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
As with all Wildrunner’s events, the organisation is slick and everything happens like clockwork – and achieving that in remote regions is often harder than running the routes themselves! Huge thumbs up to Owen, Tam and the rest of the Wildrunner team for this great Lesotho gem of an event.
Linda Doke
Lesotho Wildrun® 2013
'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
The event is in a superbly stunning unique environment.. complemented by an abundance of expert education by those who know the land, its history and its ecosystems so well. As Stephen (Granger) put so well .. the visual, physical and educational elements instill the understanding of how privileged we are to experience those areas. The people!!! You can't help but build close relationships with the people who share your passions for the envirnment, running, hiking and the overall experience of multiday events. Owen and Tamaryn and their team of hardworking crew have EVERYTHING covered, our safety, comfort, delicious hot meals, entertainment and overall experience were meticulously planned and catered for, nothing was too much trouble. Absolute value for money, compared to similar styled international events, Wildrun® excel at delivering a first class experience at a very reasonable cost.
Jaci Richards
The Namibia Crossing 2016
I have now settled back into the routine of what is everyday life after having spent a life changing 3 days on the Wild Coast, running what I believe is the most amazing run in the word! Sitting behind my desk I often find my mind wandering back to the wonderful event that you have organized. I just wanted to again thank you for a brilliant “journey” that you and the team have organized for us privileged few. Please thank the team for all their efforts and for hosting the best run in the world!!!! Your organization was phenomenal and that added to a very special experience.
Iaan van Heerden
Wildcoast Wildrun 2012
It's hard to really pinpoint what the very best thing about the Richtersveld Wildrun™ was for me. One would think the amazing, breathtaking rough beauty of the area would win hands-down… but on second thoughts, I think the warmth of the hosts and the people of the area, and the camaraderie of the fellow runners might just have snuck in and taken first place in my heart."
Melanie Nijland
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2014
The most amazing 3 days of running! Day dream about it often – wish I could go back every 3 months!
Claire Hammon
Wildcoast Wildrun 2011
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
"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
Many thanks for a truly awesome experience. It has been one of the most outstanding adventures of my life. Right up there with travels in Tibet, climbing in Karakoram, South America and Spitskop. I thought the run was very hard and unremitting, yet possible for the person with adventure in their soul.
John Brimble
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2014
Rwanda is truly remarkable. From the cleanliness, litter free streets to the warm and friendly people - you are left with a sense that the country works as one. Then you have the diversity of landscapes. When you first see the Volcanoes rising out of mist, clad in towering montane forests, it will take your breath away. Set foot in those forests, the smells, the sounds. Then Lake Kivu, edged by intricate bays and towering hills clad in rural fields and hard working Rwandans. Then Nyungwe Forest and the chance to run the largest, best preserved montane tropical forests in Africa, and not only that but the ridgeline that seperates the Congo and Nile river basins. It's experiences like this that gives reason to run!
Owen Middleton
Rwanda Wildrun® recce 2018