Md. Tanvir Hasan and Morsaline Ahmmed traveled to Türkiye through a partnership with Turkish Airlines, which sponsored the Turkish Airlines ActivePulse Half Marathon earlier that year in Dhaka. Through that link, the founders received the chance to represent Bangladesh at the world-famous Istanbul Marathon.
For both runners, this was more than another race. It was their first trip to Europe. Their first intercontinental marathon. And perhaps their wildest running story yet.
“We were not prepared for the weather at all,” Morsaline admitted with a laugh. “We wore clothes suitable for the Dhaka summer.” That mistake hit hard the moment they landed in Istanbul. The cold air welcomed them fast and painfully.
Soon, they adjusted. Winter shopping came first. Training followed. Istanbul’s steep roads also shocked them. The city sits across several hills, and even short walks felt endless.
Still, they were soaked in every moment. They explored busy streets, local culture, cruises, cafés, and famous landmarks. They stayed nearly two weeks in Türkiye, including several days in Cappadocia.
But before race day came the expo. The founders closely studied the Istanbul Marathon’s race management system. They noticed something rare. The marathon hosted its expo across two venues. One sat inside a shopping mall. Another stood near the finish area. That detail caught their attention instantly. “In Bangladesh, we usually see one expo venue,” Tanvir explained. “Seeing two separate expos gave us fresh ideas.”
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
Then came race morning. And chaos arrived right on schedule. More than 40,000 runners gathered across Istanbul. Public transport became free for participants, while extra vehicle movement stopped entirely. They were staying on the Asian side of the city. The race, however, started from the European side. They planned to cross using a public ferry.
But timing failed them. “We missed the last ferry,” they recalled. “At that moment, we thought everything was over.” At first, only a few runners panicked. Soon, hundreds joined the confusion. Someone suggested another ferry point several kilometers away. No guarantees. Just hope. So they ran.
The runners rushed nearly four kilometers toward the alternate terminal. Luckily, they left their transport passes but still carried cards. And those cards saved the day. They boarded the ferry just in time.
After another connecting bus ride and a long uphill walk, they reached the starting point only minutes before the race began. No relaxed warm-up. No peaceful preparation. Just survival mode.
Then the marathon started. And suddenly, the stress disappeared. The race opened on the Bosphorus Bridge, connecting Asia and Europe. For them, that moment felt unreal. “You cannot explain that feeling unless you run there yourself,” said Tanvir. The downhill sections felt thrilling. Their pace improved quickly. Cold weather helped their breathing, though their bodies struggled with the unfamiliar climate.
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
Then the hills began. They soon realized Istanbul’s elevation was no joke. Every climb drained energy. Every turn tested patience. Their usual marathon routes back home looked flat in comparison. They carried their own hydration gear, too.
Then came another brutal surprise. The marathon cutoff stood at six hours and twenty minutes. Much shorter than races back home. “At first we felt confident,” Morsaline admitted. “Then the elevation humbled us.” Toward the final kilometers, conditions worsened. Hydration stations started closing. Exhausted runners searched desperately for water. Some screamed for help near ambulances and police checkpoints.
Then came the final blow. A steep park climb appeared just two kilometers before the finish line. Roughly 300 meters uphill. After forty kilometers of punishment, it felt endless. “We could barely walk,” they recalled. Still, they kept moving.
The two runners crossed the finish line in just over six hours. Tired. Injured. Barely able to walk. Yet proud beyond words. “We represented Bangladesh,” they said. “That mattered most.”
The marathon medals later created another unexpected moment. Days after the race, Turkish police briefly stopped them while they walked through the city without passports. Things looked tense. Then, the officers noticed the marathon medals hanging from their bags. Suddenly, the mood changed. “Oh, marathon runners!” The officers responded warmly before letting them continue. Those medals worked better than paperwork.
The trip later continued to Cappadocia, where the founders experienced their first hot-air balloon ride. Between races, road trips, and long planning talks, the journey became more than tourism. It became a reflection.
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
The founders returned home with lessons about race logistics, expo management, runner care, transport systems, and event branding. They also returned with gratitude.
Both runners praised Turkish Airlines Bangladesh, General Manager İslam Güre, and marketing representative Ejaz Qadri for supporting the entire journey. “Without them, this would not have been possible,” Tanvir said.
In the end, the Istanbul Marathon gave them more than medals. And somewhere between missed ferries, freezing weather, brutal hills, and emotional finish lines, two Bangladeshi runners carried their country across two continents – one step at a time.
