Starting a "running club" at work

I've been asked to help start a "running club" at my workplace. Anyone have experience with this? Here is some background - there are ~12,000 employees at my work place:

We are partnering with the HR/Health initiative group, our young professionals group, and three executive sponsors. The goal is to create/maintain a social running group for all employees/abilities/experiences - and use the group to "brand" our company and its presence at local running races. Our creative group is going to come up with a logo or word mark and help with creating posters and running shirt designs. We are also engaging our friends in Legal to make sure we won't get in trouble or help with a waiver if we need one.

Initial goal would be a 5K at the beginning of 2013, and a 10K in the spring. Re-assess after that.
Most training would be "on your own" (training plans and resources collected on a web site for employees) with 5-6 long runs (of a ~12 week training plan) done as a group, with socializing/networking opportunities after. 

Ideas to incentive-ize signing up are a free running shirt and raffles/prize drawings upon completion of the goal running events. 

What other things are we not thinking of? 
What would you do if you had this opportunity? 

Do you have a healthy living point system for your health insurance discount?  You could get some points awards for participating in the running group.  No.

Swag and paying entry fees for races are always popular.   Not allowed by our company. The most we can hope for are subsidized running shirts.

Do you have an exercise center with treadmills?  It gets dark and cold in winter in Kansas I hear. No.

Medical evaluations and customized training plans for off the couch training programs.  I am assuming that you have a decent company medical facility. We have a partnership with the YMCA - good thought on engaging them. But I don't want to be in the business of creating custom plans for each participant. Thinking to link to a variety of training plans already out there on the internet.

Some challenge groups between departments.  You corporate types are always soooo competitivie. GREAT IDEA!!!

The idea is great but I think your emphasis is on the side benefits and marketing publicity for the company. It has to be about running.  Go for the people who need to start running.  The people who already run do not need a club or social outlet for their running.  They are already hooked.  Go for the newbies. I kind of disagree about the experienced runners not joining. I've been running for 8? years and am hungry for a group like this. A group that is NOT the elitist runners in our town that turn people off, but an all-abilities group where we already have something in common (employer)... but agree ANOTHER target audience is definitely newbies.

If you are running it, I bet lots of people join.

I've been asked to help start a "running club" at my workplace. Anyone have experience with this? Here is some background - there are ~12,000 employees at my work place:

We are partnering with the HR/Health initiative group, our young professionals group, and three executive sponsors. The goal is to create/maintain a social running group for all employees/abilities/experiences - and use the group to "brand" our company and its presence at local running races. Our creative group is going to come up with a logo or word mark and help with creating posters and running shirt designs. We are also engaging our friends in Legal to make sure we won't get in trouble or help with a waiver if we need one.

Initial goal would be a 5K at the beginning of 2013, and a 10K in the spring. Re-assess after that.
Most training would be "on your own" (training plans and resources collected on a web site for employees) with 5-6 long runs (of a ~12 week training plan) done as a group, with socializing/networking opportunities after. 

Ideas to incentive-ize signing up are a free running shirt and raffles/prize drawings upon completion of the goal running events. 

What other things are we not thinking of? 
What would you do if you had this opportunity? 

Is there a Corporate Challenge type event in your area?  I know the big one (JP Morgan Chase) doesn't seem to cover the middle of the country, but is there something else?  A previous company I worked for sent a team to a local one.   It was fun - there was a 5K, a predicted mile, a 3 mile relay, and an executive mile. 

Does your company have multiple sites?  Another thing my former company had was an "Interplant 5K."  That was also fun.  Teams from multiple sites traveled to headquarters for this annual race.

My current company doesn't technically have a running team, but there are a lot of us that run and we always field a competitive team at the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge (some people take this a little TOO seriously, but the rest of us enjoy the event).  Our company doesn't pay for much either - no entry fees and it was pulling teeth to get singlets for Corporate Challenge and some $$ for a tent and food at the event.

It sounds like a great idea by the way.  Good luck with it!