Everything people ask before their first Saturday. If yours isn't here, message us — no question is too basic.
When and where do you run?
Every Saturday at the River God Fountain in Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne. Warm-up starts at 9:15am and we run at 9:30 sharp. Same place every week — you never have to check.
What time should I actually get there?
9:15. The warm-up is part of the session and it's where you'll meet people before everyone's out of breath.
How much does it cost?
It's free. You bring yourself and a pair of shoes, we bring the route and the company.
How do I join?
Drop your details on the sign-up page and we'll add you to the WhatsApp group. That's it. Turn up on Saturday at 9:15.
Do I need to sign up before my first run?
Yes, please. It takes a minute and it means we know who to expect, so nobody's standing at the fountain wondering if they're in the right place. It also gets you into the group chat, which is where the routes go.
How fast do you run?
6:00–7:30 per kilometre. That's conversational pace — if you can't hold a conversation, we're going too fast and you should tell us.
I've never run before / I'm coming back from a long break.
Start with the short loop. Walk when you need to. Genuinely, this is the most common way people start here.
I'm much faster than that. Is this a waste of a session?
We run together. That's the whole thing. Saturday is an easy run at the group's pace, so if you're chasing a hard session or a PB, this isn't the one. What you can get here is distance — plenty of our people are deep in marathon blocks and put their long kilometres in with us.
How far is it?
You pick. There is a 5km option every single week, and longer distances on top of it — usually 10km, 15km, and whatever the marathon crew are building to that weekend. Everyone starts together at 9:30.
Is the 5km always there?
Yes.
What if 5km is still too far right now?
Come anyway. Walk part of it. Turn around whenever you want and tell someone so we know where you are. That's the whole process.
Will I be running on my own if I do the 5km?
No. There's a 5km group every week, whatever the long-run crew are doing.
What should I bring?
Whatever you'd normally run in, and your phone. Routes pass drinking fountains, so you don't need to carry water unless you'd rather. Melbourne weather does what it likes, so check the forecast.
Do you run in the rain?
Yes. We only call it off for genuinely unsafe conditions — storms, extreme heat, poor air quality — and that decision goes in the group chat.
Can I bring a friend?
Please do — just get them to sign up first so we know they're coming. Takes them a minute and it puts them in the group chat too.
Can I bring my dog / a pram?
Ask in the group first so we can pick a route that works. Usually the answer is yes.
What if I'm late?
We set off at 9:30, so you may well arrive to an empty fountain. Message the group and we'll send you the route — you can catch us or pick us up on the way back.
What if I get lost?
You won't be on your own long enough to. And you always know where it ends — back at the fountain.
Where exactly is the River God Fountain?
In Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne, near the Lansdowne Street side. Look for a group of people in running shoes doing leg swings. Open in Maps
Do you run on any other days?
Saturday is the session. That's the club. If anything else comes up — a race, a one-off midweek run — it gets shared in the group chat, but nothing else is a standing commitment and nothing else is expected of you.
Do I have to run races?
No. We enter races as a group and it is completely optional every single time. Nobody will ask you why you're not doing one.
Do I have to come every week?
No. Come when you can. Consistency is the goal, guilt isn't the method.
Is there a WhatsApp group?
Yes, and it's how everything works — routes, distances, weather calls, photos. The meeting point never changes, so the chat is for everything else. Joining the group is joining the club.
Who runs it?
Amy. She started HPS after getting tired of run clubs that only worked if you were already fast. Say hello at the fountain — she'll be the one telling you the pace is fine.
Is it safe?
We run on public roads and shared paths, so the usual applies: stay left, listen for bikes, one headphone out at most. Run leaders count everyone back.
I have an injury / asthma / a health condition.
Come, and tell the run leader before you start. It doesn't stop you running — it means someone knows what to do if something goes wrong.
Who's responsible if I get hurt?
You run at your own risk. We're a group of people who run together, not a race organiser or a coaching service. Come if you're medically fit to.