Senior Oliver Bieser makes his ascent to the peak of Uludağ.
The fog rolled across the mountains as the bustling city of Bursa lay 9,000 feet below. Also visible from the mountain’s peak is the ancient city of Troy — the same one upon which Achaean soldiers once marched. For senior Oliver Bieser, it was like he walked into the pages of Homer’s epic as he ran 62 miles up the Turkish mountain Uludağ, also known as Mysian Olympus — allegedly where the ancient Greek gods went to watch the Trojan war.
Bieser placed first in the men’s 100k of the Uludağ Premium Ultra Trail race on July 19 with an elevation change of 4,620 meters. There was a total attendance of 2,650 from 20 countries competing in 100k, 66k, 42k, 30k, 16k and 6k races. Bieser started his long run near the peak of Uludağ, with miles of rocks, roots, and sharp turns. He remained in second place for the beginning of the race until he encountered the Turkish runner in first.
“I was behind him until mile 16, when I caught him on a super steep incline,” Bieser said. “That incline was probably the most difficult of the entire race: I was bear-crawling for about a quarter mile at one point because it was so steep.”
Once Bieser overtook his competitor, he climbed for another mile or two until he reached more forests.
“From there, the next 20 or so miles consisted of super lush and humid forests, interspersed with small villages, where I was able to get extra water from fountains and women watering their plants,” Bieser said.
Rocky terrain was not the only foe Bieser had to conquer.
“Around mile 45, I came across a herd of goats that was guarded by six Kangal shepherds — 100-150 pound, super scary dogs — who immediately ran at me, barking and gnashing their teeth. I kicked one squarely in the jaw when it got too close, which scared the rest of them off to at least give me some breathing room,” Bieser said. “They still blocked the path, though, and I was stuck in a standoff with them barking at me for seven or eight minutes until the race director noticed my tracker had stopped moving and came to rescue me. I have no idea how he got up that terrain in his Jeep, but he scared the dogs off and let me pass to finish up the race.”
All the miles culminated in the final moment — after 12 hours, 12 minutes, and 31 seconds, Bieser crossed the finish line in first as flashing cameras marked his triumphant moment.
“This was their national race, and I was the only person not from Turkey or Iran to finish,” Bieser said. “The fanfare was incredible, you’d think I was winning Olympic gold, not some trail race.”
Bieser was in Turkey for an eight-week internship at the American Research Institute in the Salt Galata museum in Istanbul. Alongside senior Alexandra Laird and junior Madeleine Choe, Bieser spent time cataloging and archiving information about the Americans’ involvement in Istanbul.
He did not plan to run an ultramarathon on his last weekend in Turkey. In fact, he said he didn’t announce it to his family until after he won the race.
“I just decided on a whim two weeks before the race to sign up — it was the last day before registration closed,” Bieser said. “I knew the course would be tough and I didn’t have all the equipment I needed, but I went for it.”
Bieser said this would not have been possible without his companions Laird and Choe, who drove him there.
“One day he said, ‘Hey, I registered, I’m going.’ So we rented a car, and just went,” Laird said.
Bieser said he was grateful for his support team in Turkey, as well as his mother for getting him into running, and his girlfriend, senior Penelope Campbell, for putting up with him disappearing for two to three hours per day to train.
Bieser intends to race a 50-mile course in October and a 100-mile course in December.
“This coming semester will be the most I’m running every day, averaging about 15 miles a day. Fridays and Saturdays are both long runs, which are 20 or more miles,” Bieser said. “I haven’t missed a day since last September.”
Campbell said she’s happy to support her boyfriend’s ultramarathon adventures.
“During the 100-miler he ran this spring, our good friend Owen and I stayed up all 20-plus hours with Oliver, and every time he ran through the aid station, we had food and a pair of new socks waiting for him,” Campbell said.
Campbell said he does not run for money or status, but only because it brings him joy. His words echoed hers.
“If tomorrow I found out that running is terrible for you, or I found out that I would never be any good at it, I think I would keep running,” Bieser said. “It’s something that’s for its own good.”
