Run, jog, or walk – start this season with a spring in your step around Pretoria

Summer is knocking on the door and that means it might be time to knock the winter dust off your running shoes. Pretoria has a vibrant and active running community, with regular local and stunning running hotspots scattered throughout the city. Get active at some of these venues.

A great place to start is with the various park run events scattered throughout the city. For a quick local run, the park run events at the botanical gardens are a must, especially as we head into spring and summer, with a scenic run through the gardens.

Other close-by events are Laudium stadium, Broberrik parkrun at Hennops park, Valhalla at the park in Valhalla, Hillside at Hillside golf course, Midstream at Ridgeway Drive and The Reeds at Kolgans Street all cater to a quick Saturday morning outing.

For a more adventurous trip, events at Bronkhorstspruit dam, Iron Throne, Skemerberg and Arrows Rest, all around the Hartebeespoort dam area are scenic city escapes just around the corner. These venues are also great if you want to make a day out of it and visit local restaurants and historical sites outside the city.

Finally, get the best of both worlds at Hazeldean Valley trails, just past Silver Lakes, for a well-marked run in nature that feels like an escape. It helps that there is pizza and fantastic craft beer at the finish line.

Parkruns are 5km runs that are free to everyone. The runs take place every Saturday from 8:00 in 2 000 locations around the world. These events are inclusive and allow any level of runner to enter, whether you run, jog or walk. There is no time limit and no one finishes last.

Nestled in the hills of Erastmuskloof, Wolwespruit feels like a piece of nature right in the middle of the busy Pretoria neighbourhoods. Wolwespruit offers three running trails: a 5km, a 6.5km and a 10km route. A day pass to the trail costs R40 or R295 for an annual membership. The trails are open from 05:30 on weekdays and 06:30 on weekends and public holidays. Wolwespruit also offers mountain biking trails. Dogs are welcome too for a walk through the bush.

Hazeldean Valley trails is just a short drive out of the hustle and bustle of Pretoria, but it is totally worth the trip. The farm offers a whopping 60km of track that is well-marked and well-maintained that caters to trail runners, cyclists and even dog walks. The trails open between 06:00 and 18:00 every day. Day passes are just R40, or R350 for an annual pass. Bikes and helmets are available for rent for those that want to give cycling a go.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram