Humble Haile Gebrselassie has a unique outlook on how to live life

by Matt Monaghan

Dubai -For a man of such awe-inspiring achievements, Haile Gebrselassie is remarkably disarming in person.

The wiry 41-year-old is an elite member of the long-distance running pantheon, rising from a farm in Ethiopia to become a double Olympic gold medallist and five time world champion over 10,000m.

As if that success wasn’t enough, nine marathon victories – including a trio of consecutive triumphs at the Dubai Marathon from 2008 to 2010 – followed in the second half of his career after turning his hand to the most grueling racing discipline in the world.

Gebrselassie mixed freely at the Mall of the Emirates yesterday evening (Wednesday) at Adidas’ Supernova Glide Boost stand, raising cheers as he gamely pounded the floor pads on a marathon simulator.

Bedecked in his sponsors’ gear at their store, he was even mistaken for a shop attendant as a child inquired whether he had one of the German brand’s trainers in a size 6.

Read more at: Sport360.com