01.24.08
Rarified air (Part 2)
So Joan stole the main thunder of my post with the quote from my workout log, but that’s ok. In any case, it’s been interesting being in Ethiopia so far. Our luggage got lost somewhere in Europe (for some reason, United thought it was a good idea to send it to Paris instead of Frankfurt, where it sat for three days before finding it’s way to Addis), so I had to go buy some running shoes, as mentioned below. It’s funny that in a country with so many world class runners, there were so few running shoes to choose from (at least in the shops I checked out). I guess many of them do not have much in the way of running shoes unless they somehow break into the national team elite, at which point I guess they get shoe contracts. I went to a half dozen of these stores, and found about 3 pairs of running shoes in them all combined, and one in my size, so that was the one I ended up buying. Then I had one t-shirt and one pair of running shorts (that I had packed in my carry on, luckily), so I would run, wash, run, wash, run. But our luggage has finally arrived!
In any case, this field where I have been running recently is mostly flat, which is nice, and it’s also a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of some segment of the running scene here. I think many of the elites train in the Entoto hills around Addis, but I don’t have an easy way to get there (no car), so will probably stick to the field most days, and head for the hills on long run days when road traffic is lighter (i.e. Sundays). There are really two categories of runners at this field: elites who are obviously doing intervals and tempo like runs and fartleks, and the rest. The elites have nice warmups and shoes; the others run in more modest clothing and may or may not be wearing running shoes. Most of those have some other type of footwear.
I’m the one white guy out there, and I think that has added something unique to the mix, and is probably why I get a bunch of compliments running by even though I feel like I am dying most of the time.
I hope everyone is enjoying sea level.
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Tyler said,
January 24, 2008 at 11:21 am
I think that’s so awesome that you can go into their country, be the obvious “odd one out”, and they treat you like you’re one of them.. because you are one of them, you’re a runner.. so cool
Brent said,
January 24, 2008 at 11:32 am
thanks for blogging across the seas. hang in there bud, you will probably be able to get back up to your regular training volume at near sea level speeds very soon. then when you come back here you will be wondering why we are running so slow! small world that defar and dibaba will be running up in boston this weekend with our very own Jabaut. keep us abreast of all your adventures and look out for that terrifying east african traffic!!