Green means go..

Only in Turkey would a race include:
-the most amazing little girls and boys pounding on giant olive oil tins to encourage the runners
-high fiving old men who remember you from breakfast the day before
-a man literally lighting up a cigarette as he ran past the 5K middle mark (thank you to the woman who yelled at him!)
-the badass marching band of miidle school aged kids, most of whom were girls!

In any language encouragement during a race makes all the difference - a little cheer, high five, and "az kaldi" gives at least me more of a push than even the best somg on my running playlist!

Next up? The full Istanbul marathon?