The Essence
of Wildrun
Who we are
The heartbeat of the Wildrun® is exploring & experiencing truly wild places on the run. Be it on the Wild Coast of South Africa, the remote mountains of Lesotho, the geologically & botanically rich Richtersveld desert or the bushveld of Mapungubwe, each Wildrun® is unique and will be sure to leave an indelible impression on your life.
No markers. No massive crowds. Just you, your sense of adventure and a truly wild place. Be prepared to experience a run like no other.
The Story of
Wildrun(ner)
What we're about
Three or more days of wilderness trail running through some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery in Southern Africa. This is the backbone of a Wildrun®.
The Wildrun® is organised by Wildrunner, premier trail running event organisers in South Africa. We focus on pure trail running with a heartbeat born from a lifetime's passion of exploring wild places on the run.
Wildrunner was established in November 2007 and has held over 200 trail running events in seven South African provinces, as well as Internationally in Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
With this comes a wealth of trail and mountain running event management experience that is unmatched in Africa.
The Wildrun
Management Team
Who runs the world
Owen Middleton
Founder & Managing Director
Trail running, sailing, mountaineering, adventure racing, orienteering, surfing, paddling, kloofing, rock climbing, fly fishing, scuba diving & mountain biking are the life-blood of what makes Owen tick.
Tamaryn Middleton
General Manager
The Real Boss. She is the backbone of Wildrunner and will put a smile on your face any time of the day. Her passion is people, with a healthy dose of scuba diving, trail running and general adventure-seeking thrown in!
Marion Siebrits
Chief of the 100 acre wood (and damn good at catering to!)
Marion's ability to cook up a feast in the middle of nowhere is a gift. She is never short on laughter or practical jokes, but when it comes to delivery always the consummate professional, and when you taste her food you will no doubt agree!
Jason Sharrock
Hospitality & logistics
When not organising events Jason can be found smashing the waves on his surfboard or cruising the cattle trails on his Momsen mountain bike. From entertaining guests to making a plan with broken trailers, Jason is the wild asset working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep operations moving ahead smoothly.
Wildrun
Testimonials
What people are saying
"The decision to do the Wildrun was one of the best I have made in my life! The past four days have been exciting, nerve-wrecking, challenging, hilarious and uplifting…all-in-one. I realised how blessed we are to be healthy, fit and strong; what the true meaning of being a ‘running partner’ and friend is; how fulfilling it is to run in silence along the long stretches of beach (with the sound of the waves in my ears); how good it feels to be tired at the end of a fulfilling day; how wonderfully our bodies get restored after a decent meal and a good night’s rest… Many fond memories were made, which I will still be telling my great-grandchildren when my running days are long past."
Maryke Neizel
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2013
I come back a changed person, all the trivialities of every day life have taken on a new meaning, I leave the Richtersveld a richer person for the experience, a richer person for the friends I made and the people I met. Thank you everyone for an epic, life changing and humbling experience.
Tracy Zunckel
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2014
Thank you for welcoming us on this outrageously incredible inaugural event. It was truly a privilege to get to know all of you better, to share the good and the better on the trails and to be part of what will become a legendary event. Owen, Chris, Olivier, Jado & team - wow! Maxine, Jen, Karoline, Filippo & Gavin - you are fierce! Very sad to leave - will be cheering you on from CT! XO
India & Peter Baird
Rwanda Wildrun® 2019
'Now that I’ve had a weekend to relflect I just wanted to thank you, Owen and the whole team (cleaners, tent setter-uppers, donkey-boiler heaters, drivers, checkpoint teams, National Park staff, cooks, rubbish collectors etc etc) - so much work by so many people to allow a privileged few of us to experience a really wild place.
The running went better than I had thought it would and I’m sad it’s over. I went for a long mountain hike at the weekend (amazing how bodies can recover).
Wildrunner is a fantastic outfit.'
John Bernstein
The Namibia Crossing 2019
Another massive thank you for such an incredible week in the Richtersveld. I have little doubt that this must be the top run in the country. If I never run again (which my knees & toes seem to think may be the case), I'll be satisfied that I at least got to tick Richtersveld off my list.
Amy Ebedes
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2014
I just wanted to say thank you to you and your team for an absolutely magnificent event. We thoroughly enjoyed it – the scenery was magnificent, the run and the company was great, and the team’s genuine caring and friendly attitude really made us feel at home, and is quite unique for an event of this magnitude. Having organised events in past, Werner and I are both very aware of how much work and planning (and stress) goes into putting on an event such as this. Everything ran like clockwork and we just all had a ball! We also appreciated the excellent communication from your side, especially the late email on Friday, which you certainly did not have to do. We certainly hope to be back next year!
Lara & Werner Theron
Wildcoast Wildrun 2012
"A heartfelt thank-you for a truly magnificent seven days in the Ai-Ais Richtersveld National Park. What a special experience it was to run through such a uniquely exquisite part of our beautiful Africa, and made all the more so by being in the unbelievably capable hands of the Wildrunner team. Everyone on the event marvelled at how slick your operation is – quite honestly, I don’t know how you do it! I can only imagine the degree and depth of forward- and on-the-ground planning that has to go into not only creating a wilderness baby like the Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun®, but making it happen so smoothly and in such a fun atmosphere that it all looks so simple, so stress-free. That’s definitely an art, and you guys have mastered it! I can say without hesitation that the RTW was the best organised race I’ve ever done. And at risk of sounding corny, I loved every minute."
Linda Doke
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2016
Today is Wednesday, and I am supposed to be working but can’t get the weekend out of my head! It was an experience of a life time and just want to say thanks for a excellent organised Lesotho Wildrun. Every now and then I catch myself day dreaming about the weekend, somewhere between the biggest mountains I have ever seen, completely lost with only my GPS in one hand, a map in the other and my running partners scattered all over the mountain looking for a cattle track which will hopefully lead us towards the finish. This was my first trail run ever and I had certain expectations of the race, but never in my wildest dreams could I have dreamt of it being such a amazing experience, the LWR 2012 was more than just a trail run it was unforgettable experience of a life time.
Boeta Van Tonder
Lesotho Wildrun 2012
I just want to express my appreciation to you and your entire team for a most wonderful adventure in Lesotho. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire event, and was greatly impressed with the level of organization, friendliness and care throughout. I certainly hope to be back next year.
Erik Hallendorff
Lesotho Wildrun 2012
"A must see, a must do... So many breaths taken away not by running, but by stopping, standing and staring. Words simply can't do it justice. The geology, the ecology, the diversity of the running, the incredible organisation, the camps, the people, the wilderness. I'll be heading back without a doubt next year - the only multistage race I've ever said that about. It's just too unique to miss. Come play."
Georgina Ayre
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2015