Running: More Than a Hobby, It’s a Way of Life

Sometimes in life, we take a small step without ever guessing where it might lead us. For me, that step was taking up running as a hobby back in 2020. Back then, I never could have imagined that running would take up such a massive space in my life and that years later, I’d be standing on podiums, ranking in the top 10 in Turkey, and even setting my sights on running a 42-kilometer marathon in under 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Where I stand today, running is no longer just a sport or a hobby for me; it’s a way of life. When I’m not running, I catch myself feeling like something is missing. Because running didn’t just give me physical strength. It profoundly helped me manage stress in my professional life, maintain my motivation, set clear goals, build discipline, and truly understand the value of teamwork.

Sometimes, after a grueling day at work, the moment I lace up my shoes and hit the pavement, I feel like I’m leaving all the day's stress behind. Other times, during a punishing workout when I reach the point of saying "I can't do this anymore" but push through anyway, I see how that resilience empowers me in every other aspect of my life. Running has taught me one crucial lesson: our limits usually don't start where we think they do; they start right where our minds tell us they do.

When a Hobby Meets Passion

In 2023, I took my passion for athletics to a much more professional level with Borusan Spor Kulübü (BSK). I want to emphasize that I haven't been alone behind the successes I've achieved on this journey. My coaches, my teammates, and our captains Elif Acar and Sinan Kutlutan have made tremendous contributions.

And then there is my personal coach, Aykut Taşdemir, who holds a very special place in my heart... Beyond being a professional athlete himself, he is a true sports enthusiast whose passion and approach deeply inspire me. After I started working with him, my entire perspective on running shifted. My training became highly systematic, my goals grew exponentially, and the successes began to follow one after another.

This journey has shown me this: a good goal is important, but without the right people by your side, reaching that goal is significantly harder.

Achieving Success, Growing Goals

To date, I have achieved significant results in various races:

Two-time 2nd place in my age group at the Istanbul Half Marathon, 
Two consecutive 1st place finishes on the Uludağ Premium Ultra 42K course, 
1st place at the Trakya Ultra 50K, 
Along with various general classification placements in different races. 
In the national ITRA point rankings, I am currently ranked 8th in Turkey.

One of the most beautiful things about sports is this: the moment you reach one goal, a brand new one appears on the horizon. My current goal is to break into the top 3 in the national rankings. An even bigger ambition is to run a sub-2:25 at the Valencia Marathon this coming December. My training is continuing at full intensity to make this happen.

My current Personal Bests (PBs):

10K: 32:56 
21K: 1:11:47 
42K: 2:54:40

For me, these times are not just numbers. Behind every single one of them are early mornings, exhaustingly long runs, fatigue, moments where I was on the verge of quitting, and the days I chose to keep going anyway.

An Individual Sport with a Team Spirit

From the outside, running might look like a solitary sport. But in reality, there is a massive team standing right behind you: coaches, teammates, captains, family, and supporters...

Today, I am also the manager of the BSK Athletics Team. This role has shown me an entirely different side of sports: the immense power of bringing people together around a shared goal, supporting one another, and growing as one.

Perhaps in this sense, running is one of the sports that most closely mirrors corporate life. Everyone has a different pace; everyone has a different goal. But when we support each other at the right moment, we can go so much further together.

What About You?

My running story started in 2020 with a simple thought: "I should do a little exercise." I had no idea where it would take me. Perhaps there is something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, something you keep saying "I’ll start one day" about. Maybe it's running, maybe it's another sport, maybe a new hobby, or a completely different goal you've set for yourself.

My advice to you is very simple: don't wait for the perfect time to start. Because sometimes, the things that change our lives aren't massive, life-altering decisions; they are the tiny first steps we take. My first step was a run. Today, that run is one of the greatest passions of my life.

Now, I want this passion to reach even more people. To increase the presence of sports in our lives, to move together, to meet new people, and to collectively become part of a healthier, more energetic lifestyle, we are waiting for new friends to join the BSK Athletics Team.

Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll be running on the exact same course, wearing the exact same team jersey. Because sometimes, what truly matters isn't the finish line, but the people running alongside you with the same passion.

Keep running. Faster, better, and further...

Ayhan Çelik

Ayhan Çelik is a Digital Product Development Technician.

He is passionate about his work and finds great satisfaction in seeing that the projects he develops and implements contribute to the company and address customers’ needs. Knowing that his work creates tangible value gives Ayhan a strong sense of fulfillment and motivation.

Running is his second great passion. The sense of freedom that running gives him, together with his desire to keep asking himself, “Where is the limit?”, are among the main reasons why Ayhan continues to run. He particularly enjoys discovering his own limits and seeing what he is capable of achieving with every run.

Ayhan is also passionate about exploring nature and watching nature documentaries. One of the people who inspires him most is Sir David Attenborough, the legendary narrator of nature documentaries, whom he greatly admires.

He also enjoys listening to podcasts about human anatomy and endurance. Last but not least, Ayhan is a devoted supporter of Beşiktaş football club.