Dear colleagues who are devoted to emergency medicine, I will tell you about my running adventure that started in October 2018, on my return from a one-month assignment to the Syrian border.
Like every fresh Emergency Specialist, I had won an assignment and I had to fly to Hatay in two days. We worked in the field on the Idlib border for 15 days and stayed with Erhan at the Antakya Teacher’s House for 15 days. I ate two or three rounds of everything that can be eaten in Hatay. I don’t regret what I ate, of course, I would eat it again. What kind of a kitchen is that! I started taking walks in the neighborhood to confess my sins after gaining good weight. Whatever weight I gained, the walks started to get longer, I started walking from Çiçekçi to Üsküdar ferry pier in front of the Maiden’s Tower and back. I don’t remember exactly when I started running, I don’t remember what triggered it, but I know that my walks accelerated and turned into jogging. When I got tired, I started walking again and this cycle continued. I later learned that this technique is called walk-run. I loved the historical peninsula, Salacak beach, the beauty of the Maiden’s Tower, the calmness of the weekdays, the freedom of brisk walking and running, which seemed as close as if it would touch when I stretched out my hand across my track.
After a few weeks I could run for 30 or 40 minutes without walking. But I didn’t even care that I had achieved this. I realized that I enjoyed running and afterwards so much that I was flying like seagulls on the beach. It was as if this joy I discovered was forcing me to run. All I had to do was get dressed and get out. Later, I learned that this pleasure is called “Runner high.” It is said to cause pain relief and euphoria as a result of excessive secretion of endorphins and/or endocannabinoids in the body while running. I especially feel this during steep trail runs. I think more mediators are released as a result of larger muscle groups working while going uphill. More studies are still needed on this subject!
I was now a beginner runner. In November, I ran the 10km stage of the Eurasia marathon. I ran across the July 15th Martyrs Bridge from Asia to Europe. If I remember correctly, it was my first running race. I could hardly return home after the race. For 20 days I had a hard time walking, I was a bit beat up, but the only question in my mind after the race was this. How do people sleep when they have the chance to participate in such an activity?
The more I ran, the more I enjoyed it. The more I enjoyed it, the more I ran. I can now run for three hours straight. I made new friends, I learned a lot from them, I watched local and foreign videos, I read most of the things I could find. After the age of 30, I acquired a hobby. And without any course or training. It was enough to unleash the urge to run that is in our genes. I now have a sport that starts when I step out of the house and ends when I enter the house. I run under the limitless light and freshness of the sky, just like I flew in my childhood dreams. I feel the rain, the wind, the sun in my whole body. I soak in the rain to my heart’s content. My track is everywhere. Everywhere you can run. I lose my excess weight without cutting down on food and sleep more comfortably.
Over the years, I have run 1 marathon (42km 195mt), 4 half marathons, dozens of road and trail races. I went to hundreds of trainings. I ran secretly on the side streets during the pandemic. Then I had the honor of becoming an intermediate runner and I think I always want to stay intermediate.
The running community is roughly divided into road (asphalt) and trail runners. However, the majority run both. Although I also run both, I prefer trail running, which I like more.
If you love nature, green, forest, rivers, summer, winter, autumn, traveling, eating, drinking, trail running is for you. These runs, also called trail runs, take place in nature, unlike road runs. In Istanbul, Aydos Hill, Polonezköy, Çekmeköy Forest, Belgrade Forest, Validebağ Grove are the most preferred places for trail running. Away from traffic, asphalt and concrete, you go on a journey through the forest with the sounds of birdsong and the sun, rain, snow or wind, whatever is in your favor that day. Each run becomes a different story in your memory. It is especially delicious to witness the 4 seasons of a trail you go to all the time. You can think of trail running as trekking. You run where you can and walk the hills where you can’t. This is the only difference. Over time, you can use a baton and increase your running comfort.
In recent years, Turkey has been organizing great trail runs in beautiful geographies. Cappadocia may be the most important of these. Imagine gliding through the fairy chimneys with runners from nearly 70 countries around the world. The fragrant flowers in Uludag in July, the magical atmosphere of Mount Ida, Lake Iznik, forest bathing in Sapanca, Mount Erciyes, the ruins of Ephesus are just a few organizations I can think of right now. There are many more. Imagine rediscovering these magnificent routes by running them with thousands of nature-friendly athletes. The tracks can vary between 5 km and 160 km. Whatever your training and strength allows! I usually run around 30, 40 km.
Caddebostan beach is a paradise for emergency medicine doctors on weekdays. There’s no one there. It is even more beautiful in winter and fall. It’s a good place to try it alone or with a friend. If you like, try the Belgrade Forest or Aydos Hill on a weekend. Who knows, maybe jogging will become your third field. It can free you from the vicious cycle of home and work. It can take away your tension and make you a calmer person. It can help you fight against harmful habits, if you have any. Not to mention losing weight.
Don’t be afraid to try. Just put on comfortable shoes and run. Walk when you get tired, then run again. Maybe you will like it. If you don’t, don’t stop moving. Try another sport. Sometimes we don’t know what we like or don’t like until we try it.
I hope to be your companion on a trail run one day. Run while you can!
Dr.Davut TEKYOL
Emergency Medicine Specialist