Three weeks to go. On November 1, I'll be standing at the starting line of the Istanbul Marathon's 15.5K race. And although I've been racing for years, there's still something about having a date circled on the calendar that changes the way I approach training. Suddenly, every session has a purpose. Every kilometer feels like it's leading somewhere. Today, I've just finished my long run, and it feels like a good moment to look back at the past few weeks. Not because everythin

After nearly a month without proper running training and two intense weeks at an MMA camp in Dagestan, I returned to the trails at the Merrell Istanbul Ultra 15K. The race started well, but after 10K my legs began to fade, and the steep final climbs turned it into a real battle. Exhausting, painful, but exactly the reset I needed to start running again.

New 15K personal record at Istanbul Marathon! Faced challenges, pushed limits. Next: Spartan Trifecta in Tenerife for Beast, Super & Sprint