After it was known that there is no race in Israel to allow reaching Spartathlon criteria, Gilad Krauz made the decision to initiate a dedicated event aimed at securing qualification for the Spartathlon in Greece. The name “Spartanion” was born — a blend of “Spartathlon” and “criterion.”

After selecting a course and assembling a core team, the first Spartanion Tel Aviv took place in January 2020 and was an overwhelming success.

Gilad Krauz, the first Israeli to complete the Spartathlon in Greece back in 2012 (and who has since finished it four more times), succeeded in building a community of Spartanioners — finishers of the Spartanion from all over the world — many of whom went on to fulfill their dream of reaching the Spartathlon in Greece.

Many Spartanion runners return year after year to take on the challenge once again, and those who are not racing often volunteer to support their fellow runners along the course.

Since 2012, after returning from his first Spartathlon, Gilad has actively promoted the world of ultra road running in Israel and founded the Israeli Spartathlon Delegation, which he continues to guide and support every year.