First Croatian who finished 220km Ultra X Nevada: Being first matters

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It has been less than a year and at Ultra X we are already preparing for the next Ultra X Nevada 2025 race. Today we talk with Dejan Kovač, one of the competitors from the last year´s and inaugural race of 220km Ultra X Nevada. Dejan has just published his first ever book “From Wartime to Harvard”. From Wartime to Harvard follows the life of Dejan Kovač from his years surviving war in Croatia to fulfilling his dream and winning prestigious researcher positions at Princeton University and Harvard University. In this book he describes his experiences during and after the war, which shaped his path from Croatia to the best universities in the United States. Large part of the book is dedicated to sports: from competing in soccer at a professional level to finishing the hardest ultramarathons in the world.

Sam:  Congratulations on your book. What can you tell us about it?

Dejan:  At its heart, “From Wartime to Harvard” is more than a collection of events—it’s a story of values. Freedom, courage, and hope are the pillars that shaped this journey. It’s a book for anyone who’s ever doubted their potential but found the strength to persevere. It took a lot of tears to write this book and even more to live it. From enduring the chaos of war in Croatia to earning research positions at  Princeton and Harvard University, this book chronicles my journey through loss, struggle, and resilience:   ❇️ Surviving war and poverty: From being a refugee to supporting other displaced families.  ❇️Transitioning from sports to science: Balancing a soccer career and academic ambition.  ❇️Political challenges: My presidential campaign and navigating democracy’s challenges in Croatia.

❇️ Conquering ultramarathons where I pushed my physical and mental limits, with 250 km completed in both the Gobi and Atacama deserts and 220 km in the Nevada desert. These experiences were more than races—they symbolized resilience, grit, and the power of endurance in life.

This is a book about reaching success no matter what curveballs life throws at you. It is about having faith in your own abilities when no one else does. It is about having hope when all hope is gone.

Sam: What did it mean for you to the first Croatian to finish Ultra X 220 Nevada race?

Dejan: It meant the world to me. Representing your own country and being the only individual from Croatia was a great feeling. As you know, I came into the race injured. I confirmed my arrival to the race only few weeks before. I had a lagging injury of the shin bone, a serious stress fracture from the last race I did. I mixed running until the pain was too strong and later, I just walked. I knew that the Nevada race is going to be something special, being the first race, and I am glad I decided to participate. When we arrived in Las Vegas, I took a day before to go sightseeing. It was my first time in Las Vegas, so next to participating in the race I got a benefit to explore a city which I would otherwise never visit. Since I arrived directly from a scientific conference, I was missing a lot of equipment and food for the race. One thing I admired with Ultra X organisation, and I have not seen so far is that the mandatory briefing was in a store which had literally every necessity for the race. I think that is an amazing concept. I travelled the world for many ultramarathons and the biggest problem is carrying food, going through customs or even worse having your luggage being lost at the airport. For the next Nevada race, I am traveling light and buying all the goods at the store. Especially because you gave us such generous discounts [Ultra X partner with REI for Ultra X Nevada].

Sam: What does “Being first matters” means to you? Can you explain it a bit more?

Dejan: That is a concept which I explained in the book. I have always wanted to show that just because no one else has done it, it does not mean it cannot be done. It just needs a different approach and probably more effort to achieve. The philosophy of being first is not easy. It is like a pack of wolves in deep snow chasing a deer. The wolf who goes first makes the path for others; he burns all of his energy to get to that deer. By burning his energy, he also burns the deer’s energy. In the end, it is not the first wolf that makes the catch, but the wolves who were running in his footsteps. It is always easier to follow others than to be the first to make the path. Nonetheless, this should not discourage us from being first in anything. Maybe you will not get any credit for your work, but if you inspired several individuals to be a better version of themselves. What better legacy is there?

Sam:  How does Ultra X Nevada in terms of toughness compare to all other races you completed?

Dejan: As you know, every race is different, has its own specifics.  I loved that we had a mix of high-altitude mountain running and desert running. Due to my injury I had to take it easy, and the goal was just to finish the race without ending without a casket on my leg. First two days were very hard, due to the high altitude. As I remember we were in a lovely camp at 2800 m altitude. I was always well-trained athlete, but you could feel the pressure on your breathing. It took me almost 3 days to acclimatise. First stage was super hilly, but at the same time very runnable. I loved the nature and the views while running. It was breathtaking. Not the altitude, the views. 😊Since I was taking it easy, I was not that much tired. The mornings were cold, and the temperature would rise pretty quickly as soon as first light would come out. The last two stages when we moved to the desert part, I had to lose all my clothes and it was super nice to run in short sleeves, especially because Boston was cold during that period. In the end, I managed to finish the race with some help from painkillers. I met a lot of amazing individuals and found new friends. I really hope we will see each other on future races.

Sam: Will we be seeing you on another Ultra X event?

Dejan: Of course. I would highly recommend Nevada race to everyone. I enjoyed it so much. I would love to do Tanzania race. Funny story, the first time I heard about Ultra X was about the Tanzania race and in the end, I ended up running the Nevada race.  Jordan, Rwanda and Morocco are also on my bucket list for the near future. Amazing thing about these races is that besides doing the race itself you have an amazing opportunity to experience new cultures and countries. I am really looking forward to seeing the old gang at the race line.