The history of Wild Things

Mud, adventure and epic New Zealand trails is the DNA of Wild Things.

Rob Bathgate

Written by Rob Bathgate

Updated September 11, 2023

New Zealand's trail running community

Mud, adventure and epic New Zealand trails is the DNA of Wild Things.

Wild Things was established in 2016 by passionate trail runners Mal and Sally Law. Their aim was to provide ideas, information and inspiration for fellow adventurers wanting to explore New Zealand trails.

Their collaborator from the outset was web guru Rob Bathgate, another wild-at-heart runner, who built the club website and its ever-evolving online features.

Wild Things became New Zealand’s largest trail community and boasts a world-class suite of web resources including a comprehensive trail directory and online store for essential gear.

In 2021 Mal and Sally passed the torch to their fellow wild thing, Rob, who took over ownership and management of Wild Things. Rob is continuing the work of Wild Things to inspire, equip and empower more people to enjoy New Zealand trails.

Wild Things is mostly made possible by the contribution of its subscription members. The community thrives on shared passion, mutual encouragement and the collective awesomeness that you’ll find in a group of people who are just a little bit wild.

We're a community, a go-to shop for essential running gear, a library of knowledge and a whole lot more. We partner with brands we love to get our members tasty discounts on everything from shoes to accommodation. We make it easy for you to explore trails with confidence using our comprehensive maps and directories.

Motivate yourself with challenges. Tap into the collective experience of your fellow wild things.

Run, walk, crawl, it's good to be wild.

Read more about Rob

When Mal and Sally passed the torch

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