About | Wildrun

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!

James Rowlands

James is arguably our most experienced operations guy and has been working with Wildrunner for over 10 years now, from our day races to multi-days. From course marking, to 4x4, to hospitality to general operational support, James is always there to help.

Liberty 'Libs' Domingo

Proudly Zimbabwean, Libs is our king of remote camp setups. From perfectly straight rows of tents to fast moving logistics, Libs remains unflappable and committed every step of the way. Extremely resourceful and always willing to lend a hand outside of his responsibilities, the Wildrun operations would not be the same without Libs on the team.

Dave and Glenda Jupp

Tam’s folks - Dave and Glenda have spent a lifetime together, travelling the world and taking it as it comes. Having lived in Texas, Greece, France, England and Belgium, they came back to settle at home in the Cape, where they now try to take as much time off as possible!

Mark Sampson

Our master lensman of many many years now, Mark manages to capture the essence of the Wildrun experience time and time again. When he is not charging around with a camera, Mark is a father to three and dabbles with a bit of fishing here and there...even for carp. Most of the photos you see on this website are Marks.

Chris Chilvers

Chris is the chief of massage, leading his team of deft hands that have kept many a tired body going on the Wildrun. When he and his team are not working magic into tired legs, they get their hands dirty with all manner of event support - from packing trailers to branding. Chris has been working the Wildrun events since 2009 and now it simply isn't a WIldrun without him!

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.

Chris Goodwin

Mr Hospitality. Chris sets the bar in travelling with style and class, running active tours throughout Africa and in far flung parts of the world for big international travel companies via his company Active Africa.

Jacqui Goodwin

Chris’s better half. A lively intellect earned through a doctorate in molecular biology, combined with a passion for all things outdoors, means that Jacqui can engage you in philosophical debate while hardly breaking a sweat on a bike or hike!

Eugene Muller

Eugene Muller, together with his wife Celeste, run their own medical response company in East London called 'Eastern Cape Medical Response'. They have been working Wildrun Africa events since 2009 and bring unparalleled experience to these remote Wilderness running experiences.

JC & Elinza van Niekerk

JC and Elinza have been our specialist field medic team for events in the bush veld and Namibia since 2017. Underneath JC's imposing frame is the most caring, considerate and experienced medical professional. He has trained in firefighting, medical emergency response, disaster management and most recently in health education. Elinza supports JC at the Wildrun events. They are based in Bloemfontein in South Africa's Free State province.

Wildrun
Testimonials

What people are saying

"It was a huge privilege and a dream come true for me to have been able to participate in the 2014 Wildcoast Wildrun. I'm still trying to find appropriate words to be able to place the experience in perspective. I guess that I'll just have to return in 2015 to try and find those words somewhere along the magnificent 112 km coastline. Thank you to you and your fantastic team: you were so in touch with all our needs, fears, dreams and joys."

Hein Venter

Wildcoast Wildrun® 2014

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

Not only was this event in a stunning location, but it was also one of the best organised events I have ever done. Highly recommended.

Rose-Anne Hawkeswood

The Namibia Crossing 2024

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

I just want to congratulate you on organising a superb event. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the whole experience! It was just awesome! Lesotho is so beautiful and the places we stayed were really great. The food, atmosphere, everything…. unforgettable! Hopefully I will be able to get into the Wildcoast Wildrun either this year (if the waiting list diminishes!) or next year and I am seriously considering doing the Lesotho Wildrun again with my boyfriend next year….just need to work on my navigation skills! Good luck with all your events this year and I really hope to see you in the near future for another amazing event.

Debbie Sessions

Lesotho Wildrun 2011

Absolutely Unforgettable – A New Benchmark in Trail Running! This 3-day trail run was, without a doubt, the best I’ve ever experienced. From start to finish, the organisation was flawless—every detail thoughtfully planned to ensure a seamless, safe, and immersive adventure. The routes were simply breathtaking, leading us deep into untouched wilderness with jaw-dropping scenery at every turn. It struck the perfect balance of challenge, adventure, wilderness, and pure trail running joy. The support team was outstanding—professional, encouraging, and always present when needed. A special shout-out to the brilliant event photographer, whose talent for capturing raw emotion and unforgettable moments truly elevated the experience. This event didn’t just raise the bar—it set it. A world-class experience I’ll never forget!

Krissie Clark

Wildcoast Wildrun 2025

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

Just a note to thank you guys for yet another wonderful event and a truly great and memorable experience. The organisation as always was superb. The routes are excellent and just all round fantastic. Also thanks for accommodating Sharon at such a late stage, she really had a wonderful time and will have many a fond memory of the three days. You people work hard and with passion, so you deserve every bit of success you receive.

Roland van der Merwe

Lesotho Wildrun 2012

It is an experience of a life time. So well organised and you meet people from all over the world and you get to see apart of the world that not everyone gets to see and appreciate. You leave there feeling part of a second family.

Diana Tanner

The Namibia Crossing 2016

Just wanted to say thank you very much for such an inspiring unbelievable experience.

Kim Bulltemier

Safari-on-the-Run™: Mapungubwe 2017

The Essence of Wildrun