Arda Saatçi (born 1997, Berlin) is a German athlete of Turkish descent, former footballer, and fitness phenomenon. He is known for ultra-marathon runs that exceed traditional endurance limits, high-intensity training programs, and sports initiatives he has brought to the public through social media.

Arda Saatçi was born in 1997 in Berlin, the capital of Germany, to a Turkish immigrant family. He began participating in sports at the age of six through football and was raised with the goal of becoming a professional footballer. During his youth, he played for the Berliner AK U19 and SV Altlüdersdorf football teams. However, due to an injury sustained at age 18, he was forced to end his professional football career. After retiring from football, he pursued business education and entered the professional workforce, working in the construction sector and for a property management company.

While maintaining his professional career, Saatçi turned to boxing and weight training. Following some negative experiences, he abandoned boxing and began focusing on running alongside his strength training. What initially started as a balancing and compensatory strategy soon became his primary focus.

Saatçi has adopted an intense training regimen designed to push physical and mental boundaries. He has trained up to 30 hours per week, performing two daily sessions of running and strength training, and optimized his diet and daily routine accordingly. Describing himself as a “fitness cyborg,” he has undertaken extreme physical challenges such as completing 1,000 barbell push-ups in under two hours or running double marathons on consecutive days. Saatçi summarizes his core motivation and sports philosophy with the motto “You vs. You,” advocating for the critical role of mental resilience in physical development.

Throughout his career, Arda Saatçi has developed a new extreme endurance project each year, branding them under the name “Cyborg Season.”

His first major project that gained international recognition was a run from Berlin, where he was born and raised, to New York in 2024. Covering approximately 3,000 kilometers, he completed the journey in 74 days despite a stress fracture in his shin bone and the resulting two-month mandatory break. Averaging one or two marathons per day, this project earned him first place in the Sports category at the 2024 VideoDays Awards.

In 2025, Saatçi launched a new “Cyborg Season” project across Japan. Running the entire length of the country from north to south, he covered approximately 3,000 kilometers in 43 days, averaging up to 80 kilometers per day and completing a total of 72 marathons. During this project, Brooks became his shoe sponsor, and he primarily used the Brooks Glycerin Max model. In the same year, Saatçi inaugurated the Brooks Hyperion House as part of the 2025 Berlin Marathon events.

One of the athlete’s most demanding projects was a 600-kilometer ultra-marathon held in the United States between May 5 and 9, 2026. The goal was to complete the distance in under 96 hours.

^{Ultra Run Challenge Cyborg Season Redbull 2026 (}Youtube⁾

The race began at Badwater Basin, within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park in California, recognized as the lowest point in the United States at sea level. The finish line was planned at Santa Monica Pier near Los Angeles. The route included desert highways and a section of the historic Route 66, during which the athlete faced elevation gains between 5,700 and 5,967 meters. Daytime temperatures in Death Valley approached 50 degrees Celsius, compounded by heat radiating from the asphalt, strong winds, and the absence of shade, creating extreme environmental challenges.

To prepare for this challenge, Saatçi completed a seven-day training block covering 242 kilometers, including a 32-hour period without sleep. His ultra-marathon strategies were grounded in scientific data:

• Nutrition: It was estimated that Saatçi burned between 15,000 and 20,000 calories per 24 hours. Due to the difficulty of digesting solid foods, caloric intake was primarily achieved through liquid calories, energy gels, and high-calorie carbohydrate drinks.
• Fluid Intake: Specialized amounts of sodium, potassium, and magnesium were added to his beverages to replace fluids and electrolytes lost through sweating.
• Sleep: Instead of uninterrupted nighttime sleep, planned short sleep blocks were implemented to sufficiently reset his body and mind.
• Equipment and Physical Management: Alternating between running and walking was used to conserve energy during ascents. To combat swelling, blisters, and toenail damage caused by heat and constant impact, Saatçi rotated through multiple pairs of shoes, including several sizes larger than his normal foot size. He was supported by physiotherapist Gzim Ferizi and running coach Lukasz Wolejko-Wolejszo.

On the first day, Saatçi ascended 454 meters in the Artists Palette region and completed his first marathon in 4 hours and 55 minutes at Furnace Creek. Later, he tackled a 1,510-meter climb with a 10 percent gradient. The halfway point at 300 kilometers was reached in 54 hours and 12 minutes; during this stage, ski jumper Andreas Wellinger joined Saatçi to offer support.

^{2026: Death Valley – Santa Monica (Red Bull Cyborg Season Ultra 600) (AA)}

During the race, Saatçi experienced foot swelling, abdominal muscle cramps, and hallucinations due to sleep deprivation. When the 96-hour target time expired, he had covered 458 kilometers and failed to meet the goal. After receiving flowers from fans in Germany at the 471-kilometer mark, he took a longer rest break but did not abandon the race. Due to a landslide forcing a route change, the total distance increased to 604.5–604.6 kilometers. Saatçi completed the ultra-marathon in 123 hours, 21 minutes, and 10 seconds, covering the equivalent of 14 marathons over five days.

At the finish line on Santa Monica Pier, Saatçi was greeted by his mother and thousands of sports fans. He had promised his mother ice cream as a treat for Mother’s Day and embraced her upon crossing the finish line. At the welcoming ceremony, former Turkish national footballer Hamit Altıntop was present and presented Saatçi with a signed national team jersey from footballer Kenan Yıldız. Meanwhile, captain of the Türkiye national football team, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, conducted a video call during the race to offer moral support.

^{Germany, Berlin, Mauerpark (AA)}

Following his 600-kilometer run in California, a graffiti artwork commemorating Arda Saatçi’s achievement was created at Mauerpark in Berlin, Germany’s capital. Live broadcasts during the event were watched in real time by over one million viewers on YouTube, Twitch, and Red Bull TV.

Arda Saatçi’s primary sponsors include Brooks Running and Red Bull. With a strong following on digital platforms, he has cultivated a large audience by promoting an active lifestyle and inspiring people through his perseverance in the face of adversity. Saatçi has 1.1 million followers on Instagram and 816,000 subscribers on YouTube, known for motivational messages encouraging resilience and his inspirational achievements.