12 October 2026

Working out the cost of running for beginners splits into two parts. The club side is free: Hills Run Club is a free community running club in the Hills District of Sydney, NSW, and running with it costs nothing. The money goes on the things you wear and carry, and the biggest of those is a pair of shoes. Here is where the spend actually lands in your first three months, and what you can safely leave until later.

The club side costs nothing

Start with the part that is easiest to budget for. Running with Hills Run Club is free. Members make a free HRC+ account, which is the club's membership program, and register for each run there. Every run is registered in HRC+, so each date needs its own sign-up, and that sign-up is free as well.

There is no joining fee and no weekly fee to plan around. If you want the full picture of what a club can and cannot charge for, read how much does it cost to join a run club in Sydney? and is Hills Run Club free to join? Both answer the same question from different angles, and both land in the same place.

Shoes are the one spend worth getting right

Your feet do the work, so shoes are the item that earns its place in the first month. Running shoes are made by brands such as Nike, adidas and HOKA, but you do not need a particular brand or the most expensive pair on the shelf. What matters is that the shoe fits your foot, feels comfortable on a short run and suits the surfaces you will use.

If you already own a pair of sports shoes, you can do your first club run in them and shop afterwards. That way the first purchase follows the first run, not the other way around.

What you can skip for now

Most of the running market is built for people chasing times, and none of it is required to take part in a short club run. These can all wait until you have a few months behind you:

• A smartwatch. Useful later if you care about pace and distance, but a short lap does not need one. Our guide to whether you need a smartwatch to start running covers this well.
• Supplements. Nothing about a 2.5 km, 3 km, 5 km or 6 km option requires them, and they are worth understanding before you buy. See do runners really need supplements?
• Gels and sports drinks. These are made for long efforts. A short club run and a glass of water are a better match.
• A second pair of shoes, compression wear and race kit. Wait until you know your habit has stuck and what you actually like wearing.
• Extra memberships. Your club run is already on the calendar and already free, so there is no need to add anything else in month one.

A simple three month plan

Budgeting for a new habit is easier when you spread the decisions out. A beginner's first three months can be kept to very little if you buy in this order:

1. Month one: make your free HRC+ account, register for your first run, and wear whatever sports shoes you already own.
2. Month two: if you are still turning up, buy one pair of running shoes that fits well. Nothing else changes.
3. Month three: replace only what has worn out or what you have genuinely missed, and keep the rest of your spending on hold.

The reason this works is that the weekly cost stays at zero, so any spending you do is a choice rather than a fee. If you are still working out whether running is for you, read beginner run clubs in Sydney: what to expect.

Where the free part of your week goes

Both club runs are free and both offer two distance options on the day. One lap is a full run, whether that is the shorter or the longer option, so choose what suits you when you arrive.

The Thursday Morning Run finishes with coffee and a sweet treat afterwards, which is the only optional spend in the week and entirely up to you. On Tuesday nights, enter Castle Hill Showground via Doran Drive, the entrance closest to the metro, take the first left and follow the road to the lit oval. The group meets at the large shed, and there is plenty of parking around it.

Two things that cost nothing and help most

Walkers are welcome at both runs, and one lap is a full run. Those two facts do most of the work for a beginner's budget, because they mean you never need to buy your way into being ready. You can start at the shortest option, walk part or all of it, and build up over the months at no extra cost.

Check the runs page for dates, then register in HRC+ before you come. Upcoming runs include the Thursday Morning Run on 15 October and the Tuesday Night Run on 20 October. Follow @hillsrunclubau on Instagram for club news.

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