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
"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
"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 decision to do the Wildrun was one of the best I have made in my life! The past four days have been exciting, nerve-wrecking, challenging, hilarious and uplifting…all-in-one. I realised how blessed we are to be healthy, fit and strong; what the true meaning of being a ‘running partner’ and friend is; how fulfilling it is to run in silence along the long stretches of beach (with the sound of the waves in my ears); how good it feels to be tired at the end of a fulfilling day; how wonderfully our bodies get restored after a decent meal and a good night’s rest… Many fond memories were made, which I will still be telling my great-grandchildren when my running days are long past.
Maryke Neizel
Wildcoast Wildrun® 2013
Just wanted to say thank you very much for such an inspiring unbelievable experience.
Kim Bulltemier
Safari-on-the-Run™: Mapungubwe 2017
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
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
"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
Just a quick thanks for an amazing experience and awesome race. Exceptionally well organised and a privilege to be a part of. Well done!
Andrew Foster
Wildcoast Wildrun 2012
"I cannot stop telling people about our life-changing experience at the Richtersveld – and I just wanted to thank you guys for making all of it possible. The organizing of this event was really world-class! Your team’s energy is incredible and inspirational! Please keep in doing what you are doing – you are exposing people to incredible places and experiences! It really changed my life!"
Thea-Mari Franken
Richtersveld Wildrun® 2015
As with all Wildrunner’s events, the organisation is slick and everything happens like clockwork – and achieving that in remote regions is often harder than running the routes themselves! Huge thumbs up to Owen, Tam and the rest of the Wildrunner team for this great Lesotho gem of an event.
Linda Doke
Lesotho Wildrun® 2013