Running has been a constant in my life since I was young. I’ve always liked the fairness that running offered – in running you always know who is faster. It evens the playing field, especially for a country like Ethiopia – no fancy equipment needed. However, the Ethiopic Running Experience is about more than running. It is about using running as the catalyst to see the real Ethiopia – away from the Land Cruiser laid tourist track and into genuine interactions with people that have stories to tell.
I first came to Ethiopia in 2010 as a Peace Corps Volunteer knowing absolutely nothing of the history or culture of the ancient country. I still struggle to describe this country – so steeped in history and tradition, while going through a rapid phase of development. It bridges an old world culture with a modern global society.
Running has always been a meditative process for me. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, it allowed me to decompress, but, at the same time, my runs through the Ethiopian countryside helped me gain perspective. I saw children traveling much further than I was running on their way to or from school. The same can be said for day-laborers who had to work because their farmland was unproductive. My heart would jump as I startled a family of warthogs who would charge away like bulldozers through the grass. And the sunsets… the sunset over the rift valley is spectacular.
I created the Ethiopic Running Experience because I know that, through running, I can allow others to fall in love with this country the same way I did.
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