If you are looking for something athletic to do over the weekend, consider the Langenhovenpark Parkrun. Unlike the Naval Hill Parkrun, this event is dog-friendly. You will find many dog owners walking or jogging with their pets.
Even though the name is “Parkrun”, you walk or run at your own pace. It is you against the clock. The oldest current participant is 84 years old and walks the 5km route in slightly over an hour. The youngest participants are around the age of 4.
Unfortunately, this parkrun is not pram or wheel-chair friendly. If you are wanting to take your tiny ones, we recommend you attend the Naval Hill Parkrun instead.
Langenhovenpark Parkrun
Location
Tips
Distance: 5km
Starting Time Summer (October to March): 7am
Starting Time Winter (April to September): 8am
Cost: Free – but please register on the official website before your first Parkrun.
Time to complete: You walk or run at your own pace, but most people finish within 1 hour and 10 minutes.
What to expect with this Parkrun
The Langenhovenpark Parkrun route
This run is a sand, gravel and dirt road. There are very few trees on the route and in the South African sun, it can get quite hot. Sunscreen and water bottles are essential, especially during the summer months.
Even though the route is in a grassy field, there are a few beautiful spots on the route. You will travel through small areas of trees that used to be wind-breakers when it was still farm-land. You will also go over a small stream, that is dry when then the rainfall has been low.
The start of the Langenhovenpark Parkrun
All the people doing this park run gather in a small field next to the Kleinbosch townhouse complex in Koppie Road. Cars are generally parked across the road from the starting point, but some people park at The Towers Shopping center.
The people who know themselves to be fast runners stand close to the starting mark. The people with small children and dogs stand further away from the starting mark. This is to allow the serious runners to try to beat their best time without the less serious runners and walkers getting in their way.
At about 10 minutes to the starting time, an announcer congratulates the people who have reached their 10th, 50th or 100th park run. The announcer also gives thanks to the sponsors of the event. Then the parkrun begins!
The walk/run and how it ends
You travel south, through the trees, make a loop and return. There are signs signaling the route you are to take, as well as kilometer markers. Most participants focus on following the person in front of them.
When you reach the end of the course a volunteer marshal gives you a bar-coded position tag. You take this with your personal bar-code to the next marshal. The second marshal scans your position tag and personal bar-code. This is what they use to determine your time and position, which appears on the official Langenhovenpark Parkrun website.
Please note, you have to give your position tag back. It is not a souvenir, they are used weekly.
At the end of the trail, there are water bowls provided for dogs. Toilets are at The Towers Shopping Center on the next block.
Park run results are usually up on their official website within 2 or 3 days.
Parkrun and Discovery Vitality
If you are a member of Discovery Vitality, you can earn 300 points every time you complete a parkrun. Make sure you link your Discovery Vitality with your Parkrun registration.