Explore the CBD and run

Joburg’s treasures are often left undiscovered by those who live within its borders, but unearthing these hidden gems proves an arduous task, as many either find themselves too intimidated to venture into its depths.

Effecting a paradigm shift in the way that people view Joburg is what Shift Concepts, a company specialising in the planning, organisation and implementation of premium sporting events and festivals, hopes to do. As means of doing exactly that, the company launched an inner city expedition called the Jump City Challenge, in 2011.

In conversation with City Buzz, Gaby Stevens, operations director for Shift Concepts, painted a vivid picture of what the Jump City Challenge entails. “The Jump City Challenge is a 10km urban race through the cities of Joburg and Durban. Two races, one day and one night race, are held in each city respectively, each year,” she outlined.

“The point of the race is for it to be an exposé of the city and the treasures that lie within.”

The Jump City Challenge brings sports and heritage together in the most exhilarating way possible, according to Stevens. She emphasised the need for people to leave the everyday confines of the office in order to let loose. “We are trying to get people out of the office and onto the streets and into places they don’t often go.”

Museum Africa, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, JDA and Constitutional Hill are among an array of city treasures that Jump City are unravelling with the 10km urban trek that sees up to 1 000 participants or more entering the race.

City Buzz caught up with some of the participants who had their game face on ahead of the race. “I race with my friend a lot in a number of other races and he invited me to come and race with him in this one,” said Aiden Stewart (14) who, before this race, had completed 8km at the most.

His friend, Torin Torrente (13), said that before this event, he’d participated in a similar one, although at night. “I’ve run this race before, in Gold Reef City, that was 10km. So, it’s quite tough but really fun,” he ventured.

Outlining his inspiration for participating in the endurance event, he said, “I do parkour (a form of free running), so it’s fun running around cities and jumping over stuff and that’s what this race is about.”

Read: Spar, Caxton donate running shoes

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