Clubbing: Meet the Crew from Tyrone Harriers
Clubbing with Rachel ‘Big Dog’ Beaton.
Who: Tyrone Harriers
Where: Croft & Co, Corner Tyrone Avenue and Ennis Road, Parkview, Johannesburg
When: Early mornings, 365 days a year. 5.15am weekdays, 6am weekends
Distances: Various
Leader: Paul Theron
Website: tyroneharriers.co.za | Instagram: @tyroneharriers | Facebook: Tyrone Harriers
The Vibe: There is something in the water (or lack of it!) in Johannesburg. Or maybe it’s the altitude. Or maybe it’s the trauma. But Joburg runners are built differently. Tyrone Harriers is one of the only clubs I’ve ever been to where you don’t feel like you’re being assessed the second you arrive. There’s no weird hierarchy, no subtle judgment, no “who do you know here?” energy. You pull up slightly confused and undercaffeinated (it is 5am after all), and within about 30 seconds, someone is talking to you like you’ve been there for years.
…chirps, jokes, mild roasting, and people very clearly not taking themselves too seriously…
The banter is elite. This is not a quiet, polite, “good morning” kind of club. This is chirps, jokes, mild roasting, and people very clearly not taking themselves too seriously, which, frankly, is refreshing in a sport where everyone suddenly thinks they’re a sports scientist. Every time I ran with them, I left feeling better than when I arrived. Even after 25 kilometres. Which is saying something. On a very serious note. Just go, you won’t regret it.
Philosophy: “Run every day, make new friends.”
From The Pack Leader: “Everyone wants to feel like a valued member of something larger than themselves”. – Paul Theron
Runs: If your excuse is that you can’t find a run that works for you, I regret to inform you that you are lying. Tyrone Harriers has a run every single day. Tuesdays and Thursdays are 10km runs with five different pace groups, ranging from 8 minutes per kilometre to sub-5-minute pace, so there is genuinely something for everyone.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays offer two options: a more relaxed suburban 10km or a “spicy” 15km run into central Joburg — and when they say spicy, they mean it. Saturdays are a classic 10km through Emmarentia, a Joburg institution, and Sundays are long run days, with options of 14km or 21.1km depending on how much you feel like suffering.
In The Clubhouse: Croft & Co might actually be the best coffee shop in the universe, or at least that’s what Theron says. Opening at 4:45am on weekdays and 5:30am on weekends, it has become the unofficial home base of Tyrone Harriers. Post-run coffees, chats, and debriefs of how that “easy run” was somehow not easy at all – it all happens here. This is where the real bonding happens, and where you inevitably stand around in sweaty clothes for far longer than necessary.
Members: The club has 1628 active members on its mailing list, with turnout ranging from around 30 runners on quieter days to over 150 on busy summer mornings. Which means you can either blend in quietly or fully commit to becoming a regular. It’s entirely your choice.
