8 October 2026

For most people restarting exercise, the deciding factor is not the building but which option you will still be doing a month from now. A gym offers equipment, flexible hours and a membership fee that keeps coming out whether or not you go. A free community run club offers a fixed time, a meeting point and a group that meets every week. Hills Run Club is free to run with, so the real question is what keeps you coming back.

Motivation: what gets you out the door

A gym suits people who already like a routine and can keep one going on their own. You choose the day, the time and the workout, which is useful, but every session needs a decision from you.

A run club takes most of those decisions away. The Thursday Morning Run meets at 5:45am for a 6:00am start at Glenhaven Oval, 78 Glenhaven Road, Glenhaven, every Thursday. The Tuesday Night Run meets at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start every second Tuesday. The time and place stay the same, so you only have to show up.

• Gym: you supply the motivation every time, so it works best if you already have a routine.
• Run club: the time and place are fixed, and the group meets every week.

Cost: what each one asks of your wallet

Running with Hills Run Club is free. Runs are free with a free HRC+ account, and you register for each run in HRC+ before you come.

A gym membership is a recurring fee, and the price depends on the gym, the contract and any classes you add. This article does not quote a gym price, so check the rate, joining costs and cancellation terms before you sign.

Community: who you train with

Many gym sessions are solo, with other people nearby but not training together. A run club is a group you see on purpose, every week.

At Hills Run Club there is no pace to hit. Walkers are welcome, and the Thursday Morning Run ends with coffee and a sweet treat, so there is a reason to stay on after the last lap. If making friends is part of what you want, read run clubs are the new way to make friends as an adult. Walkers can read can you walk a run club?

Which one suits you

Choose the gym if you already have a strength routine, your hours change a lot, or you prefer training alone. Choose the run club if you are restarting and want a set time to begin with, you would rather not pay a fee to train, or you want a group that notices when you are missing.

You can do both. A club run gives you a social session each week, and a gym covers strength work. You do not have to pick one for good.

Start with the club this month

The Thursday Morning Run is on 15 October and the Tuesday Night Run is on 20 October. Both are free to run with once you have registered.

• Make a free HRC+ account at hillsrunclub.com/hrc-plus/ and register for the run.
• See every upcoming run at hillsrunclub.com/runs/.
• From October the Tuesday Night Run meets at Castle Hill Showground. 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.

New to running? Read how to join a running club (and what your first run is like), and see is Hills Run Club free to join?

Questions people ask