What If Why Not – Nicki Lange’s Film Tour with 25hours Hotels
Photo: © Johannes Rapprich & Erik Schereder
Nicki Lange’s film tour blends extreme endurance, personal philosophy and urban discovery — city by city.
What drives someone to run across the Atacama Desert – one of the most hostile environments on earth – while also building a career in one of the most demanding industries? For Nicki Lange, Founder of Avalon and Ultra Runner, the answer lies in a mindset: What if – why not?
This spring and summer, Nicki is taking his story on the road — quite literally. In partnership with 25hours Hotels, the What If Why Not film tour stops in different European cities, transforming hotel spaces into intimate venues for dialogue, discovery and community. The film documents Nicki’s solo run through the Atacama Desert, but it’s about more than just endurance. It’s about perspective. Purpose. And the mindset behind long-term ambition.
Photo: © Johannes Rapprich & Erik Schereder | Brand: AG1, On Running
Ultra distance as metaphor
At Avalon, we talk a lot about clarity under pressure. About understanding your limits – and then breaking through them with intention. That philosophy is embedded in how we work with founders and investors. It also runs through every kilometer Nicki covers in training and in races.
His days start before sunrise with recovery and movement. Then: a full schedule in investment banking – structuring deals, negotiating terms, managing complex transactions. Evenings and weekends are reserved for running. “It’s not about speed,” says Nicki. “It’s about building resilience. Mentally, above all.”
His Atacama run put that to the test: long stretches of isolation, minimal sleep, extreme weather, and no room for mental drift. “Even thinking costs energy,” he says. “You have to stay present.”
Photo: © Johannes Rapprich & Erik Schereder | Brand: BLACKROLL®, On Running
The mental game
The film offers rare insight into how he navigates these extremes. One of his tools: self-talk – in Spanish. “It’s a way to step outside myself and gain clarity. It’s like having a second mind with me. Someone to reason with when things get tough.” Another crucial element was his support crew: Johannes and Erik, who captured the journey as the dedicated photo and video team, and Agi, a long-time friend and all-round supporter who managed everything from logistics to motivation. Sometimes they ran beside him. Sometimes they waited just up ahead. Always within reach — and always present when it mattered most.
Passion as driver
But the film isn’t about suffering — it’s about why. Why go to such lengths? Why push yourself at all? For Nicki, the answer is simple: “This isn’t something I have to do. It’s something I choose to do. Running is a deep passion. And passion is the most sustainable fuel I know.” That perspective – seeing challenge as a privilege – is something he brings to both life and work.
Whether it’s building a company, selling one, or running 250 kilometers through the desert, the question is never can it be done. The question is: What if?
And then: Why not?
Photo: © Johannes Rapprich & Erik Schereder
About the Tour
In collaboration with 25hours Hotels, the WHAT IF WHY NOT film tour stops in different European cities — each event bringing together local communities of runners, creatives, founders and investors in a shared space of dialogue and discovery.