After winning the Avşa Half Marathon, one of my goal races, in my age category, I took a break from my running training for several reasons. I’d like to remind you of the article I wrote about Avşa, where I had a wonderful time: https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/ilk-resmi-sampiyonlugum-avsa-yari-maratonundan
Let me explain why I took a break from my training after gaining such momentum in running. In short:
1) The recurrence of my piriformis (hip) injury
2) The closure of ENKA’s professional running track (tartan track) for renovations
3) The increase in my workload, which was expected to ease during the summer months
4) The very hot months of June and July
After taking such a break, if I were someone who was focused on achieving a high, I wouldn’t have gone to Eskişehir. However, I started feeling better in August, so I reversed course. I told myself: enter this race, test yourself, and if you feel good, you’ll regain your motivation and start training again. And that’s exactly what happened.
On Friday, August 10th, I had an important meeting in Ankara. After that meeting, I headed straight to Eskişehir. I arrived at my hotel in Eskişehir in the evening. Since the run would start at Sazova Science, Culture, and Art Park, I chose a hotel with a fitness center nearby.
It’s a huge park filled with fantastic facilities.
That evening, upon arriving at the hotel, I immediately started a sweat workout. The next morning, I started the day with a 2 km run at a gentle pace, followed by stretching and warming up. After breakfast, I walked to Sazova Science, Culture, and Art Park to pick up my sports kit. After a walk of about 2.5 km, I arrived at the park.
On my way to the park, I came across this striking banner depicting how the city was preparing for the running race.
The park surprised me a bit. It was originally the vacant lot of Osmangazi University’s Faculty of Agriculture and was built as Eskişehir’s largest park. It houses a theater with a capacity of 1,200 people. The narrow-gauge train, which once transported factory workers, offers visitors a nostalgic tour to the park. The 25,000 m² pond is designed for water sports. The Fairytale Castle, Science Experiment Center, Sabancı Space House, Zoo, and Eti Underwater World within the Sazova Science, Culture, and Art Park are among the must-see attractions.
The Sports Festival was located right next to the Fairytale Castle in the 400,000 m² theme park. Three periodic fairytale sessions (Once Upon a Time, Fairytale Within a Fairytale, and Mysterious Journey) are held at the Fairytale Castle, along with workshops, performances, and talks held at different times in the Kids Club and Fairytale Castle Stage.
Fun and development come together
Nasreddin Hodja, Dede Korkut, and Keloğlan are introduced to children, introducing them to fairy tales, jokes, and stories from Turkish culture. This combines entertainment with cultural and social development and awareness-raising.
The Fairytale Castle consists of 26 towers in total, 8 towers and 18 bastions. You can read more at http://www.masalsatosu.com/sayfalar.php?sayfalar_id=1 . I recommend a visit to the Fairytale Castle for anyone visiting Eskişehir with their children.
A sports festival was also being held at the same venue where the kits were distributed. As you can see in the picture above, the festival, set up like a fair next to a building, attracted all the athletes with music and announcements. The main stage of the Sports Festival featured lessons by expert sports instructors and DJ performances throughout the day. The Enerjisa and Koç Group booths there looked familiar. Of course, the TEGV, whom I know from the NGO world, was there too. The only problem was the heat.
Long wait, then a mix-up in the queue
While I was getting my kit, a couple right in front of me couldn’t find their names in the system. After waiting 15 minutes in the heat for this couple’s registration, it was my turn, and then they skipped ahead and asked the names of the people behind me. I was a little annoyed when I reminded them, “I’m next in line. We’ve been waiting for you to complete this procedure for 15 minutes, so don’t be surprised by the queue,” and they quickly completed my registration.
Spor kitini almak için beklenen sıra…
The waiting line to get my sports kit…
I grabbed my bag and explored the stands one by one. After feeling the heat rising, I decided to return to the hotel to finish the rest of my work. After completing my errands, I went to dinner in the evening at Ayten Usta in Odunpazarı, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Eskişehir.
After enjoying some delicious Turkish food, I headed back to the hotel. The evening before, I did some stretching and stretching exercises specifically for my piriformis injury, then went to bed early.
I was ready the next morning. The half-marathoners’ (21 K) race was scheduled to start at 8 a.m., and our 10 K run was scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Used to waking up early, I got ready easily and this time took a taxi to the racetrack (to save effort). After completing my final stretches and running drills at the track, I took a final restroom break and headed to the track.
My decision not to push myself too hard
Everything about the run was good for me. The only thing was the hot weather, and in addition to my piriformis injury, I felt a pull in my hamstring. I think this pull is also caused by the piriformis. Because of this pull, I told myself, “Don’t push too hard.”
I started the race in Avşa first. I couldn’t get to the front here; it was very crowded. I didn’t count exactly, but I was probably in 7th or 8th place. Still, it was good that I managed to get here, barely scraping by from the back. And of course, because I’d mentally prepared myself not to push myself too hard, I didn’t push the limits to get even further ahead.
After the start, I settled into a pace of around 4:20 (pace is the number of minutes it takes to run 1 km). I checked to see if I could go any faster, but my hamstrings gave up. So, I didn’t add any extra sprints. The run went smoothly for me. I ran between 4:00 and 4:40 paces. At one point, my shoe came loose, so I stopped and tied it. I lost about 30-35 seconds there. Some people accelerated and passed me in the last kilometer, but I sprinted the last 500 meters to catch and pass them. I finished the 10 K in 44 minutes and 26 seconds without pushing myself too hard. My average pace was 4:24.
At the finish, one of the people ahead of me fainted from the heat. They intervened in front of me.
My result pleased my coach.
One of the highlights of this race was the presence of professional runners from all over the country. I’d say I saw at least 50-60 of them. Still, I finished 8th in my age category. When I told my running coach, Serpil Hoca, about this result, her response was, “You ran really well again.” She said that when you take a two-month break, you lose a lot more than your own pace. At my last stop, my PB (Personal Best) was 41 minutes for 10 K. You might remember I did this in Antalya without sleeping. Now, I ran 10 K in 44 minutes.
Selfie I took right after changing at the finish line
Satisfied, I returned to my hotel by taxi. After a quick preparation, we enjoyed a well-deserved Balaban kebab at Birsen Kebap in Batıkent, Eskişehir, before returning to Istanbul. Afterwards, we happily set off for Istanbul.
Notes about Eskişehir
I highly recommend Eskişehir to Turkish citizens who have never been there. For more information on places to visit, I recommend checking out the link: Places to Visit in Eskişehir | Top 100 Places Ranked List | ENUYGUN.
For those interested, let me share some brief information about Eskişehir (Source: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eski%C5%9Fehir):
Eskişehir is a province of Turkey and the twenty-fifth most populous city. It is also the fourth-largest province in the Central Anatolia Region, after Ankara, Konya, and Kayseri. It became a Metropolitan Municipality with a law enacted in 1993. According to 2021 statistics by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), its population is 898,369. The Porsuk River flows through the city, and its hosts Osmangazi University, Eskişehir Technical University, and Anadolu University make it a student city. Sazanova Park, where the race started, was also located near the main campus of Eskişehir Osmangazi University. The Porsuk River also flows nearby.
Porsuk River
It is famous for its Met halva, nougat halva, poppyseed buns, Kalabak juice, çibörek, and meerschaum. Balaban kebab also plays a significant role in Eskişehir cuisine. Workable meerschaum is known as Eskişehir stone because it is mined only in Eskişehir in Turkey. The Akbaş, a shepherd dog bred in the Eskişehir and Sivrihisar regions of Turkey, is also a significant asset to the city. It is a city with a developed culture and arts scene thanks to its artistic institutions and facilities. Anadolu University and the metropolitan municipality host two symphony orchestras. The annual International Eskişehir Festival also hosts exhibitions and performances in music, theater, art, and cinema.
Eskişehir has survived under various civilizations until today. Some of the civilizations established here include the Phrygian, Byzantine, Anatolian Seljuk, and Ottoman Empires.
Eskişehir also hosts the Combat Air Force, Air Missile Defense Command, 1st Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command, and 1st Main Jet Base Command, all affiliated with the Turkish Armed Forces Air Force Command. It also hosts Hasan Polatkan Airport, a military and civilian airport.
Eskişehir was named the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Capital in 2013.
Tag: memorial
