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Nearly 5,000 athletes, including 40 foreign runners from 18 countries, took part in the 13th Eker I Run in Bursa, where races stretching from the summit of Uludag brought together marathon runners, children and para-athletes under the theme "Kosmak Gerek," meaning "We Need to Run."
The event got underway at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, at the summit of Uludag and continued throughout the day, with the program featuring a 42-kilometer marathon, 15K and 5K races, as well as the "Minik Adimlar," or "Little Steps," race for children aged 6-12 and competitions for athletes with disabilities.
Emine Demir won the women's 42K marathon, while Oguzhan Emre Singer finished first in the men's category. In the 15K, Derya Kose took the women's title and Ercan Geles won the men's race.
The winners of the 42K and 15K categories also secured the right to take part in the 2027 Valio Helsinki City Run.
Demir, who said she has been running for 15 years, was competing in the Eker I Run for the first time.
She described the course as particularly enjoyable despite the physical challenge of moving from colder conditions at the start into warmer weather near the finish.
"The course is really beautiful. Starting in the cold and finishing in the heat, and then getting cramps in the final 2 kilometers, I am happy that I managed to finish well," she said.
Singer, meanwhile, competed in the event for the fifth time and said the downhill sections had proved demanding during the marathon.
He said the event stood out from conventional races because it brought in children and young people while also offering activities beyond the competition itself.
"Rather than a typical race organization, it has the atmosphere of a festival," Singer said.
This year's guest of honor was 83-year-old Cicek Solon Sensoy, who said she has been involved in sports for 66 years.
Sensoy took part in the 5K and highlighted the wide age range among participants, stretching from very young children to runners in their 80s.
"It became something like 3 to 83," she said, adding that she enjoyed the uphill section and barely noticed the race coming to an end.
Sensoy said she is now preparing for Türkiye's 2027 championships and the European Championships scheduled to be held in Finland in 2028.
In the main marathon, Demir won the women's race in 3:29:33, while Singer topped the men's field in 2:39:27. Deniz Cicek and Haci Sebahattin Cavga won the women's and men's 5K races, respectively.
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