Whether you are learning the sport of running for the first time, returning to the sport after an extended break or wanting to improve your race times at the 5K or 10K distances, In Flight can help!  Our beginner coaching program is a great starting point for those who have a longer term goal of tackling the half marathon or marathon distance down the road.

Improve your fitness level, lose weight, improve your running and live a healthier lifestyle with the sport of running.  With great coaching, support and a group of Houston’s most welcoming runners, we can help you take your fitness and running to a whole new level.

Coach Michael Merlino focuses on teaching runners the fundamentals of proper running form. Members learn the sport of running from the ground up with training schedules, tips, and coaching to achieve weight loss and improve fitness, stamina, and strength.  We meet participants at their current fitness level and safely build from there to minimize injuries and build a solid running base.

Since Coach Michael is both a certified fitness trainer and running coach, he takes a more holistic approach to running by offering webinars, workshops and carefully designed workouts for safe progression, injury prevention, strength training, stretching, improved flexibility, nutrition, proper running form and more.  In Flight Running also teams up with Houston’s best dietitians, sports doctors and wellness professionals who offer their services and expertise to the group.

Saturday Morning Long Run Locations & Start Times
Saturdays are all about matching members up with others who are about their pace and working on building endurance with slower paced running.  Saturday runs are fluid supported runs with water and Gatorade filling stations set up every 2 to 2.5 miles along running routes.  We also have a support vehicle out on all routes to make sure everyone is ok and can shuttle runners back to homebase if needed. 

• Corner Bakery Cafe – The Heights – 107 Yale Blvd Houston TX 77007
  Spring Season – 6:30 AM (March – May)
  Prime Season – 6:00 AM (June – February)
  Conveniently and centrally located close to downtown and I10, most of our group long runs originate from the Corner Bakery Cafe on Yale Dr.  This location allows for plenty of parking and access to safe, enclosed trails along the Historic Heights area, White Oak Bayou and the Buffalo Bayou Park.
  
• Fleet Feet Running Store – Greenbriar
  Every Other Month
  Spring Season – 6:30 AM (March – May)
  Prime Season – 6:00 AM (June – February)
  Once every other month, our Saturday run originates from the Fleet Feet Sports running store at Greenbriar & Bissonnet. This location allows us to run the Rice University, Hermann Park and Brays Bayou running trails.  Active, In Flight Running members receive a 10% discount on all Fleet Feet purchases during our training season.  
  
• Occasional Long Run Road Trips
  We like to mix it up a couple times a year and move our Saturday morning runs to scenic, Greater Houston area trails like our annual trek to Kemah/Seabrook, West Houston’s Terry Hershey Park, and other locations. 

Tuesday Morning & Evening Interval Workouts (Track & Hills)
Spring & Prime Seasons (5:15 AM & 6:15 PM)
On Tuesdays we offer group interval training.  Interval workouts alternate each week between track and hill workouts.  All track workouts are held at Memorial Park’s Roy Cullen Track.  Hill workouts rotate between 10 various workouts along Buffalo Bayou Park and White Oak Bayou.  All hill locations are within a 3 mile radius of Memorial Park along both bayous.

Training Seasons We Offer – Click Here For More Info

• Launch Season for Beginners – January 20 – May 25 – This 18 week training program focuses on beginner runners or runners returning to the sport.  We recommend that you be doing some running and be able to run/walk at least a 2 mile distance before joining our Launch program.  We are not a walking program so if you are just doing pure walking, you would need to build up to some running base before starting with us.  
• Spring Season – March 2 – May 25 – This 12 week, group training program welcomes runners of every skill level who are just learning the sport or training for distances from the 5K to the marathon.  Our spring program includes a Tuesday evening and Saturday morning group runs & workouts.  We also offer an occasional workshop on a running topic including running form & technique, interval training, stretching, strength training, nutrition and more.  Spring is also a great time to build a solid base so you can really go places with your running during the Summer, Fall & Winter months of training and racing.
  
• Prime Season – June 8 – February 8, 2025 – This 36 week, group training program is our primary summer, fall and winter running season for Houston area runners.  With a similar format to our Spring Season, our Prime Season is three times as long as runners continue to train and build mileage to get race ready for Fall and Winter races from the 5K to Marathon distance including the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon in January.  We also support and training schedules to prepare for any race in in the world including the Chicago Marathon, New York City Marathon, Washington DC Marine Corps Marathon and more.  You pick your race(s) and we’ll get you ready to run a great race!
  
• Year Pass Season – March 2 – February 8, 2025 – Year Pass Season bundles our Spring and Prime Seasons together for an entire year of run coaching, training, group runs and support for our best value.    

Have Questions About Our Training Seasons?
Then type your question in the live pop-up chat box window to the right.  When chatting, please include your email address and phone number so we can contact you if we miss you.

You can also click here to send us a question on our “contact us” page, email us at info@inflightrunning.com or call or text us at 832-619-9280.  We hope to see you on the In Flight Running team soon!

Register     EZ Pay Payment Plan Option (Prime & Year Pass Seasons)