Kampçı Editör Ekibi
Outdoor Writer @ Kampçı
Combining trail running and camping takes the training routine of an intermediate athlete to a whole new level. Going beyond your daily runs and adapting your body to the dynamics of nature for several consecutive days requires serious planning. When choosing camping routes for trail running, you should focus not only on the beauty of the scenery but also on water sources, terrain structure, and elevation gain.
As an intermediate runner, rather than engaging in the "fastpacking" discipline where you run with all your camping gear on your back, it is much more efficient to set up a "base camp" and train on the surrounding routes. Establishing a fixed campsite allows you to travel light with just your hydration vest and focus on technical terrains. It is essential for training variety that your chosen area connects to at least two different loop or out-and-back routes.
The Ida Mountains are ideal for protecting joint health and doing long-distance training, especially thanks to their dirt trails covered with soft pine needles. A base camp set up around Çamlıbel or Darıdere will give you access to 1,000 meters of elevation gain stretching up to the Sarıkız summit. According to sports medicine data, 4-5 days of training in camps set up at altitudes of 1,500 meters and above increases cardiovascular performance at sea level by 12% to 15%. For altitude acclimatization, a short distance should be planned for the first day and a long distance for the second day.
If you want to practice on technical terrain, scree, and steep climbs, Aladağlar's Emli Valley is one of the toughest training grounds in Turkey. Setting up camp at around 1,700 meters allows you to do technical runs towards the Alaca Plateau or Karasay passes. Compared to the rocky terrain of the Lycian Way, the scree structure of Aladağlar is more effective for improving ankle stabilization because the ground slips with every step, demanding extra effort.
Cappadocia's volcanic tuff and sandy structure work the leg muscles much harder than a normal dirt trail. A camp set up around Göreme will lead you into the labyrinth-like trails of the Red Valley (Kızılçukur) in the early hours of the morning. The sudden ascents and descents (rollercoaster profile) in the region serve as a natural track for interval training.
Especially during the spring and autumn months, you can set up a base camp in Korsan Bay or Adrasan to do technical, large rocky terrain training along the Gelidonya Lighthouse route. Since this route has high humidity, it is perfect for testing your adaptation to fluid and sodium loss through sweating.
The post-run recovery process at a campsite is nothing like the comfort of your home. The logistical rules that intermediate athletes should pay attention to are as follows:
1. Ignoring the Day-Night Temperature Difference: You dress lightly while running because your body temperature is high, but things change at the campsite. In mountainous areas in Turkey, the temperature difference between day and night at campsites above 1,000 meters averages 15°C; waiting around in sweaty clothes directly increases the risk of hypothermia. Solution: Change into dry and insulated clothing (merino wool or fleece) as soon as you return to camp.
2. Failing to Separate Tent Gear and Running Gear: The hydration vest you use while running (5-12 liters) and the backpack carrying your camping gear (40-60 liters) should be separate. Trying to manage everything with a single backpack will ruin your running form.
3. Skipping the Post-Workout Cool-Down: Going into your tent and lying down as soon as you arrive at camp will lead to severe lactic acid soreness the next day. Transition from running to walking 1 km before reaching camp, and do 10 minutes of dynamic stretching at the campsite.
When you venture away from the campsite, remember that you don't have a support team behind you. Intermediate runners rely on their speed, but being alone on the mountain in the event of a sprain is a huge risk. Always carry an aluminum thermal blanket, a whistle, an elastic bandage, and a smartwatch or phone with an offline downloaded GPX route in your hydration vest. Save the location where you pitched your tent as "Base" on your GPS device.
1. The 80/20 Rule: 80% of the runs you do during the camp should be at a low heart rate (Zone 2), and 20% should be technical or interval-focused. Consecutive hard runs are not sustainable under camping conditions.
2. Load-Time Index: Plan your trail runs by time, not distance. While you might run 10 km in 1 hour on a flat road, you may only cover 4 km in 1 hour on a route like Emli Valley.
3. Micro-Navigation Discipline: Mentally map out the water points and turn-around junctions on your route before leaving your tent.
Distance depends on terrain difficulty and altitude. For an intermediate runner in a camp setting, efforts between 15-25 km per day, lasting about 2 to 4 hours, are the most ideal and sustainable range in terms of the recovery process.
Protein and carbohydrate intake should be done within the first 30 minutes of returning to camp. Doing myofascial release on your legs with a massage ball before bed and wearing clean, loose-fitting clothes before getting into your sleeping bag will speed up recovery.
You can add ready-made electrolyte tablets to the flasks in your hydration vest, and at the campsite, you can recover the sodium lost through sweat by adding slightly more sea salt than usual to your meals.
Remove the insoles of the shoes and loosen the laces. Place them in a windy spot away from the fire; stuff them with crumpled paper towels or newspaper to draw the moisture out from the inside.
In the base camp method, you reach the main camp with a large 40-60 liter camping backpack. The hydration vest is packed flat inside this large backpack and is only used during training.
Combining trail running and camping is one of the most effective ways to safely push your mental endurance and physical limits. A base camp set up in the pine forests of the Ida Mountains or the rugged peaks of Aladağlar will immerse you in an isolated atmosphere intertwined with nature and completely focused on training. After making the right logistical preparations, ensuring adequate nutrition, and analyzing the terrain, determine your route and set out to adapt your body to this new level of difficulty. When the rhythm of nature meets your running rhythm, you will discover true performance.
Related guides and stories from the outdoor world
Essential preparation details intermediate campers need to know for multi-day, long-distance trekking routes in the rugged terrain of Eastern Anatolia.
Take your photography skills to the next level while camping in the unique nature of Marmara.
Advanced photography techniques to turn your camping memories into works of art, alongside a guide to keeping your gear safe in the wild.
A strategic route guide for intermediate athletes combining running and camping on the steep trails of the Southeast.