Adelaide’s best run clubs
We know what you’re thinking – hasn’t CityMag written about Adelaide’s best run clubs before? Right you are, but we’re back with a rerun just in time for summer.
Some of our favourite run clubs have called it quits while some new faces have popped up, so we thought it was time to deliver a new (and improved) go-to list of Adelaide’s best run clubs.
Forget the snooze button — round up your mates, pull on your activewear, and lace up those fluro sneakers. Whether you’re chasing fitness goals, the post-run coffee, or just an excuse to post that golden-hour snap by the Torrens, there’s a club for you.
From sunrise jogs along Henley foreshore to tempo runs through Linear Park and hill sprints up Montefiore, Adelaide’s running scene is in full stride.
Here are 15 of Adelaide’s best run clubs to get you moving (and maybe a little tanned) this summer.
The Espy Run Club
Whether you want to run, walk, or jog, the Espy Run Club has you covered, sure to give you that Friday dopamine hit to carry into your weekend. Participants say it’s a “straight-up vibe”, the five-kilometre loop a perfect opportunity to soak up Henley Beach’s picturesque sunrise. An iced latte and a delicious brekkie burrito are the ideal way to wrap up your morning, knowing you’ve won the day before it’s even started.
Connect:
Instagram
Hybridx Run Club
Relatively new to the run club scene, the HybridX Run Club is a growing community where everyone is welcome. Taking off from the Henley Beach Jetty every Sunday at 7.30am, the schedule offers three-kilometre, five-kilometre, and 10km options. The perfect way to shake off those Sunday scaries, a post-run feed from Beachside Bagels makes all the hard work worth it.
Connect:
Instagram
WHYLD Run Club
Meeting at WHYLD Coffee in Prospect, the community has five-kilometre and eight-kilometre options with all paces welcome. Quickly approaching their first birthday, the energetic crew speed off every Friday at 6am. Additionally, the WHYLD crew is lacing up the sneakers on November 29, joining run clubs across Australia to support the ‘[mo]re than a run’ campaign. Aiming to raise $3000, runners can choose to test themselves with a 10-kilometre, 30-kilometre, or 60-kilometre challenge, all to raise funds for Movember.
Connect:
Instagram
I Don’t Run Club
The I Don’t Run Club is the perfect match for people who want to join a run club for the social connection, rather than to train for a marathon. Founded in October 2022, the club refer to themselves as “a run club for the ones who ‘don’t run’”. With runs every Tuesday night and Saturday morning, furry friends and walkers are all welcome, with the group known to kick on with a post-run CBD dinner. The group runs every Tuesday from the Adelaide University footbridge at 6:45pm, and every Saturday at Bloom Café at 8:45am. Perfect for that post-work CBD or weekend stroll.
Unley Run Club
The Unley Run Club runs 5km, 6km and 10km distances, followed by coffee at Unley Social. Meeting at the café on King William Rd, the group heads off for 6km runs at 7am each Saturday, and 5 or 10km journeys nice and early Wednesday mornings at 6am. The group says their Saturday runs are perfect for runners of all talents, with an average 5:30-6 minutes per kilometre pace. Though they say their Wednesday runs are a little faster (at 5:10-5:25 minutes), all are still welcome, with the assurance you won’t be left behind.
Social Run Co
Founded in 2021, Social Run Co offers a slight sleep-in as a point of difference to the others on this list – meeting every Sunday at 8am at John Miller Reserve, Somerton Park. Choose from 6km, 10km, or 15km as the group runs from Somerton Park to West Beach and back. With a post-run coffee and swim strongly encouraged, this is the perfect run club for any beach lover. Especially as the weather cools down, post-run is the perfect opportunity to get your swim in without freezing in the increasingly cold waves.
Connect:
Instagram
Women’s Recreational Running Network
The Women’s Recreational Running Network (WRRN) is a joint initiative between Running SA and the Adelaide City Council to activate under-utilised city parks and provide a safe environment for women to exercise. The group advertises itself as the perfect place for all runners, but especially welcomes anyone new to the sport. With five runs on offer through each week, WRRN meets on the corner of East and South Terrace on Mondays at 6pm, at the University of Adelaide footbridge Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:15pm, on the corner of East Terrace and Halifax Street on Wednesdays at 6pm. Finally, for a longer run to end the week, it meets on Sunday mornings at the Bonython Park kiosk.
Stride Run Club
Offering both early morning and evening runs, Stride Run Club runs distances of 3km, 5km, 8km and 10km. The group starts and ends at Mascavado café and patisserie on Hutt Street each Thursday and Sunday morning (6am and 8am, respectively), in case you need the promise of a pastry to get you out of bed. Their evening runs leave from Victoria Park East Terrace entrance on Tuesdays at 6pm, with group dinners happening on the last week of every month. Come for the run, stay for the cool film pics snapped of said run (or for the morning pastries).
Connect:
Instagram
Adelaide Running Crew
Founded in 2009, the Adelaide Running Crew (ARC) has long been one of the premier social running communities in the city. Meeting on Wednesdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 8am, the ARC is the club for those who don’t have the time in the mornings throughout the week to get their run on. Wednesday evenings offer unique interval sessions, where participants can do as many reps as they like. The Saturday morning runs take place all over Adelaide and range from 10km to 20km, followed by breakfast at a local café to wind down.
Connect:
Website
Facebook Group
Brighton Run Club
Further south, the Brighton Run Club meets every Friday at 6:25am at the Brighton Jetty to shake off the cobwebs of the week. Approaching its second birthday, the club has quickly grown into one of the most popular social running clubs in Adelaide, thanks to its beachside location and community emphasis. Choose between three-kilometre and five-kilometre runs and stop afterwards for coffee at Brighton Bakery. A community for all paces and abilities, runners are encouraged to bring their dogs along as well.
Connect:
Instagram
Prospect Run Club
If you’re looking for a more casual approach to getting fit, the Prospect Run Club’s motto of “running for no reason” surely appeals. The Prospect Run Club meets on Tuesdays at 5.15am and Fridays at 5:30am for the early birds looking to get the most out of their day. After engaging in either a six- or ten-kilometre grind, the club meets at Cotto for a post-run coffee and chat.
Connect:
Instagram
RunAsOne
Once you’ve caught the running bug, the pursuit of incremental improvement becomes an obsession. There will come a time, though, when you hit a wall. At this point, you’ll probably start looking for a coach and when you do, you’ll surely hear about RunAsOne. Founded by local Olympian Izzi Batt-Doyle and Riley Cocks, RunAsOne offers individual coaching, and they also meet for group sessions at Pakapakanthi/Victoria Park at 6:30am on Tuesdays and Fridays. This one requires a membership to participate, with three levels on offer.
The Run Club
For those living closer to the CBD, this club is your conveniently central running community. The Run Club meets every Thursday at 6am, and though the one-kilometre intervals may be gruelling, they welcome anyone – including first-time runners – to join the team. Meeting at the Uni Loop, The Run Club offers a tranquil glimpse of the gorgeous Adelaide park lands before the hustle and bustle of the working day begins.
Connect:
Instagram
Facebook Group
South Australian Road Runners Club
With the Brooks Adelaide Marathon as its flagship event, the South Australian Road Runners Club has been around for more than 40 years and is one of the largest member-based running clubs in South Australia. The club holds group runs around metro Adelaide on every day except Mondays, and its events cater to runners of varying experience levels – from five-kilometre runners to those who enjoy enduring ultra runs. Though beginning running can be daunting, the SARRC provides a 12-week course for beginner runners that aims to foster confidence and provide support to runners in the first step of their fitness journey.
Trail Running SA
Sometimes running for the sake of a faster time or longer distance is not enough, and you’ll want to push yourself into new types of terrain. For this, get in touch with Trail Running SA – a club founded in 2014 to connect like-minded adventurers. These runs are not for the faint of heart. In addition to being on off-road terrain, they’re generally 10 kilometres or longer – aside from the occasional recovery run. Trail Running SA holds social runs during the week, and they also host more formal events throughout the year. Keep an eye on the group’s social media for updates.
