From the 1st of June 2020, South Africa entered Lockdown Level 3, relaxing exercise hours, allowing one to exercise in public anytime between 6am and 6pm.
Since socialising times had been slim, our running group of friends decided this was a great way to (socially distantly) see each other’s faces and support local coffee shops. We ran in search of the best croissants in town. Each week it would be a different person’s turn to set the route and choose the coffee shop.
This is a list of the places we have been to so far – when you write it down it is actually quite impressive! Very interesting to see how we have increased our running distances every week as well.
Another positive of running Joburg for the best croissants in town, is experiencing new running routes and areas in our beautiful city. We have discovered such beautiful places in this City of Gold, and enjoyed watching leaves on trees transform as the seasons change.
Running highlights include city views from Munro Drive (Houghton Estate), running along the Valley Road (Parktown), passing Wild Dogs, Cheetahs and Civets in the Joburg Zoo and generally viewing houses in different Joburg suburbs. Its been fascinating to note the types of dogs in each area too. Bryanston is full of serious, large and vicious looking guard dogs, while the dogs in Saxonwold, Craighall and Linden were much quieter.
Cato, a handsome Rhodesian Ridgeback, has joined the majority of our runs, and cannot wait when he is collected for his Sunday run. He is seriously disappointed when he misses out! Unfortunately, there have been a few dog fights on the way, however we have luckily always been in a group of friends with enough people to pull dogs off each other. That, and the dogs that feel they can take on Cato have been so small he could eat them for his lunch-time snack. Its always the little dogs that feel they need to prove themselves, Cato never starts the fight.
More recently as the weather has gotten hotter, we are not just running for views and croissants, but also running from water point to water point, and slowly discovering where the public taps are located. More secrets our city holds. Petrol stations are a good start when you need a drink of water.
A water point pit-stop at Dabulamanzi Canoe Club
We are still concluding which restaurant produces the best croissant in town. There are definitely a few clear leaders. Watch this space.
