Cooper relishing ‘amazing’ ultra distance in Turkey

Great Britain international Meryl Cooper is to compete in one of the world’s most spectacular ultra distance trail races in Turkey this weekend.

The Oldmeldrum runner, who has taken a one year sabbatical from her PE teaching post in Dubai to focus on her athletics career, is to tackle the Cappadocia 63km at Urgup.

Cooper has prepared meticulously for the challenge, flying out to Turkey well ahead of the race and spending four days checking out a course with 2,000 metres of elevation gain.

She said: “Since I am on sabbatical I figured this was the best use of my time, getting out here early, and doing a recce of the route before tapering down for the race. The course is amazing. It is so beautiful and I am now so excited. I was glad to have been able to enjoy the views on my training runs since it will be head down on race day.

“I’m used to technical ultra trails in the mountains of Europe, but this is going to be very different for me as the course isn’t technical at all. I really want to compete for the top spots, as always, and I am ready to learn through this different style of ultra, whatever the outcome.”

Cooper made her Great Britain debut earlier this year at the world ultra trail championships in Portugal where she finished 91st from an elite field of 159 after taking a nasty fall in the early stages.

Meanwhile, in August she finished 13th from a top class line-up in the CCC 101km race at the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc festival.

“This is going to be very different”

Meryl Cooper