8 October 2026

A free run club is one where running with the group costs you nothing: no joining fee, no monthly charge, no payment for each session and nothing to buy before you can take part. Free registration matters just as much. If a group asks you to sign up, that sign-up should be free too. Hills Run Club is a free community running club in the Hills District of Sydney, NSW, and that is how it works: members make a free HRC+ account and register for each run there.

What a genuinely free run club looks like

Five things should be true of a free run club before you lace up your shoes.

• No fees to run. You do not pay to join the group or to take part in a run.
• Free registration. Signing up for the group and for each run costs nothing.
• Community led. The group is organised by the people who run with it, for the people who run with it.
• Open to all paces. Walkers, joggers and new runners can take part without a test.
• Clear about cost. You can find out what it costs before you arrive, in plain words.

How to spot the difference

Use this quick check before you commit to any group. The middle column is what a free club looks like. The right column is what should make you pause.

Questions to ask before your first run

Ask these before you go, whichever group you are considering:

• Is there a fee to join or to run?
• Is registration free, and where do I sign up?
• Can I walk the whole way, or do I need to be fast?
• Where exactly do we meet, and what time does it start?
• What happens after the run?

How Hills Run Club fits

Hills Run Club is built for budget conscious beginners. Running with the club is free. Members make a free HRC+ account at HRC+ and register for each run there, so every run is recorded in one place. Our regular runs are:

• Thursday Morning Run: every Thursday. Meet at 5:45am for a 6:00am start at Glenhaven Oval, 78 Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven. Choose 2.5 km or 5 km (one or two 2.5 km laps), and enjoy a coffee and a sweet treat afterwards.
• Tuesday Night Run: every second Tuesday. Meet at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start at Castle Hill Showground, Castle Hill, under the lights. Choose 3 km or 6 km (one or two 3 km laps). Enter 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, with plenty of parking around it.

Walkers are welcome on both nights. The next Thursday Morning Run is on 15 October and the next Tuesday Night Run is on 20 October. See all upcoming runs and register at the runs page. You can also follow @hillsrunclubau on Instagram.

New to group runs? Read how to join a running club and what your first run is like, and whether Hills Run Club is free to join.

Questions people ask