There was no countdown clock or celebration stage, just early morning light and runners turning familiar streets into a shared hello for the year ahead.
Johannesburg, South Africa (02 January 2026) – Just after sunrise, while most of Johannesburg was still easing into the first days of a new year, a different kind of greeting was taking shape in Parkhurst. Runners moved through quiet streets carefully drawing a message across the neighbourhood… mapped out, step by step.
Around this time each year, groups of runners lace up and turn familiar streets into living artwork. Their routes weave together to form words that only fully reveal themselves once the run is done, captured on Strava for others to see.
This year’s message read “Happy 2026”, with variations appearing across different days as more people joined in.
Francis Rogan got in touch with Good Things Guy to share the story behind the movement. While he did not plan the original route, he has been part of the tradition for several years and felt it perfectly captured something good about how people show up for one another.
“When we did the run on New Year’s Eve morning, driving into Parkhurst and seeing all the people up and down the streets, I felt part of something bigger,” Francis says.
“It was fun. There was a vibe. It really was exciting.”
What stands out is how naturally it all unfolds. There are no sign-up sheets or formal invitations. Runners simply arrive, join a group and add their steps to the bigger picture. Some run fast, others take it slow. Some come with clubs, others on their own. All of them contribute to the same message.
“I think it has struck a chord because it is novel, but also because it is about being part of a community,” Francis explains. “No matter what your struggles were in the year, you are here, looking forward to the next one.”
For Francis, watching the route come together becomes a moment of reflection. Each turn and line on the map mirrors something deeper about the year that has passed and the one beginning.
“As I reflected on the map, each of us had our own wins, our own ups and downs, our own times when it was a struggle,” he says. “Our group ran as our group. We waited for each other. Some were fast and some were slow. Others passed us in their groups. But we were all runners. We each have our own journey, but we are part of a group which is supportive.”
The ripple effect goes beyond those who ran. Neighbours wave from the pavements. Strangers ask what is happening. Routes are shared across WhatsApp groups, and runners who have never met before recognise one another afterwards, bonded by the same early-morning purpose.
“Gautengers get involved,” Francis says. “I’ve had this route shared on many WhatsApp groups. It was awesome being there on the 30th of December when we did our ‘Bye 2025’ and bumping into fellow runners who had done ‘Happy 2026’. We all knew we were there for the same thing. And it is awesome knowing that and then sitting and having a coffee.”
Even for those who only see the finished Strava art online, the message seems to land.
“People have seen it and thought it was fun,” Francis adds. “I think they would want to be part of something bigger too. That is partly why it has grown year in, year out. Each year I see more clubs and more people join. A friend even did it before Christmas because he was going to be away. It is just what you do.”
Once the running stopped and the streets emptied, Parkhurst slipped back into its usual rhythm. But for those who took part, and those who watched it unfold, the start of 2026 already felt different.
Not louder. Just more connected.
And maybe, a little happier.
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