My weekend training with Olympians Paula Radcliffe, Colin Jackson and more at Turkey's Anda Barut Collection hotel

Nestled on the shores of the Aegean, with blue waters twinkling in the early sun, several runners gather at 8am. 

It’s mid-May, there’s a very slight nip in the air, and there are some clouds hanging around before the growing heat burns them off. You could mistake it for a parkrun, transplanted to a more exotic location than normal, until a familiar figure bounds up; she walks, like she runs, on her toes, barely touching the ground, almost floating. And yes, it is Paula Radcliffe. Oh. My. God.

She’s here, with several other Olympians and dancing stars, at the Anda Barut Collection hotels, as part of a wellness weekend, and is kicking off the day’s proceedings with a gentle 3.5-mile run around the grounds.

Straight after this, Daley Thompson, Colin Jackson, Denise Lewis and Jamie Baulch (a relay team of Oh My God times four) will display their sadistic side, putting the group through circuit training on the seafront. It will make everyone (well, this writer) ache for the rest of the day but will be a) tremendous fun and b) tick off the niche bucket list entry that reads “be amusingly humiliated in front of strangers by a double Olympic gold medallist whose autograph you had when you were a child”. Well, it was ticked off my bucket list. Possibly nobody else’s.

It might have been painful, it might have been a reminder to me that I could probably lose a stone and a half and still not look like I’ve hit double helpings of Ozempic, but by goodness it was fun. Just a great way to spend a few days. And that wasn’t it. Elsewhere Rebecca Adlington was carrying out swimming coaching in the hotel’s impeccable indoor pool, rowers Vicky Thornley and Ric Egington took people out on the water, and diver Leon Taylor held meditation classes.

If that wasn’t enough, Strictly Come Dancing stars Ian Waite, and James and Ola Jordan, held dance exercise classes. In Ian’s case it’s FitStep, while James and Ola demonstrate the Dance Shred routines that they developed to help shed their lockdown pounds. 

The Wellness event, co-ordinated by Jamie, his partner Cheryl Hicks and their company Call Bruce, may have been a one-off (at least for the moment), but fitted perfectly into Anda Barut’s vibe. Wherever you looked for 72 hours, you could find sweating and energetic guests pushing themselves, while thoroughly enjoying it. And then the massive hotel complex was the perfect place to kick back. 

Eight swimming pools - including the one used by Rebecca Adlington - several of which were infinity pools, providing the perfect place to gaze at the sea. Eleven places to eat, which as it is an all-inclusive resort, gives a huge choice to all guests looking for a holiday which takes them away from everyday chores, leaving only “what shall I eat” and “where shall I sit” as the day’s pressing questions.

The food was amazing. The main Zestful buffet restaurant was astonishing enough - dishes ranging from roast quail to kofte kebabs, via every dressed green salad you can think of, but that was only dipping your toe into what was available. The outdoor, but covered, Fish restaurant served beautiful fresh seabass (on the evening of our visit, that was the only main course but nobody complained) after a selection of delicate Turkish meze dishes. With the sea lapping the shore a hundred yards or so away, and an Efes beer refilled on demand, truly relaxation was achieved.

And for more conventional R&R there is a spa, complete - obviously - with a Turkish bath and expert masseurs. As well as relaxing, there is plenty at Anda Barut to get up to, even without Olympian assistance. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, and a football pitch.

There’s just a quick walk down to the beach, for those who fancy a dip in the sea. There’s also the water park, which has both child-friendly features such as a splash pool, jets, a climbing frame and so on, and slides of various adrenaline levels, building up to the King Cobra. 

And while it’s great that children are firmly catered for, one of the advantages of the hotel is its zones. There is the family section - with a shallow pool and a sandy, beach-like surround, which is nearest to the water park. As well as the sections with apartments in, which form their own areas, there’s the central Community section, which welcomes all - and there’s the Adult section, also with its own pool (and pool bar). The dividing lines between each section are distinct, but not strict, as they are broken up by the blocks of hotel apartments. 

It means that different worlds can coexist within a few hundred yards. While we were there, one afternoon a pool party with thumping techno ringing out was in full swing on the adult side, with guests dressed up as Romans, so togas aplenty. Walk five minutes to the other side of the resort, and not only could you not hear the music, but you could visit the patisserie and enjoy a delicate piece of Turkish delight or cake, washed down with a small but strong Turkish coffee. Truly, something for everyone.