A postcard from Addis Ababa

… or: one way to stay on top of your training plan when away from home – Martin takes up the story: 

‘I was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on business, and the company I was visiting arranged for me to meet with Haile Gebrselassie. What a lovely bloke! Very friendly, tiny and with the biggest smile!

‘We chatted for a while about his marathon times, my times, his Olympic & World gold medals, and his world records. I told him about Striders and some of my PBs for various distances, and I’d been in a few of the same races as him – marathons in Berlin, London and Rotterdam - but a good 45 minutes behind him! He was very diplomatic!

‘We took a few photos, and then I asked him if he could recommend somewhere to train as I’d be in Addis Ababa for a few days. That’s when he invited me to train with him the following day. I was stunned. 

‘We met at his gym, where none of the other gym goers seemed the least bit interested in the superstar in their midst, and took to the treadmills. This was a good idea, given he trains at 4:30 pace and I’m at 6:30. After 10K we did some spinning on the bike, followed by another 10K on the treadmill. 

‘It was tough: Addis Ababa is at altitude, making running hard work - it felt like a constant, invisible hill. We finished with some stretches and a massage. 

‘He has invited me to meet up with him again if I’m back in Addis Ababa and I gave him an open invitation to run with the Striders if ever he needed somewhere close to London to train! 

‘I wished him luck against Mo in the Great North Run – the race will have three generations of great distance runners, with Bekele there too. 

His response: do you realise how old I am now?!”’

Martin