RacePace: Houston’s Premiere Running Studio

If you’re part of the fitness community in Houston, you may have heard about RacePace. Simply put, RacePace is a running studio. You’re probably scratching your head and asking yourself, what in the world is a running studio? You’re probably familiar with spin studios like SoulCycle or Flywheel. This is a similar concept for running! You’re in a room full of treadmills and you’re running along side others while listening to music and being coached by an instructor.

My experience with RacePace was kind of a fluke. During a Fitness in the Loop charity event, I placed my raffle ticket in the drawing for 5 classes at RacePace thinking I wouldn’t win. It seems like a neat idea and I hadn’t tried the studio yet. Luck would have it that I would win the 5 class pass so it gave me a chance to try out the studio for free!

My RacePace Experience

One thing I really loved about RacePace from the beginning is their super kind owners, Jeff and Shiva Douse. Immediately when I walked into the studio Shiva was incredibly kind and gave me a tour of the studio. She showed me the ins and outs of the place and explained a bit of the idea behind the concept. As I walked into the studio and found my treadmill, I received a quick rundown of the system. Luck would have it that my first class was with her husband, Jeff.

One thing you’ll find about RacePace is that they really live up to their premier studio status. There are combination locks for your belongings and locker rooms that are stocked with high end toiletries. Plus, the location is absolutely awesome! RacePace is located in a art studio complex so it definitely has a chic vibe on the outside as well.

There are basically three different types of classes offered: RP Starting Line, RP Speed, and RP Endurance. RP Starting Line is a lower intensity class aimed toward those who are just at the beginning of their running journey. If you’re looking for high intensity speed and hill intervals RP Speed if for you! RP Endurance is more my flavor with longer intervals with moderate recovery periods. Each class is 60 minutes long but this includes warm up and cool down time.

I’m normally not a treadmill runner but I really enjoyed my classes at RacePace. Having a coach guiding the class through interval sets really motivated me to push my speed. There were times in my first class where I knew I would have quit if I were running on my own. Having the whole class running along with you gives you a sense of community.

The great thing about these classes is that everything is at your own pace. There are some guidelines as to what your pace should FEEL like at certain intervals but paces are never mentioned. For someone who’s SUPER self conscience about their pace, this was music to my ears. It allowed me to push myself without having that comparison aspect in the back of my mind. While you can always peek at the person’s display next to yours. the amount of effort you put in is all up to you.

If you’re in the Houston area, I would definitely give RacePace a try. It’s a great way to go for a run and avoid the Texas weather!