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
"Your organisation of the event was out of the top-drawer and the Richtersveld will surely become a race of choice among international adventure seekers, and some international elites. Your formula is a great one and the personal and family touches rounded off the perfect way to spend five days."
Stephen Granger
The Namibia Crossing 2016
"The Wildrun has been the highlight of 14 years of running and frankly it has been a life changer for me too!"
Tamara McMillan
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2014
I laughed enough to last me a lifetime, and met some wonderful fellow runners. Seeing so much of the ‘Wild Coast’ on foot is a privilege made all the more special by Wildrunner’s organisation, passion and desire to contribute to the welfare of local communities... I am left with memories of the crystal clear ocean, dolphins, perfect beaches, barnstorming river crossings, the infectious enthusiasm of the Wildrunner crew and wild, joyous running under a big sky with delighted fellow runners. Cold beers, great food and an awesome party at the end of it all. Thank you!
Mark Mattson
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2016 Departure 2
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
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
Thank you so much for once again organising an amazing event. We loved (and hated) every second of every day. You guys rock! Please thank the rest of your crew as well – I don’t think I have ever seen such a helpful bunch of people together. If you guys ever need any help at this event, please let us know.
Surita and Pieter Botha
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2012
Just a quick thanks for an amazing experience and awesome race. Exceptionally well organised and a privilege to be a part of. Well done!
Andrew Foster
Wildcoast Wildrun 2012
"Many thanks to you and the team for a truly wonderful experience. My soul could not get enough of the horizon to horizon beauty of the Wild Coast... at the necessary cost of a hammering to my feet!"
Mark Stone
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2014
Still can hardly believe that we were lucky enough to experience such a unique adventure . It really was special the attention to detail, the food , the animals and the amazing staff .
Frances Orzechowski
Safari-on-the-Run™: Mapungubwe 2017
It was a great event and I especially want to thank you guys for focussing on the event and not the racing. For me it was about the journey, the beautiful scenery and the meeting of likeminded people. It was great that the organisers also focused on that, rather than who came first! It made is so much more enjoyable! Thank you for the great organisation, it ran really smooth! It was really a pleasure to participate and Wildrunner did an excellent job. Thanks.
Liza Burmeister
Wildcoast Wildrun 2012