Highlander Adventure Got a Spartan Size Boost

Jurica Barac was working his dream job as a sports activities advertising supervisor for Crimson Bull after having been signed to the model as a BMX athlete.

Whereas working at Crimson Bull, Barac had firms of his personal that he managed, and he was starting the method of pursuing his MBA. The fruits of managing giant occasions every week, his research and life generally actually pushed him to burnout. How might doing what you really liked and grow to be accustomed to make you feel so exhausted?

In 2017, a good friend of Barac approached him with the thought of Highlander, and life hasn’t been the identical since. Highlander is billed because the world’s first and largest international long-distance hiking event sequence. Since its begin in Croatia, it’s grown to over 100 occasions all year long in 20-plus nations. What makes the sequence nice is the simplicity. There isn’t any racing, simply you, the requirements and nature on excursions of 60 miles over 5 days or 30 miles over three days.

Barac spoke with Muscle and Health on the sequence origin and progress since its inception. The CEO of Highlander additionally mentioned how the fantastic thing about the sequence is in its simplicity, the affect it has had on him and others, and simply how shortly they proceed to broaden.

Highlander Begin

A good friend of mine, who was doing occasions with me as a freelancer. He got here up with the thought for Highlander and I supported him from Day 1. We needed to prepare one thing that was simple and like an outdoor competition, however one thing the place you needed some endurance, like 100 kilometers or 60 miles in 5 days. He was main the challenge at the moment with none advertising.

We began Highlander in Croatia in 2017. With none advertising, 70 individuals confirmed as much as the occasion. We put a $250 registration price up for a non-existing occasion. Out of these 70, 10-15 have been precise hikers. 5 days and 5 nights and it was raining. Individuals have been moist, offended, hungry and it was tough. It was solely 60 miles on the time. About 30 p.c of the individuals couldn’t proceed however the remaining completed, and so they have been blissful, crying, and having beers on the end line. We beloved it and we stated we might do it the subsequent 12 months. That subsequent 12 months, 150 individuals confirmed up.

Rising Highlander

I left Crimson Bull in 2016 to develop my firm. From there, we needed to go larger, see how we might develop the routes, give the individuals some merchandise. What I beloved about Highlander was there was no TV broadcast, no sponsors, no highway closures, no VIP visitors or none of that further stuff to fret about. And folks find it irresistible. They take pleasure in nature, the friendships they make. They create their canine and youngsters. As soon as I noticed the potential, I ended most of my tasks and went full Highlander. We began with the licensing, calling our associates in Europe to start licensing there. Everybody was pleased with the idea, and we bought 4 markets for 2020. We have been very motivated as a result of we have been creating a worldwide model.

From Attempting To Triumph

Then COVID hit. With the entire time and sources we invested, it appeared that every part was going to fail. About 80 p.c of our enterprise was misplaced throughout COVID, and it was an enormous wrestle. Daily, somebody is looking you, telling you the deal is off and let’s wait till subsequent 12 months. What occurred is the mountains by no means closed and it was really helpful to go exterior in nature. In some way, we managed to get 10 new markets that 12 months. Although everybody was in a troublesome scenario, we began getting very constructive suggestions from the organizers.

Later in that 12 months, my good friend was in New York, consuming breakfast. He noticed a man with a kettlebell round his neck. He requested the man about it, and it was the owner of Spartan, Joe [De Sena]. He informed my good friend about Spartan and my good friend informed him about Highlander. After listening to it, Joe needed to fulfill us. We had a name, and he was tremendous blissful about our idea, and it was a giant milestone for us after they needed to put money into our firm. They needed to make Highlander a worldwide sequence.

Initially of 2020, it seemed like we wouldn’t be round lengthy and in six months, our fortunes had turned. We stored doing what we have been and in 2021, we hit 10 extra markets — most of Europe, most of Center East after which we made plans for the US. Lastly, we launched the primary U.S. occasion in January of this 12 months in Large Bear Lake, CA.

Take Primitive Residing

We needed to make it actually primitive, so solely the core values. You will have hearth, water, air, and bonding. There are not any telephones, no fancy eating places, fits, or automobiles. Everybody appears to be like the identical and you’ve got the speak. If you’re round individuals for that period, you’ll start to speak about life, and you’ve got a lot time that you simply’ll begin to speak about every part. There’s a brilliant robust connection between the individuals and also you’ll see individuals on the end line hugging one another and crying. We see that many individuals repeat the identical Highlander occasion.

This isn’t the case with Ironman since you don’t return to the identical race — you wish to end one other one. You’re there, targeted on your self and also you don’t communicate to too many individuals. Right here, it’s the alternative. We needed to make it a bunch expertise. Individuals will take their canine. They are going to put a small bag on the canine that has his meals. That is how we needed to make it. It’s why we name it an journey and never an occasion. It’s all an journey.

The Totally different Phases of The Highlander Expertise

We now have about 15 p.c of hikers who come and are one hundred pc prepared as a result of they’re climbing each weekend. A majority of the group is the conventional one that works each day and could be in nature as soon as each different weekend. These are the individuals which are very curios and don’t know what to anticipate. We name it an journey as a result of there’s no GPS monitoring, it’s 100 kilometers and it’s not small. Individuals come prepared and the primary day may be very arduous. We at all times put the longest distance first and you’ll see the exhaustion on individuals.

The second day, you’re waking up in nature and also you notice you’re below the celebs. There’s none of that feeling that it’s important to do that or that and also you’re there on the mountain. You most likely don’t have a sign in your telephone, and also you begin enjoyable. You even benefit from the ache in your muscle groups, and also you’ll begin this regeneration course of. Individuals ask why we don’t do one-day adventures and it’s as a result of after the second or third day, the discharge of the stress and this regeneration course of begins. You’re sort of reborn. After the third day, you aren’t pondering of the ache since you’re tremendous relaxed and also you notice how robust the affect of nature is on the physique. They sleep like a child, get up early and you’re feeling the distinction in your physique and thoughts.

That is the key sauce of Highlander – you’re struggling however you get happier. It’s arduous to explain it. What was impactful for me is once you’re in your metropolis, you might need a plastic bottle and you understand if you happen to throw it away, somebody goes to return decide it up and there’s no guilt. If you’re within the mountain, you may wish to toss something away, however you’ll really feel responsible as a result of there isn’t a one to choose that up. This sense about defending nature is so necessary. These adventures additionally assist your confidence since you really feel you’ll be able to tackle something after finishing one.

What’s Subsequent For Highlander?

If you get onto the mountain, you modify your body of reference. You notice you don’t want 10 pairs of sneakers, three automobiles, or 10 hats. You simply want one good mattress and a heat bathe. You reset your thoughts and my aim in addition to the corporate’s aim is we undoubtedly wish to attain as many individuals as we will simply to present them the Highlander expertise to attempt to inspire them to do one thing about their well being, defending nature and sharing constructive vitality. I’m certain within the subsequent few years, we’ll be on all continents, 35 to 40 nations, over 100-plus occasions all year long as a result of it’s spreading so quick and we’re receiving such constructive suggestions from individuals, media, and sponsors. It’s quite simple; lets inspire individuals to return to nature, educate them the right way to behave in nature and do one thing about your psychological, bodily, and emotional well being. We wish to attain everybody with this Highlander momentum