Outdo.

31/07/2019

"The more we migrate into a technical world, the more sublime nature is to behold." - Zack Klein.

We've spent the past few days away from all technological stimulus in a small cabin on the England/Wales border. Taking a moment to work, as a team, on the bigger picture, to really dig deep into the problem we are trying to solve.

You won't hear from us for a little while as we work on .co for 2020, designing experiences with truly lasting effects for those embarking upon them.

The time in the cabin has reaffirmed to us the power of a small team, working in unison toward a single goal.

@ Kinton, Shropshire

15/07/2019

It's funny how our perspective of something can change so drastically when creating a new vantage point.
c.holtz drone hovering high above the Italian hillside.

09/07/2019

Day one was filled with 12 hours of cycling that included but was not limited to:

Inclines, bike chain breakages, snow covered paths, waterfalls, pines, ski lifts, Germany, Austria, bike accidents, wildlife, double main courses at dinner, Radler, ice, heat, valleys and mountains.

04/07/2019

A moment of calm contemplation as .c.holtz looks out across a breathtaking vista of mountains and Lake Garda.

The feeling encountered upon reaching the destination is quite unique. Joy and satisfaction are accompanied in equal part by the emptiness of not having to ride again tomorrow.

We come to realise it is the journey that should be cherished, not the destination.

01/07/2019

It is not until we reach places of tranquility that we can move closer to awareness of the self.

Our day to day environments simply do not allow us to be truly introspective as we battle against the constant noise and fight for our attention.

The dramatic stillness created by the Alps is magical.

This image encapsulates an Outdo journey like no other.

28/06/2019

When turned to us and asked, "Have I put enough on?" We were in for quite a shock.

In his defence it was 4 hours into the longest climb through the Dolomites in 30 degree heat, but still...

25/06/2019

The team taking five minutes to conversate.

The role of environment on our state of mind cannot be underestimated. There is a noticeable unbounded nature to conversation when it occurs at 2,000ft above sea level.

11/06/2019

The Outdo goodie box.

Each team member arrived into Munich to find this laid out next to their bike.

✔ Protein bars
✔
✔ Water bottles
✔ Outdo t-shirt
✔ Outdo sticker
✔ Journal

Essentials for the trip, we wanted to give everybody the opportunity to reflect and lay down their thoughts each night in a cathartic manner.

may or may not have consumed all of his protein bars by noon on the first day.

06/06/2019

We'd planned to have a rest and recovery day after 404km of cycling but we're far too excited to get back to work.

Spending some time on the business model canvas this afternoon.

Yes, that is a suspension trainer hanging behind the whiteboard.

04/06/2019

We made it.

5 long days, 4 countries and 404km of cycling.

We are incredibly proud of .c.holtz and for battling through physical and mental adversity to reach Lake Garda.

We set off as a group of 6 individuals and arrived in unity.

04/06/2019

As per request by our friend , here is our current location.

We began in Mittenwald, Germany to the north and are currently 70km or 43.5 miles (for British folk), away from Lake Garda.

The cool, refreshing water awaits.

04/06/2019

Day 5 overview.

Today we cycle onward toward the lake. We have a team of 6 fatigued bodies and minds but we battle on.

Today, Marius will be on Instagram stories, hopefully he talks about his feelings rather than the mechanics of his gear shifter.

03/06/2019

Day 4 overview.

The most brutal day of all.

A steep off road climb for the first 3 hours this morning. We are hitting the road at 6:30am to avoid the heat.

Gerard will be on Instagram stories today. Stay tuned, this will be fun.

02/06/2019

107km done today ✅.

This photo was taken after just 18km, hence the beaming grin. The submerged church at the Rechenpass is always majestic.

Time for multiple bowls of pasta.

01/06/2019

Day 2, done. Over the past two days we pushed ourselves beyond limits and I (Paji) dug up parts of me I didn’t know existed. On to day three, but first, an ice cold radler. 📸: .c.holtz

01/06/2019

Day 2 overview.

Yesterday took its toll on the team, we clocked up almost 12 hours on the bikes.

The sun is beaming through the windows as we eat breakfast in the Austrian town of Imst.

Today's ride takes us into Switzerland before the brutal final climb to Nauders.

Paji will take over Instagram stories so stay tuned for candid look into his experience on day 2.

30/05/2019

Day 1 overview.

A brutal start to the journey with an unrelenting, lung busting 25km climb.

A small carrying section over dense woodland offers some respite to the quads but brings its own unique challenges.

The late afternoon coast down to the village of Imst is guarenteed fun.

Keep an eye out for the thoughts of each participant on Instagram stories. Daniel will kick us off tomorrow with his thoughts of the day.

Let's go!

29/05/2019

This is one element of the trips we truly value.

On Monday, we decided ramp up the intensity and get 70k in riding from Hohenlinden where we are staying down to Wasserburg am Inn.

Wasserburg am Inn is a town in Rosenheim district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. The historic centre is a peninsula formed by the meandering Inn River. Many Medieval structures remain intact, giving the city a unique air.

The cycle route itself has a very gradual climb on the way back, and gave us a small taste of the gruelling climbs we shall face next week. It's a picturesque ride with glimpses of the snow capped mountains in the background throughout and lush greenery in the forefront.

We wandered through the town with the aim of finding some good coffee (and later weißbier) and boy, did we find it down at

We chatted away with Tanja over their incredible coffee about life, the value of a homebase and travel. An hour later, an espresso for the road and we were ready for the arduous climb back inspired by Tanja and her enquiring, global outlook. These interactions are one part of what makes the trips so memorable.

And this was only a training ride. We can't wait for Friday.

27/05/2019

Clocking some final training kilometers.

24/05/2019

The man and his tools.

Bike preparation, check.

16/05/2019

An evening cycle in the forest.

15/05/2019

An overwhelming proportion of the human evolution involves natural environments, and we are therefore made to resonate with these surroundings, consciously or not.

As we go on the first Outdo trip 404 km across the Alps from Mittenwald to Lake Garda, we invite you to tune in each day and draw your attention to our Instagram stories, to experience a raw, unfiltered insight into what each member of the team really feels during the mental and physical challenges of an endless-seeming climb followed by moments of bliss and achievement. An inside look into the rehumanisation process.

Each member of the first trip will take over the Outdo Instagram to document their journey on one specific day. Follow the highs and the lows as you see what goes on in the mind of each Outdoer.

Thank you to for this epic drone footage!

11/05/2019

Since my first Trans-Alp I’m in constant pursuit of getting back to the feeling of having a free mind, living up to my entrepreneurial potential and share a deep sense of connection with like-minded people.

Describing myself, especially throughout the last months has been harder than ever. I’m changing at an increasing rate and I’m constantly striving to be more efficient and eliminate all negative and time-consuming habits of which so many of us accumulated over the years.

This Outdo adventure embodies all I was working towards the last months and therefore I cannot wait to get on my bike and share the ups and downs of this adventure with my fellow Outdoers Paji, Felix, Gerard, Marc and Daniel.

Finally being able to count the weeks to the first Outdo adventure on only one hand gives me goosebumps and knowing that there are 4 brand new Outdo bikes in my basement puts a smile on my face.

Alps, we are coming.

06/05/2019

Marc is a British male. This, unfortunately, is where the categorisation of identity ends.

After completing his studies, Marc could not rationalise entering the corporate world. Instead electing to lean in toward chaos and uncertainty to found his first company with lifelong friend, Daniel.

His entrepreneurial endeavours have afforded him the perspective of the multiple hat wearer, the perpetual plate spinner. Concerned by the lack of meaningful work being produced in a world of over-stimulation and his own first hard experiences, Marc was compelled to co-found Outdo.

He has a rather eclectic mix of interests which occupy his thought, ranging from behavioural economics, through to Stoic philosophy. All of which sit atop of the blues guitar soundtrack ticking along in his subconscious.

05/05/2019

03/05/2019

Introducing the Trans-Alp Team.

"I only ever see him with his camera in his hand. He is never at home during the weekends and probably spends more time on the road than all of us combined. Nobody really knows how he fits all of his activities into a 24 hour day."
- My friends

"The fastest snowboarder I've ever met!"
- Shaun White

"I don't have time for your stupid social media bu****it, get out of my office!"
- My boss

"I prefer happiness over fun while taking life only 95% serious. Since I tend to expect a lot from my environment I constantly challenge myself - both mentally and physically, constantly redefining existing and finding new boundaries."
- Felix

02/05/2019

Daniel is an unshakable optimist, serial entrepreneur and CrossFit enthusiast.

Sorry, switch to first person.

That's about all I can identify with at the moment, groups give us a sense of identity and a sense of belonging to the social world. I currently have no social markers in which would give you, the reader, any sense of who I am. This is not meant in a pretentious manner but more a candid self expression of how I am feeling in life at the moment.

I find myself on a ruthless pursuit to be the best human I can be, to compare myself only to the individual I was yesterday and with this comes a dedication and discipline to knowledge and formulation of habits, with a degree of exploration and inquisition.

This is one of my personal reasons for founding Outdo with true friends. I believe these trips with like-minded people can give me true identity, a purpose larger than myself. The narrative of this post may take on a negative, defeatist tone but it come froms a place of ultimate desire to existentially thrive.

I am truly inspired and excited to partake in this first Outdo journey. Thank you, my friends.

28/04/2019

Introducing the Trans-Alp Team.

Gerard Lawson is an MSc educated Project Delivery Consultant who largely supports financial institutions during an array of projects ranging from large data migration programmes to small changes. However, his passions have given birth to another venture - HydraForm Ltd.

HydraForm is a company producing high quality functional sportswear products, focused on supporting athletes through the entire sports lifecycle, from preparation, to performance, to recovery. This is the company’s unique selling point; other brands tend to focus on just one or two stages of the cycle. Gerard Lawson developed the concept based on his experience of competing in American Football and boxing whilst at university. In 2017, Gerard set-up HydraForm as public limited company. He has since patented designs, construction approaches, and acquired a number of trademarks. The initial product release is expected to occur 2019.

'There is an element of isolation within the process of setting up a company. While no one can completely understand how I find my company development journey, it is still comforting to meet and share experiences with people on similar personal journeys.

Receiving lessons learnt from those ahead will provide a warning of obstacles to come and supporting those behind me provides confidence and certainty for decisions I have yet to make. This all accompanied by geographical beauty, physical adventures and the good company of people I have had the pleasure to work with already makes me very excited for the Outdo trip.'