History

Philosophy

RE-FOCUS | RE-ADJUST | RE-START is our slogan for this year!

Our club is all about family and living a healthy lifestyle -our members stay active through different exercise forms such as running, walking, cycling or spending time at the gym – however our primary focus is running.  We encourage members and non-members to live a balanced healthy lifestyle.

We accommodate both the serious and not-so-serious runners, walkers and cyclists. Whatever your goal may be, we are here to support you, wherever possible. Experience has taught us to keep going, it does not matter if you are fast or slow but to keep focusing on your personal fitness goals.

We also consider the social part of our Club as important as the competitive part. We encourage the whole family to get involved, including partners and children.

Why Join Us?

We offer morning training sessions, time trials (except winter months), club runs and encourage our members to enter races that are on offer. This will offer you plenty of opportunities to learn from experienced runners and tailor your training to fit your goals.

We encourage our members to keep going, walk if you must, but finish the race.  It is a combination of consistency and balance.

Club History

It was in 1991 or so that a group of parents, while watching their children play soccer at Panorama Football Club in Radiokop, decided that it was time for them to also start exercising. Someone in Rusty’s Pub had the idea to start a running club, which was quickly endorsed by the founding members, Gregg Clough, Peter Breuer, John Fanner, Martin Jordaan and John Roos. Panorama Running Club had been born – well almost!

Practical issues followed. The club had to join the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA). In the first meeting between the CGA and the first chairperson of the club, Peter Breuer, the CGA outlined the criteria for the formation of a running club. The Club had to decide on its club colours, design running vests and shorts and have a minimum of 50 members within two years. That is where the Royal Blue, White and Red colours came from – it was aligned to the soccer club colours.

The founding members actively went about campaigning and canvassing family members, colleagues, neighbours, and anyone who was mildly interested in running, so that they could reach the 50 members in time. This hard work paid off as within the first two years, the Club had reached almost 80 members.

The Club partnered with Admiral for the manufacturing of running vests and printing of the Panorama logo (which was then the same as the Panorama Football Club’s logo), Founding members funded the purchase of the vests, with the hope to recover the money through their sales. Due to the start-up costs, the Club was only able to reimburse the founding members five years later when the Club was in a stronger financial position.

The Club established a committee, working groups and a Thursday evening time-trial. Club members then started morning runs from several spots in the surrounding areas. The club runs varied in distance and intensity, and accommodated all preferences and interests, ranging from triathletes, Comrades Silver medallists, as well as walkers, several of whom started to run after a while, and to their surprise turned out to be great athletes. The running family was strong and growing.

In 1994, the running club separated from the soccer club with the agreement that the club retains the name ‘Panorama Running Club’. The time-trial route had become too busy with traffic in the late afternoons, which meant that the club had to secure a new home base. Thanks to our long-standing member, Jacky van Schoor, Panorama Running Club managed to secure Eagle Canyon as a home base for many years. Sadly, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club could not renew the relationship with Eagle Canyon and the Club, once again, needed to find a new home. After almost two years of searching, the Club through its current chairman, Andrew Morrison-Young was able to secure a partnership with Ruimsig Country Club in February 2022. This partnership looks set to benefit both partners and Panorama Running Club is planning many exciting joint ventures with Ruimsig Country Club. The Saturday morning club runs are already very popular, with distances from 5 km to 21 km, catering for the beginner and the fit would-be Marathoner!

Panorama Running Club, est. 1994.

The Club celebrated 25 years of its existence in 2019. Over the past 25 years, the club has served the running community in the north-western areas of Johannesburg and has had the privilege of seeing many runners and walkers pass through as members. Even today, the club still boasts many long-standing active members. Panorama Running Club remains a relatively small running club, but it is active and vibrant and more like a running family really.

Want to Join The Club?

Reach out to us via whatsapp or email.  Come try us, you just might like it.