Race Schedule
The İznik Marathon starts with an online technical meeting to be held on May 19th, the day before the start official racing events. After the distribution of runners’ kits and the opening of the marathon fair on the first day (May 20th), a traditional pasta party will be held at 16.00. By participating in the event, you can meet the people you will compete with and have a pleasant time to increase your motivation before the run.
İznik Ultra 160K, the first race of the program and the only race of the day, starts at 18:00 in the centre of İznik and ends at the same point. The race has the longest course and there are technical trails in places. The total ascent consists of 4930 meters. On the second day, after the meeting at sunrise, the 90K-55K-35K-25K track races will start after kit distribution.
There is also a Kid’s Run as part of the race. The symbolic race, which is open to the participation of all in the 4-12 age group, gives children the opportunity to develop their love for sports and to socialize. The events will conclude with an awards ceremony at 13.00.
Trail Profile
The İznik Ultra Marathon courses follow hilly routes well suited to trail running. All races include this feature, with the sole exclusion of the İznik UNESCO Historic City Run. Twenty percent of the course is on tarmac or stabilised roads, the remainder is on dirt road or trails. The level of difficulty can also vary. The course includes sustained steep ascents and descents, and parts of it may be uneven, slippery, rocky, or wet. The weather conditions of that day are another factor which will affect the level of the course. In addition to the mandatory supplies that you need to carry, there is a partial dropbag at the designated points.
The race consists of seven different tracks. The longest of the two Ultra running tracks is the İznik Ultra 160K. The course, which is an individual trail race, has a route surrounding İznik Lake, one of the largest lakes in Turkey. The course, where you’ll run amongst natural beauty, is generally run at high speeds.
If you are hesitant about long distances, you should definitely try the Çamdibi 14K and İznik Historical City Run 5K tracks to get used to Iznik in general. On the Çamdibi 14K track, a route intertwined with fruit orchards welcomes the competitors. Imagine discovering this geography in the fertile atmosphere of İznik Plain, which is suddenly laid under your feet, smelling fruits such as peaches, plums, cherries, figs, grapes.
Another short course, İznik 5K, is a route traversing history. In this race in the individual running category, the altitude gain is only 1 meter. The track, where the cut off is 60 minutes, passes through important historical areas, among them the sunken city of Basilica, which fascinates those who view it with its 1500-year history. The support of the local people on the edge of the track and pace of the race are also elements that add colour to the organization.
Charity Run
As of this year, İznik Ultra is participating in the charity races held within the body of Adım Adım. Adım Adım is a non-governmental organization founded in 2008 to popularize the collective aid movement known abroad as ‘charity runs’ in Turkey.
As part of this meaningful movement of volunteers only, you can take a step towards helpfulness. You don’t have to train very hard for this. It’s possible to do this just by running, walking if you want, and chatting and having fun. The goal is to spread benefits by moving.
Adım Adım ile İyilik Peşinde Koş, an organization founded on touching other lives by supporting the social responsibility projects of NGOs that launched campaigns through sports. To date, more than 800,000 donors have contributed by supporting the projects of more than 100 non-governmental organizations. The charity run has no method of collecting donations. This is an opportunity to developing ideas, meet new people, be able to provide benefit, and to achieve a feeling of inner peace by following in the footsteps of goodness. By acting as an ambassador for a subject you want to draw attention to as an individual, a charity race is also a way to benefit yourself as well.
Competition ethics
The İznik Ultra Marathon also raises awareness with its environmentalist approach. It is forbidden to leave behind any waste accumulated during the race, except in designated places or placed in the bins provided at the finish line. Contestants should note that time penalties will be given for every incidence of littering or environmental damage. The organization also aims to minimize waste generation. Participants are asked to bring their own flasks and cups for the consumption all kinds of drinks distributed during the race. In addition, participation certificates are transmitted digitally instead of on paper.
If you also want to be a part of this thrilling race and explore Iznik afterwards, you can book your room in Iznik Hotels.
