I‘ve done some fun, lively and atmospheric races in my time, but yesterday will always be the greatest. Not for time – if I say this isn’t a PB course, I might well be in the running for understatement of the century – but for sheer thrilling, exuberant, noisy atmosphere. About 37,000 people (the official number; judging by the counterfeit-looking race T-shirts, I suspect some racecrashers may have made the tally even higher) were taking part in Africa’s biggest race, up and down the hills of Addis Ababa for 10km. At altitude. In full sun.
The start wasn’t a start, it was a riot – the picture above shows runners held back, barely, by baton-wielding police. And the sheer noise! Spontaneous bursts of sound as hundreds of people suddenly started chanting or singing. Or dancing. Or running in zigzags. Or stopping to pose after 500m.
I will be writing more about the Great Ethiopian Run soon, and no doubt boring everyone I know, both virtually and in real life, with my picture of me and Haile Gebrselassie (and the post-race party at his house …) But now over to you! How was your weekend running? I’m pretty smug in the knowledge that it is unlikely to top mine …
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