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
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
"What a privilege to be able to participate in the journey event over the past few days. Trail was indescribably beautiful and was a pleasure to run. Thanks to Owen and team for the world class basis in which you have organized this event. I will definitely be back."
Mark van Houten
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2015
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 can't put into words a thank you big enough for the unbelievable few days you gave us last week! The Wildrun has been the highlight of 14 years of running and frankly it has been a life changer for me too! Its all too easy to come home and rave about the event without actually acknowledging the people that made it all a dream come true! So thank you and congrats on such a winning formula!
Tamara MacMillan
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2014
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
Just a note to both congratulate you on an amazing race and to say thanks. The course is unforgettable and can’t be faulted. From a trail runner’s point of view it has everything over the 3 days, and the scenery is totally breathtaking. As always with your races the organisation was faultless and the Lesotho blanket was the best ‘prize’ ever. Thank you for an unforgettable, unimaginable weekend it was a privilege to take part.
Guy Jennings
Lesotho Wildrun 2012
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® 2015
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
"Absolutely loved it and have recommended it to many people already. Although Initially I felt it was quite expensive for a running race, by the time I left, I felt it was worth every cent - saw the logistics involved. Also loved the people I met and the race crew were awesome."
Janel van Schoor
Wildcoast 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