How to run like an Ethiopian

Here's some convincing evidence that Nike or Adidas do not want you to hear. It's no secret that Ethiopians can run, and, along with Kenya, it's one of the only countries where running is the top national sport. The main square in Addis Ababa (Meskel) has a running track where you can see hundreds of locals training at speeds as fast as you can sprint 100m on a good day.

On our last morning in Gondar, we were lucky enough to stumble into an elite 10km race. Even better, it was 4 x 2.5 km loops that ran right past the balcony of our hotel. All of the 40 or so runners finished under 32 minutes, with the winners around 28 minutes! The world record (held by an Ethiopian) is only a minute quicker.

Now, here's what they were wearing:



And a closer look at those fancy shoes:


Most have on a pair of sandals (20 Ethiopian Birr, a bit less than US$3), which are readily available from most Ethiopian markets. They're a bit like Crocs, but with slightly harder plastic. A few were even barefoot for a race run on tarmac and cobblestones.

I think an Olympic marathon was won by a barefood Ethiopian 40 to 50 years ago, but they still run mostly barefoot in this age of high-tech shoe design. Faster than I'll ever run in fancy shoes. Maybe a lifestyle of walking 50+km a day (at altitude) has more to contribute to the 28 minute 10K than the shoes. Sorry, Nike and Adidas.