Fatih, İstanbul · Sunday, April 19, 2026
The Türkiye İş Bankası 21st Istanbul Half Marathon is a yarı maraton (half marathon) and koşu (running) event held on Sunday, April 19, 2026. It is located at Alboyacılar Sokağı in Fatih, Istanbul.
Road to the capital of Turkey, Istanbul 🌆... 🇹🇷 Or is it! Ankara is the actual capital (gotcha, you forgot, right? 😜). However, Istanbul is indeed the largest city in the country, with four historical zones listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO! 🌍 Once known as Byzantium to the Greeks and Constantinople to the Eastern Roman Empire, Istanbul marks the geographical gateway between Europe and Asia 🚪. It's this remarkable city that you'll have the chance to explore with the famous Istanbul Marathon, one of the most attractive in the world, along with its 15 km distance. Get ready: it's a festive, popular, and unmissable event for Turkish and international athletics! 🤌
Ready to embark on an adventure in the heart of Istanbul like a true stag 🦌? The "Deer Run" awaits you with its varied routes that will appeal to all runners, from beginners to seasoned marathoners. Lace up your shoes and choose your distance, from the 500m Bambi run for the little ones to 28 km for the more daring!
Team Run.BO was born from serendipity. In March 2015, four strangers crossed paths at an Istanbul airport, all heading to the same trail race. That accidental meeting sparked a conversation that became a crew. Officially founded in June 2015, Team Run.BO operates on a simple belief: running produces stories, and stories motivate people to run. With around fifteen members, the crew stays deliberately small, accepting new runners who earn their place by showing up and running with the group. They're trail runners, storytellers, and people with running craziness. Every Sunday at 7 a.m., Team Run.BO gathers at Cekmekoy to explore Istanbul's trails while the city sleeps and the forest wakes.
Rundamental started running together in the heart of Istanbul in 2014, officially forming as a crew in 2015 around one shared conviction: good people run together. Founded by visionaries who saw running as a gateway to adventure, creativity, and genuine friendship, Rundamental has grown into a family of ambitious, creative people who train, travel, and hang out together. Every Tuesday and Sunday, they gather at Ayvat Bendi in Belgrade Forest, one of Istanbul's most storied green escapes, where each session feels like an adventure. For Rundamental, running is about pushing limits, inspiring each other, and supporting young athletes in a community defined by warmth, ambition, and deeply human connection.
No Reason Co. has been running Istanbul's streets since 2013, long before running crews became a culture phenomenon in the city. Founded on the belief that you need no reason to run when it is simply part of who you are, No Reason Co. has grown into a genuine community of around 50 runners who show up for three weekly sessions. Sundays at Kuruçeşme, Tuesdays in Moda, Wednesdays on the track, they've turned the entire city into their playground. What started as runners who got it has evolved into something bigger, a crew that genuinely enjoys each other's company on and off the road.
Runarchy RC emerged in Istanbul in August 2017 as a revolt against the monotony of traditional running groups. Founded on the principle that running should feel free and honest, not rigid and exclusive, the crew built something genuinely different. Today, around 80 runners of all paces gather under the Galata Tower to experience the city together. Here, beginners are celebrated as much as experienced runners, and newcomers shape the crew's identity with each outing. Every Tuesday at 8pm, they explore one of 23 Istanbul routes regardless of weather. Sunday runs venture into the forests. Runarchy RC isn't just about miles, it's about reclaiming the streets.