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Fitness

A Beginner’s Guide To Getting Into Social Running In Melbourne

18th Aug 2026
Written by: Lara Torcello

Getting into running is one of the best decisions you can make. From the endorphins to smashing goals, it can be quite empowering. But if you’re starting solo, it can also be a little daunting. Where do I start? Do I need a fancy watch? Which shoes should I get? Do I get onto Strava? Headphones, activewear, cadence, pace. Your Instagram and TikTok feeds might be overflowing with tips, tricks and hacks and a whole lot of runner-talk you might not be familiar with.

With all that floating around, one of the best ways to start your running era is going the social route. Connecting with people, making new friends and finding a new community. Run clubs, apps and the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival are some of the best ways to get stuck into the world of running and learn everything there is to know along the way. This is our beginner’s guide to getting into social running.

Run Clubs

Image credit: Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival | Luke Heme

Run clubs are the epicentre of social running. It’s been the hot thing to do for a while now, and it’s for good reason. Socialising can be key to motivation, making it truly enjoyable and helping you find a new community of friends, especially when making new friends as an adult can be a hard task.

Melbourne is full of run clubs; you just need to find one that works for you. Whether that’s because of where you’re based, the run itself you’re signing up for (3km, 5km, 10km with a coffee at the end), or what day of the week it lands on. All Ours run club hits the track on Wednesdays and dabbles in long runs on Saturdays, and Runvo is a Melbourne run club that starts at OnAir in Cremorne and finishes with DJ sets, coffee and sangas. You can find more of our Melbourne run club recs over here.

Strava

Strava; you might have heard whispers of it. Strava is both an app to help you track your runs and a social media platform. Dive into your stats post-sweat sesh to see your pacing, heart rate, and if you smashed any personal bests. You can follow friends or runners you admire to give them kudos on their run and comment words of encouragement. The best feature? Groups. In this tab of the app, you can explore local running events happening in your area, join all sorts of clubs to your liking, and take on a variety of challenges, from running your fastest mile to completing a set number of runs, and more. If meeting face-to-face feels daunting at first, these features on Strava are an excellent way to start socialising at your own pace.

Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival

nike melbourne marathon 2026Image credit: Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival | Supplied

Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival isn’t just for the big half and full marathon races. In fact, it’s a great place for social and first-time runners to get among the race-day energy. This year, the festival has an entire day dedicated to beginners so that one day, you might feel confident to take on the 21km or 42km distances. On Saturday 10 October, choose from the Bupa Healthy Cities Mini 1km Marathon, Chobani 3km, Dairy Farmers 5km or the SriLankan Airlines 10km. Each race includes the proper race-day get-up with a race bib and finisher’s medal, and all finish at the mighty MCG. To break it down:

  • 1km Mini Marathon: Perfect for the kiddos and an excellent way to introduce your little ones to running in a fun-filled environment, the 1km Mini Marathon is the way to go.

  • 3km: With a newly measured course and wider running lanes, the Chobani 3km is the epitome of a fun run and a great way to start smashing personal bests.

  • 5km: This is your first step into long-distance running. Whether you want to go in with a competitive edge or tick off your first 5km, the Dairy Farmer’s 5km is flat, on-road and excellent for a beginner.

  • 10km: if you’ve been gunning for your first 10km run, the SriLankan Airlines 10km is the race for you. You’ll glide past Melbourne icons like the National Gallery of Victoria and St Paul’s Cathedral, all while having your bucket list run moment.

Parkrun

Parkrun is social first, running second. It’s a free 5km event that happens every Saturday morning at a whole bunch of different places around Australia (and the world, too!). If you use this handy interactive map on the Parkrun website, you can find your local run; Melbourne alone has over 20. You can run, jog, walk, or yap with zero pressure to complete your 5km in a certain time frame. Some Parkruns have only a handful of people; others are fairly sizable, like the masses that take on Albert Park. Either way, you have ample opportunity to either meet fellow runners or just dip your toes in by jogging alongside others, sans the yarn, if you’re still building up your confidence. Just make sure you’ve registered your account online before you venture out on your first Parkrun. Pro tip: if you’re feeling nervous about your first race and what it's like to run in a large group, Parkrun is a fantastic way to get the feel for it.

PSA: The Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival is right around the corner and remaining races are filling fast. Register now before they sell out—once they're gone, they're gone. 

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

Main image credit: Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival | JW