Mahmut Yavuz

Mahmut Yavuz
Born 1982 (age 32–33)
Allegiance  Turkey
Service/branch Turkish Navy - Marines and Special Forces
Rank Lieutenant
Unit SAT Commando (Underwater Attack)
Other work Ultramarathon running

Mahmut Yavuz (born 1982) is a Turkish Navy officer, who serves, currently as a lieutenant, in the SAT Commando (Underwater Attack) unit of the Marines and Special Forces. He ist best known for his successful career as an ultramarathon runner.

Mahmut Yavuz was born in 1982. At the age of 14, he entered the Naval High School on the island Heybeliada in Istanbul. After finishing the high school, he attended the Naval Academy in Tuzla, Istanbul. He graduated with a BSc degree in computer engineering. He was commissioned as an officer of the SAT Commando (Underwater Attack) at the Turkish Navy Marines and Special Forces, a similar unit to the Underwater Demolition Team of the United States Navy SEALs. As of November 2013, Yavuz has the rank of a navy lieutenant (Turkish: Deniz Yüzbaşısı), and is stationed in Keçilik village at Anadolu Kavağı, Beykoz, Istanbul.[1][2]

Sports career

Mahmut Yavuz used to perform running sport already during the high school and academy years participating at competitions. Following his graduation from the naval academy, he began to run half marathons and marathons. In later years, Yavuz got interested in adventure running. In 2012, he debuted in ultramarathon running as he took part at the 130 km (81 mi) İznik Ultramarathon. In order to be prepared for the ultramarathons, he trains around 110–120 km (68–75 mi) within the week. Due to his strict duty times, he participates at the single-stage competitions on weekends, and at multiday races only during his vacation.[2]

He lately ran at ultramarathons with extreme conditions in Turkey, China and Republic of South Africa. Mahmut Yavuz admits that the training in terms of physical and psychological endurance he received during the SAT commando courses is an absolutely significant advantage at this type competitions.[2]

Yavuz won the 2012 İznik Ultramarathon over 126 km (78 mi),[3][4] and repeated his success by winning the first edition of the six-day Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon the same year.[5][6]

After coming first at the 2013 İznik Ultramarathon again,[7] he became runner-up at the seven-day lasting and 250 km (160 mi) long Gobi March in China, the second event of the 4 Deserts series.[1] Yavuz won the DASK Anatolian Mountain Marathon held at Mount Bolu on July 5–6, 2013 together with his teammate İlyas Avcı.[8] After attesting his first rank at the desert-concept event of Runfire Cappadocia Ultra in 2013, he placed second at the 250 km (160 mi) Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon held on October 19–25, 2013 in the Republic of South Africa.[9]

Achievements

Year Competition Distance Time
(h:m:s) 		Rank
(women's cat)
2012 Turkey İznik Ultramarathon 126 km (78 mi) 15:41:03[4] 1st
Turkey Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon 240 km (150 mi) 27:59:43[10] 1st
2013 Turkey İznik Ultramarathon 130 km (81 mi) 13:52:06[7] 1st
China Gobi March 250 km (160 mi) 27:24:19[11] 2nd
Turkey DASK Anatolian Mountain Marathon 90–130 km (56–81 mi) [12] 1st
with İlyas Avcı
Turkey Runfire Cappadocia Ultramarathon 245 km (152 mi) 27:27:18[10] 1st
South Africa Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon 250 km (160 mi) 22:26:54[13] 2nd
Turkey Intersport Run 11 km (6.8 mi) 0:42:[14] 9th

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Türk Sat Komandosu Yüzbaşı Mahmut Yavuz Gobi Çölü Maratonu'nu 2. Sırada Tamamladı". Haberler (in Turkish). 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Acar, Erkan (2013-08-22). "SAT komandolarından ultra zorlu maraton başarısı". Bugün (in Turkish). Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  3. ↑ "İznik Ultra Marathon 126k Results". İznik Ultra. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Corless, Ian (2012-04-20). "Race report: Iznik Ultra - Turkey, April 14 & 15, 2012". Run 247. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  5. ↑ "Ultra Maratonun Birincisi Mahmut Yavuz". TRT (in Turkish). 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  6. ↑ "Kapadokya'da kazanan Mahmut Yavuz". NTV Spor (in Turkish). 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Iznik Ultra 2013". MCR Race Setter. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  8. ↑ "Uluslararası Anadolu Dağ Maratonu Tamamlandı". Bugün Bugece (in Turkish). Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  9. ↑ "SAT komandosunun uluslararası başarısı". Sabah (in Turkish). 2013-10-28. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "All-time results of this event: Run Fire Cappadocia Stage Race". Deutsche Ultramarathon. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  11. ↑ "4 Deserts-Gobi March". Ultra Sgnup. 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  12. ↑ "DASK ADAM 2013 tamamlandı" (in Turkish). Uzun Patika. 2013-07-11. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  13. ↑ "4Ultra Marathon Statistics-14th Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (RSA)". Deutsche Ultramarathon Vereinigung. 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  14. ↑ "11k Intersport Run 2013 - Sonuclari / Ranking". Intersport. 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2013-11-30.