8 October 2026

The right running club in Sydney is the one that costs you nothing you did not expect, offers a distance you can finish, meets at a time you can actually reach and makes beginners and walkers feel welcome. Use the four checks below to compare any running club in Sydney, then see how Hills Run Club answers each one.

1. Check the cost

Start with the cost, because an unexpected fee can end a habit before it begins. Ask whether there is a joining fee, a charge for each run, or a purchase you must make before you can take part.

Running with Hills Run Club is free. Make a free HRC+ account at hillsrunclub.com/hrc-plus/ and register for each run there. Our guide to is Hills Run Club free to join? covers the details.

2. Check the pace options

A good club lets you choose a distance on the day, so you can start short and build up. Ask whether there are short and longer options, and whether walking is welcome.

• Thursday Morning Run: 2.5 km or 5 km, which is one or two 2.5 km laps.
• Tuesday Night Run: 3 km or 6 km, which is one or two 3 km laps.

These are options you choose from, not totals. One lap is a full run. Walkers are welcome at both runs, and there is no speed test to join. If speed is your worry, read do you need to be fast to join a run club?

3. Check the time of day

The best time is the one you can keep up. Ask what time the group meets, how long the trip takes and whether the time fits your work and family life. Hills Run Club has two regular runs, so you can choose the one that suits your week.

• Thursday Morning Run: every Thursday. Meet at 5:45am for a 6:00am start at Glenhaven Oval, 78 Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven.
• Tuesday Night Run: every second Tuesday. Meet at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start at Castle Hill Showground, Castle Hill, under the lights. 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.

The night runs moved to Castle Hill Showground in October. Upcoming runs are the Thursday Morning Run on 15 October and the Tuesday Night Run on 20 October. See every run at hillsrunclub.com/runs/.

4. Check how friendly the group is

Friendliness is hard to judge from a listing, so look for signs in how the club runs. Is there a welcome for beginners and walkers? Is there a reason to stay after the run? Can you find the details before you arrive?

At Hills Run Club there is no pace to hit and nobody is timed. Thursday mornings finish with a coffee and a sweet treat, which gives everyone a reason to stay and talk. Every run is registered in HRC+, so the details are in one place before you come. For what to expect from the group, read run club etiquette: the unwritten rules of a group run.

How Hills Run Club answers each point

Here is the checklist side by side, so you can compare it with any other running club you are considering. Hills Run Club is a free community running club in the Hills District of Sydney, NSW.

If you are new to group runs, our guide to how to join a running club (and what your first run is like) walks through the first morning. Walkers can read can you walk a run club?

Questions people ask