Last week, millions of viewers tuned in to watch Arda Saatçi complete a 600km ultra marathon from Death Valley to Santa Monica. Known for his extraordinary endurance, Saatçi, who is 28 and lives in Berlin, ran for five days without much sleep, enduring hallucinations but refusing to stop. This remarkable feat has made him one of the most talked-about figures in the sports world.

'How does the 'Cyborg' nickname feel?'

This name was given to me by my followers, and I like it. However, I also want to show that I'm not a machine but a human with fears and tough times. I always share the same motto with my followers: "Your greatest rival is you."

'How did you decide to run the 600km marathon?'

I've been setting ambitious goals for myself over the past two years. My first project was running from Berlin to New York. Last year, I ran across Japan. About 10 months before this project, I started thinking about how I could push myself further. The idea of running 600km non-stop with minimal sleep emerged.

'Let's talk about Death Valley...'

Death Valley is one of the hottest places on Earth and incredibly remote. There are almost no places to find food or drinks. If you're left alone, you could lose your life. Throughout the course, there are constant warning signs like "Don't run out of gas" and "Carry water and food." If your car breaks down, help is hard to come by because phones don't work. We managed live broadcasts using satellite internet. There was also a significant elevation change, making it physically very challenging.

'Why did you choose this area despite knowing it would be so challenging?'

I chose the most challenging route to push myself. I want to see how far I can extend my limits. In my first project, I ran 3,000km from Berlin to New York in 75 days. Then, I ran across Japan for 43 days, approximately 70km daily. This time, I wanted to test myself in completely different conditions.

'People wonder if you ran 600km without any sleep. How did you manage your sleep?'

I had a large support vehicle with a small bed inside. Whenever I felt the need, I would tell my team, "I need a 20-minute break." I would sleep briefly and continue running.

'Did you always take 20-minute naps?'

No, it varied. Some days, I took four 20-minute naps. Once, I took a 90-minute break. The longest I slept in one stretch was 1.5 hours. I had a doctor and a running coach with me.

'Long-term sleep deprivation can affect your mind. Did you experience moments where reality seemed different?'

Yes, I experienced hallucinations. At one point, I saw the road markings in different colors, and the trees appeared to be moving. My doctor stopped me then. I told him, "I was on the road..."