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DAY 11: Bursa – Gorukle (Turkey)

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I woke up at 5:00 AM, only to find the power out. It was restored around 6:30 AM. The rain is coming down hard. It seems there was a live music performance at the bar next door last night, running from 9:00 PM until around midnight. The volume was quite high, but I was able to enjoy the live music even while I slept. Breakfast at 8:00 AM. The menu is almost the same as yesterday’s. Through news on TV and the internet, I learned about the flooding that hit the Istanbul area yesterday. Here is a summary: Severe thunderstorms, centered around Istanbul, caused widespread flooding and landslides. Impact: 1,277 instances of flooding and 15 landslides. A 14-year-old boy suffered an electric shock. Approximately 800 homes, 280 businesses, and 76 vehicles were damaged. 47 people were left stranded, and traffic was nearly paralyzed (at about 90% congestion). Roads collapsed, and a retaining wall at a school gave way. Rainfall: Up to approximately 194mm (in Beykoz-Ömerli). Some areas saw about 10...
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Day 10: Bursa, Turkey

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A day off in Bursa. Even on days when I’m not running, I wake up early. Up at 5:30 AM. It’s raining, so I think I’ll just take it easy at the hotel. Thanks to digital tools like the internet, I don't get bored, but it makes me wonder—how did people spend their days off while traveling in the analog era? I have just one week left of being 65 years old. I am filled with gratitude and emotion that I’m able to continue this journey. 8:00 AM: Hotel breakfast. It’s much the same at every hotel, but this seems to be a standard Turkish breakfast. Çay (Turkish tea), bread (including *simit*), several types of cheese, ham, pickled olives, cream cheese, honey, butter, a Nutella-like spread, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, cucumbers, plus an omelet and french fries. It might look like a small portion, but it’s actually quite a lot. I only had two slices of bread. After breakfast, I took a walk around the city. I was in the western part of Bursa, not really a tourist area. I walked to a nearby supe...
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Day 9: Gemlik to Bursa (Turkey)

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Day 9: Cloudy skies. It looks like it rained overnight, and the forecast calls for more rain this afternoon. Temperatures are ranging from 14°C to 21°C. I set off at 7:15 AM, right after breakfast, and immediately got onto the D575 highway. The fenced sidewalk suddenly ended, forcing me to unload my gear and carry the buggy over the gap. You can't always rely on sidewalks in Turkey; even if you get onto one, it often turns out to be a dead end. It took about three hours to reach a mountain pass at an elevation of around 300 meters. It was quite a long haul. Although the 7% gradient was steady, a long, drawn-out uphill climb takes a psychological toll. With about 10 kilometers left to go, I turned off the D575 onto a back road. I stopped at a BIM store along the way to pick up a few things. There’s almost always a cat hanging around the entrance of these supermarkets. It was a pleasant road that wound through orchards. It was a relief that there was hardly any car traffic. Afterward...
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Day 8: Yalova to Gemlik (Turkey)

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Woke up at 4:00 AM. Since breakfast wasn't included this morning, I ate whatever snacks I had on hand and set off at 7:00. Today’s route to Gemlik covers just over 30 kilometers. Temperatures range from 15°C to 24°C. There is a mountain pass of about 300 meters to cross along the way. It’s a cloudy day. It looks like steady rain might set in starting tomorrow. I plan to take a rest day the day after I arrive in Bursa. The climb begins shortly after starting. The gradient isn't particularly steep, but it’s a long, steady uphill slog. I make my way up at a leisurely pace, taking short breaks now and then. Reached the top of the pass just after 9:00 AM. The weather is pleasant—neither too hot nor too cold. I enjoy the descent from here. There were a few more uphill sections along the way, but I entered the town of Orhangazi after the 16-kilometer mark. It’s a bustling town, too. A staff member at an electronics shop called out to me and treated me to coffee and water. It seems the...
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Day 7: Karamürsel to Yalova (Turkey)

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I woke up at 6:00 AM to the sound of the *adhan* (call to prayer). The shirts I had washed the night before were dry. Since I couldn't find an affordable place to eat yesterday, I had made do with the fruit and bread I’d brought along for dinner. After showering and packing my gear, I had breakfast just before 8:00 AM. Today, instead of a buffet, a single plate with a pre-portioned meal was brought to me. It’s great to get some nutrition from things like cheese and eggs. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any Chinese restaurants here; I spotted just one sushi place in Istanbul. Does that mean Turkish people simply love Turkish cuisine that much? There was a large dog in the restaurant. It had a look on its face that seemed to say, "If you're offering something, I'll take it" (lol). Set off at 8:20 AM. It’s sunny again today, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 26°C. Heading to Yalova, 28 kilometers away. The coastal road is mostly flat. Switched onto the D...
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Day 6: Izmit to Karamürsel (Turkey)

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Breakfast at 7:20 AM. Departed Izmit just before 8:00 AM. Switched from the D100 to the D130 and headed west. Traffic wasn't exactly light, but it was somewhat better than on the D100. Arrived in Gölcük around 10:30 AM and was treated to *çay* (Turkish tea) by a local resident named Ersin at a seaside café. He told me he loves riding his Suzuki motorcycle all over the country. When I told him about the PEACE RUN, he followed me on Instagram. Whenever I turn onto quieter back roads, local cats always come out to greet me. The cats around the seaside café in Gölcük were eating fish given to them directly by anglers. I'm traveling along the southern coast of the Sea of ​​Marmara; the opposite shore is Gebze, where I passed through the other day. The Körfez area is an industrial zone; even from here, the town looked hazy from the smoke rising out of the chimneys. The seaside promenade is always pleasant. I wish a path like this would continue forever. Covered 38.6 km today. Arrived...
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Day 5: Izmit, Turkey

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Day 5: A rest day in Izmit. Woke up at 5:30 AM. The hotel is right in the middle of the bustling downtown area, yet it’s quiet in the morning. Took a short walk around the city this morning. I heard there’s a bicycle shop nearby, so if they have 20-inch tires, I plan to buy and replace mine. I’ll also re-evaluate the route for the days ahead. Today’s temperature ranges from 11°C to 26°C. It’s chilly in the morning but looks like it will get a bit hot during the day. On days I run, I focus entirely on running; on days I don’t, I don’t think about running at all. I don’t even put on my running shoes. This mental switch is crucial. I suspect that runners who frequently suffer injuries or breakdowns often struggle to make this kind of mental switch. Well, that excludes people who run all year round, of course (haha). Regarding my journey across Turkey, the route has changed a few times, but after reconsidering, I’ve decided not to go to Ankara and instead take the coastal route heading wes...
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