Lycian Way Ultramarathon (, shortly LYUM) is an international multiday

trail running Trail running is a type of running that takes place on outdoor trails, often in mountainous terrain, and often includes significant ascents and descents. It is similar to both mountain running, mountain and fell running (also known as hill r ...

ultramarathon An ultramarathon is a footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of . The sport of running ultramarathons is called ultra running or ultra distance running. Various distances, surfaces, and formats are raced competitively, from the ...

event that takes place across the ancient

Lycia Lycia (; Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; , ; ) was a historical region in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the provinces of Antalya and Muğ ...

n region in southwestern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. The event is run around of the long historical

Lycian Way The Lycian Way () is a marked Long-distance trail, long-distance hiking trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia. It is approximately in length and stretches from Hisarönü (Ovacık, Fethiye, Ovacık), near Fethiy ...

eastwards from

Fethiye Fethiye () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Its area is 875 km2, and its population is 177,702 (2022). It is one of the prominent tourist destinations in the Turkish Riviera. It was formerly k ...

Antalya Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. Recognized as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya sits on Anatolia's southwest coast, flanked by the Tau ...

in six days. The elevation of the route varies between sea level and . The Lycian Way Ultramarathon was established in 2010 taking place on October 11–17. Changing ground conditions such as sandy and rocky trails,

dirt road A dirt road or track is a type of unpaved road not paved with asphalt, concrete, brick, or stone; made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material. Terminology Simi ...

s, slippery terrain in conifer forests and steep slopes make the ultramarathon extremely difficult. Map of Lycian way

The route starts at

Ölüdeniz Ölüdeniz (literally "Dead Sea", due to its calm waters even during storms; official translation: Blue Lagoon) is a town of the municipality and district of Fethiye, Muğla Province, Turkey. Its population is 6,132 (2022). Before the 2013 Turkish ...

in Fethiye district of

Muğla Province Muğla Province (, ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey, at the country's southwestern corner, on the Aegean Sea. Its area is 12,654 km2, and its population is 1 ...

. Following the

Turkish Riviera The Turkish Riviera (), also known popularly as the Turquoise Coast, is an area of southwest Turkey encompassing the provinces of Antalya and Muğla, and to a lesser extent Aydın, southern İzmir and western Mersin. The combination of a ...

coastline, it passes through

Sidyma Sidyma (), was a town of ancient Lycia, at what is now the small village of Dudurga Asari in Muğla Province, Turkey. It lies on the southern slope of Mount Cragus, to the north-west of the mouth of the Xanthus (river), Xanthus. History The ...

and then in

Antalya Province Antalya Province () is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. It is located on the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean coast of south-west Turkey, between the Taur ...

the places

Kaş Kaş () is a small fishing, diving, yachting and tourist town, and a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Antalya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,750 km2, and its population is 62,866 (2022). It is 168 km west of the city ...

, Simena,

Finike Finike (), the ancient Phoenix or Phoinix (), also formerly Phineka, is a municipality and district of Antalya Province, Turkey. Its area is 768 km2, and its population is 49,720 (2022). It lies on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya Provinc ...

, Olympos and

Phaselis Phaselis () or Faselis () was a Greek and Roman city on the coast of ancient Lycia. Its ruins are located north of the modern town Tekirova in the Kemer district of Antalya Province in Turkey. It lies between the Bey Mountains and the forests ...

. The race ends in

. The fourth edition of the event in 2013 was cancelled because many foreign ultra runners stayed away or annulled their entry due to perceived risks in connection with the

2013 protests in Turkey A wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Turkey began on 28 May 2013, initially to contest the urban development plan for Istanbul's Gezi Park. The protests were sparked by outrage at the violent eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting ...

and

2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

. The cancellation caused reaction by local athletes, who had already arranged their training, holiday and airline tickets in accordance with the race term.

Winners

Key:

References

Ultramarathons Multiday races Turkish Riviera Fethiye Sport in Muğla Province Sport in Antalya 2010 establishments in Turkey Annual events in Turkey Marathons in Turkey Recurring sporting events established in 2010 Autumn in Turkey {{Turkey-sport-stub