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 & Myles Siebrits
M&M as they are fondly known, go way back in the Wildrun story. Marion took over in the field kitchen in 2016 and quickly showed us what an operator she is! Together with Myles they ran the catering show until Namibia Crossing 2024. While they might have hung up their catering boots, we can't keep them away and hence can now be found out in the field. Most often you will find M&M at the aid stations, cheering everyone in and offering up the snacks.
Wildrun
Testimonials
What people are saying
'Thank you, thank you for the most magical time last week. It really was the best event I’ve ever been to, and by far the one that I’ve enjoyed the most. Initially I was worried that I hadn’t done enough training blah blah, but as we got further into the run I realised more and more that its really more about the people than the running. You guys and all the runners.
So – to you guys and all the unrelenting hard work you and your team put into looking after us – thank you again.'
Andrew Hishin
The Namibia Crossing 2019
"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 dont even know how to tell you in words what a phenomenal experience the Wildrun was for me. I am still in shock and think about it constantly! Your effort and gees is much appreciated and I hope to be seeing you guys a lot in the future.
Rick Kotze
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2014
"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
It’s been about 36 hours since I finished the Lesotho Wildrun and I am ready to go again. Thank you so much for that incredible event. It was an amazing experience which I absolutely loved. Meeting all those incredible people and seeing those beautiful trails, really were awesome. Your team were fantastic. Especially Robbie, he always put a smile on my face when I saw him out on the trails. Thanks again, hope to see you guys soon.
Andrew Lowndes
Lesotho 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
"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
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
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
"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