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
Thanks again to the entire team for a fantastic and memorable event
Daniel Schuurman
Safari-on-the-Run™: Mapungubwe 2017
"A life changing event everyone should include in their bucket list!! Thank you Owen, Tamaryn & team for an unbelievable 3 days of running. Can’t wait to be back"
Marelize Retief
Wildcoast Wildrun 2019
"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
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
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
"I really just wanted to send both of you a huge Thank You to you and your team. Last week was truly a remarkable experience that I am battling to describe to anyone who asks – closest word is EPIC and that doesn’t do it enough justice. It is 5 days that shifts every person that attends. Your professional team, service and approach to every detail certainly made it that very special. So big up to you both – big thanks to your whole team and look forward to seeing you at many future events."
Kevin Klaff
The Namibia Crossing 2022
"Thank you so much for another life-changing event. It's is truly a privilege to get to explore such a remarkable area, whilst making memories with my dad that will last both our lifetimes. If it weren't for your time and dedication to bringing incredible adventures to everyday people, we would never be able to experience something so unique. Can't wait for the next adventure!"
Janine Mazery
The Namibia Crossing 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
"3 years ago I took on what I thought at that stage was the biggest challenge of my life - the Wildcoast Wildrun - 112km of trail running over 3 days. Little did I know that would ignite my passion for trail running. And 3 years later I completed 3 Wildcoast Wildruns in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and in return was awarded my “Nguni” trophy in celebration of those 336km spent on the most beautiful coastline in South Africa. And the cherry on top - my PB for the race in 2019.
Thank you Owen Middleton, Tamaryn Middleton and the rest of the #wildrunteam for hosting this special event. I wish every runner out there can experience it one day!"
Nicolette Koch
Wildcoast Wildrun 2019
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