Run Like Her: Portraits of Women at the Heart of Kaçkar’s 100% Female Training Camp
Run Like Her: Portraits of Women at the Heart of the Kaçkar's Women-Only Trail Camp
This summer, the Kaçkar Mountains in northeastern Türkiye hosted Run Like Her, a trail running camp exclusively for women, organized alongside the Kaçkar by UTMB. Coming from Russia, Türkiye and Afghanistan, four participants shared with Cécile Bertin, in their own words, what these mountains revealed about themselves.
Başak Ağdaş Ünal's Story
Instagram: @agdasbasak
Captain of the ASICS FrontRunner Türkiye team, Başak Ağdaş Ünal balances a career in the food industry with ultratrail running. A runner for nearly fifteen years, she discovered trail running about a decade ago and has never left the mountains since.
Sport has always played a major role in my life. I started running almost 15 years ago, and about 10 years ago I discovered trail running while pursuing my corporate career. I've always loved being in nature, so trail running felt completely natural to me. I love the freedom of running in the mountains and the balance it helps me find between my professional life and my life as an athlete. Since then, trail running has become an essential part of who I am.
My first trail race was 17 kilometers long, and it was incredibly tough! But that's exactly what I loved about it: the challenge, pushing myself beyond my limits, and discovering what I was capable of. As soon as I crossed the finish line, I knew I wanted to keep going.
"Trail Running Has Taught Me Patience."
The real turning point came later, when I started running longer distances on the trails. I loved spending hours in the mountains and continuing even when I was exhausted. I realized that trail running wasn't just physical for me—it was also deeply mental. It has taught me patience, focus, and perseverance when things become difficult. That's when I thought to myself: "Yes, this is my sport, and this is where I belong."
There's something truly special about the Kaçkar Mountains. I love their wild nature, lush green landscapes, drifting clouds, and mysterious atmosphere that gives them such a unique character. This camp was a wonderful opportunity to explore this beautiful place, run through breathtaking scenery, and share the experience with other women who share the same passion for trail running. I believe that's exactly what Run Like Her is all about. We'd love to see every woman who shares this passion join us at the Kaçkar by UTMB this September!
Beyza Güzel's Story
Instagram: @beyzaguzel1
An interior architect and founder of her own design company, Beyza Güzel discovered running during the COVID lockdown before her husband introduced her to trail running. She made an immediate impression in 2023 at the Trail Alsace by UTMB, finishing fourth in her very first 100 km race. Since then, she has claimed multiple women's victories in Turkish ultratrails, including the 119 km Kapadokya Ultra Trail and the 60 km Efes Ultra in both 2024 and 2025, most recently winning the 70K Uludağ Premium Ultra Trail.
I'm actually an interior architect, and I run my own design business. Sport has always been part of my life, but I never imagined that running would become such an important part of who I am today. Everything changed during the COVID pandemic, when gyms closed and I started running simply to stay active. Then one day, while out on a run, I met the love of my life—my husband. He introduced me to trail running, and that's where my real journey began.
Five years ago, I couldn't even imagine running one kilometer. Today, I run more than 100 kilometers through the mountains. Trail running has shown me that our limits are often only the ones we choose to believe in. Every trail, every climb, every finish line reminds me that we are capable of so much more than we imagine. For me, trail running is far more than a sport; it's a way of discovering who I am, learning to trust myself, and finding freedom in nature.
I remember my very first race so clearly. I had absolutely no experience and no idea what to expect. I wasn't thinking about results—I simply wanted to finish and enjoy the experience. When I crossed the finish line and realized I had finished among the top three women, something changed inside me. It wasn't just about standing on a podium; it was the moment I realized I had found something I truly belonged to. From that day on, I knew trail running would become much more than a hobby—it would be the path through which I could discover what I was capable of, both physically and mentally.
Beyza Güzel: Being Surrounded by Women Who Lift Each Other Up Is Incredibly Powerful!
The defining moment came during my first 100-kilometer race, the Trail Alsace by UTMB. It was my first year in trail running, and although I lacked experience, I wasn't afraid. I felt completely at home in those mountains, in that atmosphere, and within that community. My only goal was to give everything I had.
For about 65 kilometers, I was leading the women's race. The event was being broadcast live, and so many people back home were following my progress—I could hardly believe it! I still remember Siri reading supportive messages into my AirPods, each one giving me a little more strength and reminding me to keep believing in myself.
Of course, my lack of experience eventually caught up with me. After 70 kilometers, more experienced runners overtook me, and I finished fourth overall among the women. But that day was never really about the result. It showed me that I was capable of far more than I had ever imagined. For the first time, I realized I could compete with some of the best trail runners in the world. That's when I told myself: "Yes, this is exactly where I belong."
I truly believe that behind every strong woman stand other strong women cheering her on, and that's exactly why I came to Kaçkar. The mountains are breathtaking, but what truly makes this experience unforgettable are the people. Being surrounded by women who inspire, support, and celebrate one another is incredibly powerful. For me, this camp is about so much more than running. It's about sharing stories, learning from one another, building genuine connections, and reminding each other that we can always go further than we think. The mountains bring us together, but it's the energy of this community that makes this place unforgettable.
Fatima Painda's Story
Instagram: @paindafitness
Deputy Head Nurse in an Emergency Department in the United Kingdom and an ambassador for the charity Free to Run, Fatima Painda grew up in the mountains of Afghanistan before fleeing the country with her family when the Taliban returned to power. She discovered trail running in 2021 after Afghanistan's fall and has since turned it into a powerful platform to advocate for Afghan women and girls. Among her achievements are completing the 2024 CCC—becoming one of the very first Afghan women to finish the race—and the 150 km Manaslu Trail Race in Nepal in 2025.
I grew up in the beautiful mountains of Afghanistan, where I felt free and fearless. I didn't even know trail running existed. For me, running was simply part of life. Every day I ran to school because it was an hour's walk from home and I didn't want to be late. But those mountains were taken away from me when I was forced to flee my country and become a refugee because of the Taliban.
Starting a new life was difficult, yet the mountains kept calling me back. I discovered trail running in 2021 after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. Through trail running, I carry the hopes of millions of women and girls in my country, where they now live under a system of gender apartheid, stripped of their fundamental human rights—including education and freedom of movement—and silenced.
Today, trail running allows me to relive my childhood in the Afghan mountains, not only as an athlete but also as an advocate for tolerance and women's empowerment.
Trail Running Became a Turning Point for Me While the Taliban Continue to Erase Women and Girls from Society.
My first trail race was the ETC by UTMB, and it felt like finding my way home. Running through the mountains brought back the memories of my childhood, when nature was my playground and the mountains were part of everyday life.
Trail running also became a turning point as the Taliban's unjust rules continue to erase women and girls from society. I launched a global challenge: running trail races, marathons, and climbing mountains in 26 cities around the world in alphabetical order, raising awareness and funds for Free to Run so that women and girls in my country can continue pursuing dreams that today seem impossible.
The Kaçkar Mountains hold a special place in my heart. Every kilometer through their wild beauty, every breathtaking landscape, every smile exchanged with local people reminds me of Afghanistan—a country I can only dream of seeing again one day. Being here reconnects me with my homeland and the memories I carry wherever I go: the familiar feeling of being surrounded by mountains, nature, resilience, and a deep connection with people and their culture.
For me, trail running is far more than competition or crossing a finish line. Camps like this one, and initiatives such as Run Like Her, empower and inspire people—especially women—through movement in nature and the mountains, encouraging them to pursue their dreams.
Elena Polyakova Kırık's Story
Instagram: @e.lena.polyakova
Born in 1981 in Znamensk, a closed city in Russia, Elena Polyakova Kırık was first a bodybuilder before completely changing her life for ultratrail running. A seasonal travel agent in Antalya since 2005, she entered the Lycian Way Ultramarathon in 2011, where she met someone who would change her life forever. Just one month later, she moved to Türkiye, where she has since collected numerous women's victories in Turkish ultratrails. She is also the author of the autobiographical novel Lena'nın Küçük Yolculuğu (Lena's Little Journey).
My story as a runner actually began at school, when I finished last in a 700-meter race. Later, step by step, I learned how to train more intelligently and gradually progressed from the half marathon to the marathon. Then, in the race pack we often receive at road races, I found a brochure for the Lycian Way Ultramarathon—a 240-kilometer self-supported race along spectacular trails. That little brochure changed everything.
So I jumped straight into a 240-kilometer adventure. I still remember the excitement inside the tent before the start and the moment I placed my foot on the trail for the very first time. The beginning was incredibly difficult, but surrounded by pine forests, mountains, breathtaking sea views, and the support of the people sharing the camp with me, I eventually reached the finish line.
After that, my life was never the same. That first ultra gave me the courage to leave a well-paid job and move to Istanbul to explore my potential in completely different ways.
Sharing the Trail with Women Who Truly Understand Your Spirit Gives You a Different Kind of Strength.
Running became much more than a sport. It became a defining part of my life and shaped many of the decisions that followed. Over the past 15 years, I have completed 59 ultramarathons, including the PTL, and written a book about my adventures.
Kaçkar has always held a special place in my heart. These mountains captured it from the very first moment. They are unlike anywhere else, with endless shades of green, snow-covered ridges, and glacial lakes. I also love the hospitality of the local people, their traditions, and of course their delicious food.
This camp brings together women from very different backgrounds who all share the same love of trail running. We may already be strong individually, but sharing the trail with women who truly understand your spirit creates a different kind of strength—one that stays with you long after the trail ends.
All photos by Ahmet Can Avci @acanavc
