Lace up your sneakers for the Istanbul Running Festival
by Miraç Tapan
ISTANBULAug 24, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Miraç Tapan
Aug 24, 2015 12:00 am
It is time to don your running shoes because the most extensive running festival in Turkey will soon kick off in Istanbul. Sports lovers of all ages who want to spend a weekend in nature with good music are invited to the Istanbul Running Festival
Istanbul is getting ready to host the most comprehensive running festival in its history on Sept. 12-13 at Intercity Istanbul Park. Organized for the first time, the event is open to everyone no matter his or her age. The 15-kilometer route of the festival features asphalt and soil tracks, and it will welcome professional sports men and women as well as amateurs who want to spend quality time by doing sports and enjoying nature.
The festival will be organized at Intercity Istanbul Park, the former F1 racing track, which can accommodate more than 5,000 runners along with other activity areas. This park has three different running routes with an extra safari route, where it is free to run whenever you want while they are open. As the motto of the festival, "Run whenever you want, run whichever route you want," suggests, participants can use the running tracks for free anytime they want, as they do not require any registration.
The festival will host two races with awards. The first race will take place at Intercity Istanbul Park racetrack, and the second will be on the trail route known as the "Safari Trail." Running races will be in control of the arbitral committee and the metering will be provided via track sensors and chips on participants' shoes. By purchasing tickets for the race, you can participate in the race and run for awards or you can just watch athletes competing with each other.
The 10K Grand Prix Run will take place at the F1 track on Sept. 12, and the surroundings of the racing track will be open for festival participants who can run along with the racers without being part of the festival.
On the following day, Sept. 13, the second race of the event will be organized on the Safari Trail. Racers who want to run hard will race through a 6K trail in the forest, which is a challenge even for professional runners.
The organizers have thought of every little detail to make participants comfortable. The festival area features facilities for people to take a quick shower and locked safes for bags and other belongings. The Kids' Zone will provide children's activities suitable for their own age groups and aims to encour
age them to grow into adults who do sports regularly.
The Activity Tent erected in the festival area is an events center that will host workshops and panel sessions with professionals throughout the festival. The participants will have a chance to attend workshops and training sessions hourly under the leadership of representatives of running and healthy living companies and brands as well as trainers and dieticians. Apart from theoretical and practical training from Özgür Tetik and his team from the Running Academy, participants will be able to attend a panel session with "Ironman" Ali Rıza Bilal, a former Olympic sportsman. Çiçek Günet, 12-time Turkish snowboard champion and one of the best rally co-pilots in Turkey, 68-year-old Bahattin Boğaz, who ran the Berlin Marathon 12 times, and triathlete İpek Onaran; they will share their experiences with amateur and professional runners. On the other hand, the question "Ho
w to be an athlete" will be answered in the tents of the Turkish Athletic Federation and the Turkish Athletics Foundation.
When it comes to running and healthy living, it is impossible to think of a running festival without a food court. After participants run or compete, they can fill their bellies with healthy food and socialize with other people. DJs from Power FM will warm up the running tracks and festival area with hit music.
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.