Race Report: Merrel Ultra 15k: Back to Running After Dagestan
September 5, 2026 – Kemerburgaz City Forest, Istanbul
Getting back into my normal rhythm after returning from Dagestan was not as easy as I expected. I had not completely stopped running during the two-weeks of MMA camp, but what I did there was far from structured running training. There were steep climbs on Tarki-Tau, wrestling, sparring, double training sessions, and a constant physical load. By the time I returned to Istanbul, I realized that I had gone almost a month without proper running-specific training. So the 15K course at the Merrell Istanbul Ultra on September 5th was not really a performance race for me. It was more of a return-to-running race. And I think it was exactly what I needed.
I did not start the race with an aggressive target. There was no specific pace strategy and no pressure to finish under a certain time. Considering the kind of training I had been doing over the previous weeks, my main goal was simply to complete the course, get back into trail running, and see how my body would respond. The weather did not make things easier either. According to my Garmin, the average temperature during the race was around 30°C, with a maximum of 35°C. The shaded sections of Kemerburgaz City Forest helped a little, but once the effort level increased, the heat became very noticeable. I was wearing a Russia jersey! After recently returning from Dagestan, it felt like a small reminder of the trip.
A few Russian runners passed me on the course, noticed the jersey, and greeted me. There were a few short exchanges in Russian, some smiles, and a nice sense of connection. It was one of those small details that made the race more enjoyable.
My body responded surprisingly well in the early stages. Despite not having run consistently for a while, I did not feel bad from a cardiovascular point of view. I am sure the high-intensity training in Dagestan helped preserve a lot of that fitness. But trail running is not only about cardiovascular fitness. There are climbs, descents, uneven terrain, and a constant muscular demand on the legs. Eventually, that catches up with you. Garmin recorded the race as 15.68 km, with a total elevation gain of 316 meters. On paper, 316 meters may not sound extreme. On the course, it felt different.
For the first 10 kilometers, I still had the feeling that I was properly running. After that, the race slowly turned into a survival exercise. My legs became very heavy. The lack of running-specific training over the previous month started to show clearly. My legs were giving up before my breathing did. The Garmin data also reflects how demanding the race became:
Distance: 15.68 km, Total time: 2:01:29, Average pace: 7:45/km, Average heart rate: 176 bpm, Active calories: 1,519 kcal, Estimated sweat loss: 2,024 ml, An average heart rate of 176 bpm and an aerobic Training Effect of 5.0 make one thing very clear: This was definitely not an easy comeback run. Garmin classified the primary benefit as VO₂ Max / High Aerobic. So yes, I may have chosen a fairly aggressive way to return to running.
The final part of the course included some very steep climbs. Normally, I would at least try to run them. This time, I started walking. Then, at certain points, even walking became difficult. My legs had reached that familiar trail-running state where the muscles are still working, but everything feels delayed. Running efficiency disappears, and the only objective becomes moving forward. At one point, I found a long piece of wood on the ground. I picked it up. And started using it like a trekking pole. It was probably not going to make it into any professional trail-running equipment catalogue, but at that moment it felt like the best trekking pole in the world. It genuinely helped me on the steep climbs. Sometimes the solution in trail running is not very technical. There is a hill in front of you. Your legs are finished. There is a stick on the ground. You pick it up.
And you keep going.
When I crossed the finish line, my first thought was not about my time. It was more like: I needed this.
Dagestan had been a completely different physical and mental experience. When I returned, everyday life, work, and the pace of Istanbul immediately started again. This race somehow pulled me back into my own sporting routine. For two hours, the only things that mattered were the trail in front of me, the next climb, and finding a way to move a few more meters forward. Everything else disappeared into the background.
I was exhausted at the finish. My legs were completely done. But mentally, I felt better than I had before the race started. Maybe that was the most valuable part of the whole experience.
I was not alone this time. Ahmet and Ergün also took part in the Merrell Istanbul Ultra, running the 5K race. They both really enjoyed the event and the course. That is one of the things I like about trail-running events. People can race different distances, have completely different experiences, but still share the same atmosphere, the same start-line energy, and the same finish area. Seeing them enjoy it as well made the day even better.
My total race time was 2:01:29, but according to Garmin's run/walk detection: I ran for 1:31:40.I walked for 28:53. That alone tells the story of the race quite well. The first part was mostly running, while the amount of walking increased significantly in the final section as the climbs became steeper and fatigue accumulated. My average cadence was 141 spm, with an average stride length of 0.91 m. Those figures were also influenced by the amount of walking and the nature of the terrain. So there is not much point in looking at the 7:45/km average pace as if this had been a flat road race.
In trail running, pace is only one part of the story. Elevation, terrain, heat, and your physical condition on that particular day matter much more.
Fatigue in Dagestan felt different. There, it came through short and intense bursts: sparring rounds, wrestling, explosive drills, and double training sessions. Here, it was more about slowly being worn down over two hours. One type of training shocks the body repeatedly. The other gradually empties the tank. And the Merrell Istanbul Ultra showed me one thing very clearly: My general fitness is still there, but my running-specific endurance needs to be rebuilt.
Those are not the same thing. My cardiovascular capacity is still present. But after 10 kilometers, I could feel that my legs had lost some of their ability to absorb repeated impact, continue producing force, and maintain efficient movement. The solution is straightforward. Start running consistently again.
I do not see this race as a major goal race. I was not even properly prepared for it. But sometimes a race matters for reasons that have nothing to do with time or ranking. For me, the Merrell Istanbul Ultra 15K was one of those races. I came back from Dagestan.
I had barely done any proper running for almost a month. I ran 15 kilometers on the trails.
My legs fell apart after 10K. I walked the final climbs. I found a piece of wood and used it as a trekking pole. And I finished. Strangely, I felt better after all of it. As if running had come back. Maybe this is exactly where the next chapter starts.
The legs were gone. A piece of wood became a trekking pole. But running came back.
