Run Wild Races
Next Event:
May 3, 2025
Metro Richmond Zoo, VA
Racing for Poppy the Pygmy Hippo
The 10th Bi-Annual Run Wild Race
May 3, 2025 hosted at the Metro Richmond Zoo. Below are the race options for the upcoming event.
Run Wild:
1Mi
5k
Ninja
Something For Everyone!
Run Wild Races has partnered with the Metro Richmond Zoo to bring fun and animal awareness to those who participate in our events while helping to raise animal conservation funds.
Come run, walk, or ninja your way around the zoo on Saturday, May 3rd! Don’t forget to round up your herd; there is FUN for everyone. Choose from our 3 events: 1 Mile, 5k, and Wild Ninja! Be sure to spot rhinos, zebras, cheetahs and other zoo animals along the race path! After you cross the finish line, each participant can visit the Zoo for FREE! Any spectators that come with you will receive a 10% discount off their zoo admission tickets for race day.
Race day countdown
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Events
Compare Events
Wild Mile
Wild Mile sprint is for all ages, but awards are only given out for children ages 2-11.
The majority of this course goes through the pathways of the zoo and includes a few all-terrain sections (gravel 5%, grass 20%, dirt 5%, pavement 70%). Parents can run with their children, but will also require a ticket. Children 1 and under do not need a ticket. Strollers are permitted but must be able to handle all-terrain.
Wild 5k
This all-terrain 5k starts through the inside of the zoo then spans the perimeter of the Zoo.
The course passes many off-site facilities such as the Cheetah Conservation Center. The all-terrain course consists of mostly dirt, mulch, and grass trails with some gravel and asphalt pathways. The trail has winding turns, some rolling hills, bridges over many creeks, beautiful views, a few steep hills, and sights of exotic wildlife.
Wild Ninja
Wild Ninja is an obstacle course that is not timed, but scored on obstacle completion.
This approx. 2 mile obstacle course is not for the faint of heart. Participants face up to 42 challenging obstacles dispersed throughout the all-terrain trail. Some ninja obstacles are similar to those seen on the hit television series American Ninja Warrior. The obstacles represent real life challenges that animals encounter in the wild for the survival of their species.
Run Wild and support a Wild cause
100% of our net proceeds from this event will benefit:
The Endangered Pygmy Hippo
These little hippos are on the edge of extinction – just 2,000 are left in the wild!
Pygmy hippos are very elusive and solitary animals, which makes information about their distribution and ecology scarce.
Major threats:
Habitat loss and fragmentation and they are hunted for bushmeat.
Some Facts About Pygmy Hippos in the Wild
- Habitat: Pygmy hippos live in dense forests, swamps, and near streams, hiding during the day and coming out at night to eat.
- Social behavior: Pygmy hippos are solitary animals, but they may pair up with a potential mate after a long courtship ritual.
- Diet: Pygmy hippos eat leaves, ferns, herbs, and fallen fruit.
- Speed: Pygmy hippos can run up to 18.5 miles per hour.
- Skin: Pygmy hippos have blackish skin that oozes a pink fluid called blood sweat, which acts as a natural sunscreen and makes them appear shiny or wet.
- Role in the ecosystem: Pygmy hippos help the environment by dispersing seeds and recycling nutrients through their dung.
Are Pygmy Hippos Endangered?
Yes, they are currently listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Our Charity Partner: Fauna and Flora
“Small, shy, and secretive – the timid pygmy hippo prefers to flee rather than fight. But they cannot escape the enormous dangers imposed by humans day after day after day.
Pygmy hippos are officially recognized as endangered, and unless we act now, there is an imminent threat that we could soon lose them forever.”
“Fauna & Flora has been working tirelessly to help save the pygmy hippos’ last remaining strongholds. Teams working in Liberia have been using state-of-the-art eDNA surveys and camera traps to pinpoint where these secretive animals are found.
And – now we have found them – we can save them.
We need your support to train and equip dedicated community wardens, so they can carry out patrols to help protect this special species.
The dense forests of Liberia offer a massive challenge for carrying out this crucial work, putting immense strain on the rangers and their equipment.”
Pygmy Hippos – Metro Richmond Zoo
Fauna and Flora – West Africa
Why Run Wild Races?
Run Wild Races was started in the summer of 2020 by Justin Andelin, the Zoo Ninja.
“Fitness and competition have always been an important part of my upbringing. My competitive nature is what inspired me to apply and get onto the 10th season of American Ninja Warrior.
I had never previously been to a ninja gym to train on ninja obstacles for the required body control and awareness needed for success. Nevertheless, I was going to prove to myself that I could complete the obstacles. That was exactly my intention when I stepped onto the tv set in 2018. Needless to say, I was humbled by the third obstacle! Had I previously trained on ninja obstacles, I would have made it much further.
After being on the show, I realized that like myself, there are a lot of people that just want to try ANW style obstacles. Because there are not any ninja gyms in Richmond, I wanted to bring ANW styled obstacles for my community to try. I also wanted to improve on the slow format (1 person at a time) of ANW. My solution: Wild Ninja. I hope you enjoy it.”
Why the Mini, and 5k?
“Simple. I like sprinting, and finding ways to improve my endurance for ninja warrior. I also wanted people to be able to race through the zoo around the animals!”
