13 October 2026

City2Surf runs in Sydney on a Sunday in August: 14 kilometres from the city to Bondi Beach, and the next one is set down for Sunday 8 August. That sounds a long way from a spring morning, and that is exactly the trap. The runners who enjoy the day are the ones who started building months out, because the easy, unglamorous base phase is what makes the last stretch of a 14 km feel calm instead of like survival.

When is City2Surf, and how long is it

City2Surf is Australia's biggest fun run, held in Sydney on a Sunday in August every year. The course covers 14 km, starting in the city and finishing at Bondi Beach. The next event is set down for Sunday 8 August, with runners released in waves through the morning.

One date is worth circling earlier than race day: entries usually open around March. That gives you months of training before you even pay for your spot, which is a nicer way to build than signing up in a panic and trying to compress a season of running into a handful of weeks.

How far out to start training for a 14 km

If you already run a few times a week, 12 to 16 weeks of focused training is a comfortable runway for a first 14 km. If you are newer to running, add a base phase before that: two or three easy runs a week for two or three months, letting your legs, lungs and routine settle before the longer runs arrive. Either way, the answer to "when should I start" is almost always earlier than feels necessary.

Why the base phase matters more than the plan

The base phase has no glory to it. You run at a pace where you can hold a conversation, you show up often, and you resist the urge to test yourself every week. It feels too easy, and that is the point: easy running is what strengthens your heart, your legs and your tendons without piling on the injuries that derail first-timers.

If you are unsure what that easy pace should feel like, we have a whole article on why easy running is having a moment. The short version: most of your running, especially at the start of a build, should feel comfortable.

How short club laps fit the base phase

Here is the good news for anyone eyeing their first City2Surf: you do not need long runs yet. One 2.5 km lap at the Thursday Morning Run at Glenhaven Oval, or one 3 km lap at the Tuesday Night Run at Castle Hill Showground, is a complete run, not a warm-up for something bigger. In the base phase, consistency beats heroics every single time.

A week built around the club might look like this: an easy lap on Thursday morning, an easy lap on Tuesday night under the lights, and one solo run on the weekend where you add a few minutes at a time. One lap is a full run, walkers are welcome at every run, and if you are starting from a walking base, our walk to run progression shows how to build up from there.

There is another reason the short laps matter. Training for a big event is mostly a habit problem, and it is much easier to keep a habit when the run is social, the distance is achievable and the coffee afterwards is guaranteed. The Thursday Morning Run meets at 5:45am for a 6:00am start at Glenhaven Oval, 78 Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven. The Tuesday Night Run meets at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start at Castle Hill Showground, under the lights, every second Tuesday.

A simple build from now to race day

You do not need a complicated plan for your first 14 km. You need seasons that stack up:

• Spring: two or three short runs a week. Club laps count fully.
• Summer: keep the club laps, and add one slightly longer weekend run, growing it by a few minutes at a time.
• Autumn: with 16 to 20 weeks to go, follow a focused plan with a weekly long run, and start practising your race morning routine.
• Winter: your longest runs, some hills, and fuelling practice, then ease back in the final fortnight.

If you want a template to hang those seasons on, our simple beginner running plan is built for real life rather than perfect weeks.

The last eight weeks

The final stretch before the event is where the base pays off. Your weekly long run builds toward double digits, you practise eating before a morning run so your stomach knows what to expect on race day, and you add hills so the course feels familiar rather than rude. Then the taper arrives, the runs get shorter, and you arrive at the start line fresh instead of fried.

Fuelling is a practice, not a test. If you have never eaten before a morning run, our race day breakfast guide covers what works and when. Whatever you choose, rehearse it on your long runs, never for the first time on race morning.

Ready to start the base phase with us

Running with Hills Run Club is free. Make a free HRC+ account and register for each run there, and you will find every upcoming run listed on the runs page. Ten months out from the next City2Surf, the runners who start their base now will be the ones strolling down to Bondi in August with running to spare. Run together. Belong together.