LetsRun.com Makes Its First Trip to Ethiopia Tomorrow.... What Should We Know and What Do You Want to Hear!?!!

Remember to check out both Sululta (near Addis Ababa) and Bekoji (several hours away from Addis by bus). Maybe you can even meet up with the Sentayehu Eshetu if you have an Amharic interpreter.

I know a group that's putting on Ethiopia's first ever ultra relay in the coming months. The organization, Girls Gotta Run, provides scholarships to female middle school students in Bekoji (Bekele's hometown) and Soddo, and uses running as a means of building self-confidence, health, etc. They also provide a bunch of other services like business training for the parents to lift themselves out of poverty. Would be a very interesting story to cover, let me know if you're interested and I can put you in touch. Here's their site: http://www.girlsgottarun.org/

Precious Roy wrote:

What would be interesting to know is how female Ethiopian athletes feel about the new government. A lot of female runners in Ethiopia are seen as symbols of a growing feminist movement in the country. Africa is still a very patriarchal country, even in large cities where more people have been exposed to Western values. Women are expected to have children and be a house wife in Ethiopian society. So, Ethiopian female runners are seen as role models for women who do not want to be part of the traditional patriarchy. The new government's ministries in Ethiopia are half filled with women and the president is a woman. It would be interesting to find out what Ethiopian women think about this and what they think is the future for women in Ethiopia.

FMD, he's going there as a running journalist not as a friggin sociologist doing a masters degree.

Rick Sanchez wrote:

I wanna hear about the drugs, man!

You’re asking the wrong mod

wejo wrote:

Just curious on things I definitely should do from those of you who have been there

I've been there and if you want to get invited back this is one thing you definitely should know what not to do:

wejo wrote:

I'm heading to Ethiopia tomorrow. Great Ethiopian Run is flying me out as the government is trying to promote tourism.

A bit hard to believe but no one with LetsRun has ever been to Ethiopia. We've been to Kenya 3 different times, Uganda once, but never Ethiopia.

Just curious on things I definitely should do from those of you who have been there and what in particular you want to know about the Ethiopian running scene.

I'll be in Addis Ababa the whole time as it's a short trip (get their Friday-leave monday)

As the patron of the run Haile will be there, please ask for more details on his resignation from the Ethiopian athletics presidency, also does his resignation indicate that the issues facing Ethiopian athletics are too numerous and entrenched to overcome?

Also Almaz Ayana is usually invited as an inspiration to the runners. If you see her or her husband Soresa Fida, ask how her recovery from knee surgery is going and did her scan in Switzerland last week with Dr Biedirt confirm she is ready to resume training again.

Trump2020OP-the real one... wrote:

Could you get Haile Gebrselassie to sign a "Not Rupp Certified Course" LRC t-shirt for me?

Also, if you bump into any single Dibaba women ask them if they ever they've ever heard of Jamin.

Represent the U.S.A. well, don't be impolite to your Ethiopian guests.

S.O.W.P.

They would be "Ethiopian hosts", ya silly Trumper.

wejo wrote:

I'm heading to Ethiopia tomorrow. Great Ethiopian Run is flying me out as the government is trying to promote tourism.

A bit hard to believe but no one with LetsRun has ever been to Ethiopia. We've been to Kenya 3 different times, Uganda once, but never Ethiopia.

Just curious on things I definitely should do from those of you who have been there and what in particular you want to know about the Ethiopian running scene.

I'll be in Addis Ababa the whole time as it's a short trip (get their Friday-leave monday)

Is the group paying for this trip aware of your less than commanding grasp of the English language?

The injera (bread) by itself is not appetizing, but slap one or two of those 4 or 5 'sides' on it and you're in foodie heaven. If you are into coffee, a coffee ceremony as mentioned. Addis is a funky city. If you're a people watcher, lots to see.

The Ethiopians I got to know in graduate school were very humble, proud of their country, and heritage, but we’re not appreciative of questions.

Think of your trip as a listening journey.

Errors duly noted! I blame my poor proofreading skills and uneven mental charity on all the smoke in the SoCal skies.

Also, I'm still perplexed on how the Golden State can continue to elect Democrats who continue to run this once great state closer to the abyss.

Back to the thread topic. Brojos, could you tell me if there are any bowling alleys in Ethiopia? My venture for a Bagdad Bowl in Iraq never got off the dessert ground. I'm still looking for ways to bring the joys of bowling to pagan lands.

S.O.W.P.

wejo wrote:

I'm heading to Ethiopia tomorrow. Great Ethiopian Run is flying me out as the government is trying to promote tourism.

A bit hard to believe but no one with LetsRun has ever been to Ethiopia. We've been to Kenya 3 different times, Uganda once, but never Ethiopia.

Just curious on things I definitely should do from those of you who have been there and what in particular you want to know about the Ethiopian running scene.

I'll be in Addis Ababa the whole time as it's a short trip (get their Friday-leave monday)

Finally. Nice of LetsRun to focus on another country for a change. Hopefully this will lead to the end of the exhausting obsession with Kenya here as a singular object of hate for western fans of distance running and possibly open up new hunting grounds for NCAA recruiters. Kenya shouldn’t be the default go-to country because that breeds hostility everywhere.

Make connections with Ethiopian media so your readers get exposed to a different African point of view. Hopefully we’ll start to see Ethiopian newspapers linked on the front page helping to get some of the heat off us. Wish you a successful visit.

buy epo over the counter

I have lived on 2 different summers in Ethiopia. The Great Run Starts Near Janmeda which is the cross country course, If you go to the cross country course say hi to Sosi, and tell her you know Sammy (that's me), you can meet 1989 Boston Marathon Champion Abebe Mekonen he is in charge of Addis Ababa athletics federation

Also, Go To Meganana and Sileshi building you can just run into sileshi sihine, Again tell him Sammy hes a friend of mine...Now if you go to Bole Mikael go to the Gebre Gebremariam Building, he is always there, hes really nice and friendly..

One of my favorite places to go and watch training is janmeda, they train every morning in groups. Also go to some of the local training spots such as Gerji training field, or Meganana Forest (Real mountain running)

Their is a very well known yogurt shop right next to janmeda where the start of the cross country is where they put flavors in yogurt which is delicious, and they make best sandwiches

I want to hear that you went all Seppelt on them.

Find out where the EPO Lab is.

ESPN does pieces like Precious Roy described all the time and I second his motion.

next wejo you should make a trip to the UK so you can have an interview with mr butt hurt himself

dont cry about kenya and claim its people being racist...tell your boys to stop doping. russia got banned and you dont hear anyone crying like you are and guess what? kenya didnt even get a slap on the wrist

and for you wejo, please go in like a real journalist. ask about doping ask about training, ask about the kenya/ethiopia rivalry, bring up Aden, bring up the clouds of suspicion, bring up Jos talking sh*t about KB...dont just go there and kiss a$$, do like you say you do and "ask the tough questions"