the location as a major reason people return. “We were blessed to be welcomed at MKT every week,” he said. “They embraced us and helped us grow.” The club maintains an open door policy, and new runners are greeted at a meet and greet table when the group gets large. Introductions, raffles, and small events help break the ice.
Despite the social atmosphere, performance still matters. Members race, win events, and chase goals like Boston qualification. “Winning races and breaking records is still part of it,” Bootz said. “That competitive edge is there if you want it.”
Beyond the weekly Wednesday run, Good Guys Run Club also hosts its own events throughout the year. The club’s beer mile, typically held in July, has become a summer staple. In August, Good Guys puts on the Good Mile, a road race that brings the focus back to speed while still keeping the atmosphere approachable. Alongside those events, the club organizes regular social gatherings throughout the year.
For both founders, the most rewarding part has been watching the ripple effect. “Seeing running grow as a whole has been wild,” Bootz said. Ripley agrees. “We’ve seen people qualify for Boston, expand their friend groups, and even invite each other to weddings. It turned into a real community.”
To find other run clubs like the Good Guys Run Club, visit out Run Club Hub page.
