The best run clubs in Sydney

This Eastern Suburbs run club is something of an institution. Founded back in June 2016, The 440 has grown from a small handful of friends to a group of over 300 people who assemble before dawn for this unique, very-Sydney start to the morning. The concept is simple: meet before dawn, run the 440 metre route along the former tram line that runs up the cliffs on the south side of Bronte beach, then high five your fellow early-risers and get on with your day.

When? 
Saturdays, 5am

Where? 
South side of Bronte Beach

Cost?
Free

Kings Cross Track Club describes itself as an “inclusive, diverse, respectful community”, with a simple motto: all weather, all paces, all faces. Each run is led by a leader who will explain the route, and the community will take care of the rest – with runners of all abilities finding their people among the pack.

When and where? 

Tuesdays, 6.30pm for the all-abilities 7km route – meet at the stairs next to the Coke sign, Kings Cross

Thursdays, 6.30pm for the Community Track run – ES Marks Track

Saturdays, 7.30am for the long 15km run – meet at the stairs next to the Coke sign, Kings Cross

Cost?

Free for social runs, $6 fee for Thursday evening track run

Unofficial Run Club caught our attention when they started gathering groups of hundreds of runners outside a much-loved bakery in North Sydney after their popular Friday morning runs. The group of friends has grown to a huge, 1,000+ person movement, and they’re looking at adding new routes and times to cater to their growing community.

When? 

Fridays, 5.50am

Where?

Bradfield Park (Under the Bridge on the North Side)

Cost? 

Free

Sydney’s unofficially coolest run crew has teamed up with Darling Harbour’s unofficially coolest luxury hotel, W Sydney, to launch the city’s newest run club. The six-ish kilometre route winds through Pirrama Park, following the waterfront’s ‘W’ shaped path, before looping back to the hotel via Pyrmont Bridge. Ready to hit the ground running? You can sign up here.

When?

Thursdays, 6am

Where?

At the red directional signs on the Darling Harbour Waterfront, adjacent to W Sydney’s entrance

Cost?

Free for both internal and external guests of the W Sydney

This coastal run club traverses on one of Sydney’s most beautiful routes: the stretch of coastline between Bronte and Bondi. Take in the coastline with a group of friendly faces, then join them for coffee at the end.

When?

Mondays and Wednesdays, 6.15am

Where?

Meet at Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club

Cost?

Free

Chinatown Run Club is an all inclusive social run club for runners of all abilities. Unlike most Sydney clubs, this one doesn’t operate on a weekly schedule, but will post via Instagram the day before the next social run - attracting groups of between 40-60 runners.

When? 

No set days – just when the weather and the mood takes them.

Where?

Meet at 17 Valentine Street Haymarket

Cost? 

Free

This coastal run club operates four guided runs every week (plus additional marathon training runs and other occasional longer jaunts) so chances are there will be at least one that works with your schedule. And with more than 2,000 members, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a running companion that matches your pace. If you’re a total beginner, join their newbie night on the second Tuesday of every month: with a 3k jog followed by drinks at the Coogee Bay Hotel.

When?

Tuesdays, 6.30pm (5km)

Wednesdays, 6.30am (speed session) 

Thursdays, 6.15am (5km)
Sundays, 8am (10km)
 

Where?

Meeting places vary for each run, so check their Instagram page for where to head each time you want to pound the pavements (or the park, or the coast path).

Cost?

Free

Notable mentions include Furies Run Club – an urban run club based in Sydney’s Inner East – the social runs held by Pace Athletic stores across the city, The Sydney Run Club which scores points for its name alone, and Woodstock Runners – a community of runners in Sydney’s Inner West that’s been operating since 1980. For a party-style social run through the city join Midnight Runners, for a CBD pavement-pound join Barangaroo Run Club, and for a run club north of the bridge, join the SYNT team at North Steyne Surf Club every Tuesday morning. As Sydney's running scene continues to grow, so too will its catalogue run clubs. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just somewhere to start if you're ready to stop running solo. 

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