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
Thank you Owen, Tamaryn and the rest of the amazing Wildrun crew for 3 of the best days of my life! The fact that one day after the event I am already missing the race, company of new friends and the beautiful wild coast, just shows that this was an unforgettable experience! Thank you for an extremely well organised event. Your attention to detail and making everything special to the runners did not go unnoticed! Your crew were amazing and everything and everyone worked together like a well-oiled machine. Thank you for hosting this unforgettable race in one of the most beautiful areas in South Africa (or even the world!). I wish every runner out there could experience this race. Thank you for everything you put into organising this event and for truly caring about each participant. I am actively recruiting runners for next year's event and hope to see you again next year. God bless you and your company!
Nicolette Koch
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2016
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
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
Thank you for welcoming us on this outrageously incredible inaugural event. It was truly a privilege to get to know all of you better, to share the good and the better on the trails and to be part of what will become a legendary event. Owen, Chris, Olivier, Jado & team - wow! Maxine, Jen, Karoline, Filippo & Gavin - you are fierce! Very sad to leave - will be cheering you on from CT! XO
India & Peter Baird
Rwanda Wildrun® 2019
"I looked forward to the Wildrun for months but nothing could’ve prepared me for how awesome it actually was. It was without question the best sporting ‘holiday’ I’ve ever had."
Kevin Welman
WIldcoast 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
The Lesotho Wildrun was everything my fellow Wild Coasters had promised me it was – tough but amazing and I can’t think of a better way to see and experience a country. The organisation was brilliant as always, even down to the weather! And the hero’s welcome our sweep team received at the finish made the 30+ hours on our legs worth every minute. Can’t wait to put the photos on my pin board next to my Wild Coast ones!! And the very special blanket is already keeping me warm in this cold weather.
Ad Cole
Lesotho Wildrun 2012
Thanks for a great event – I loved it. I thought your organisation was outstanding.
Peter Hathorn
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2012
Thank you so very much for enabling us to have the privilege of running in such an amazing wilderness – the Richtersveld. It was hard, beautiful, awesome, challenging and so well worth it! Your teams - organising, logistics, kitchen, showers, water, safety, checkpoints and photography – surpassed themselves. Nothing was too much and always with a smile. The race was truly wonderful!
Liz Brash
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2014
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