Newsletters
The 13th Eker I Run will bring together nearly 5,000 runners, sports enthusiasts and charity participants in Bursa on Oct. 3-4, combining road races with social responsibility projects, sustainability initiatives and festival events.
Organized by Eker Sut Urunleri under the theme "Kosmak Gerek," meaning "We Need to Run," the two-day event will begin on Saturday at Hudavendigar Park before moving on to its main races and activities on Sunday.
The program ranges from a 42-kilometer (26.1-mile) marathon starting in Uludag to shorter 15K and 5K races, as well as events for children, athletes with disabilities and runners taking part alongside their dogs.
The event will kick off on Oct. 3 with a Shake Out Run at Hudavendigar Park, followed by the "Run With Your Dog" event, which will allow participants to take on the course with their pets.
The main races on Oct. 4 will set off from Uludag with the 42K Marathon and finish at Eker Meydan. The program will also include 15K and 5K races, the Minik Adimlar children's run and a race for athletes with disabilities.
The 15K and 5K competitions will also be broadcast live on D-Smart and Eker Sut Urunleri's YouTube channel.
Cicek Solon Sensoy, who has contributed to Türkiye's athletics scene as a national athlete, coach and international athletics referee, will attend this year's event as the guest of honor together with her daughter, Ceylan Sensoy.
Organizers are also rolling out new sustainability measures, particularly for younger participants.
At the finish of the Minik Adimlar race, children will receive refreshments in specially designed 2-kilogram Eker yogurt buckets rather than single-use bags. Each bucket will also include a seed kit, allowing children to later turn the container into a plant pot.
Elsewhere along the race routes and at finish areas, plastic bottles will be collected through a partnership with UCGE and Revego. The bottles will be sent for recycling, while the resulting proceeds will be transferred to a selected nongovernmental organization.
The initiative follows recycling awareness activities carried out during last year's festival.
Charity runs will once again form part of the event through cooperation with Adim Adim, a platform that connects endurance sports with fundraising campaigns.
Participants will be able to raise money on behalf of selected civil society organizations while taking part in the races.
In 2025, the charity runs generated ₺5.4 million (about $110,000) for 19 organizations. Since 2018, funds raised through the Eker I Run charity program reached ₺13.7 million (about $279,000).
Eker Meydan will also host dance shows, DJ performances and sponsor activities throughout Oct. 4, extending the event beyond the race courses.
The organization is being held with the involvement of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Turkish Athletics Federation, the Uludag Area Directorate under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, and the Bursa Culture, Tourism and Promotion Association.
Adim Adim is taking part as the event's social responsibility partner, while international partners include She Races, World Athletics, World's Marathons and Abbott World Marathon Major.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
