Tuesday training with an Ethiopian twist!

There was a nice surprise awaiting the Harriers at this week's Tuesday night training session. When they got to the tennis club to meet for the run they found that Berihu Tesfay, the talented runner from Ethiopia who has been staying with Cathy and Pete Newman for the summer, was going to join them on a training run and maybe impart some of his secrets as to how he manages to run so darn fast!

Berihu has been staying with Cathy and Pete who met him in Wukro, Ethiopia, where they have been working as volunteers for the VSO for the past year. Cathy, a former international athlete herself, instantly recognised the love that many Ethiopians have for the sport of running and how, for many of them, being a successful runner and perhaps one day having the chance to compete for their country is their main goal and motivation to train hard. However, whilst many of these athletes are naturally talented and are prepared to work long and hard to achieve their goals, they are disadvanted in that they invariably cannot afford to buy decent running kit. Many of them run in whatever they can, sometimes just plastic sandals. They are also lacking in quality facilities, having to train on rutted and pitted dirt tracks and dusty roads. How wonderful then that Cathy and Pete came along and founded the 'Wukro-Devon Running Project'. You can read all about this project and its aims on the blog here: http://www.ironbridgerunnerevents.co.uk/wukro/

On Tuesday Berihu gave a candid and poignant speech in which he explained why budding athletes in Ethiopia sometimes need that extra bit of help from elsewhere in order for them to realise their full potential. He then went on to explain how Cathy, Pete and the Wukro-Devon Project - which has received sponsorship from Exmouth Harriers and Iron Bridge Runner - has already had an impact on athletes like Berihu and his fellow runners in Wukro. The biggest way in which an individual can help is by donating any unwanted running kit. New or nearly new kit, of any colour, shape and size, will be VERY well received and appreciated. See the project blog for details on how to go about making a donation.

After the speech it was time for Berihu to strut his stuff and put the rest of the Harriers to shame as he bounded effortlessly along, chatting away to everyone and not even breaking a sweat! Berihu talked about all the different running experiences that he's had over here in the UK this summer, which include sampling three different running tracks, taking part in some high quality races and his victory in the tough Haytor Heller off-road race, in which he also set a new course record! With performances like these, maybe we should be watching out for Berihu making a name for himself on the international circuit at some point in the future....


Berihu celebrates his victory and course record in the Dartmoor Haytor Heller race with fellow Harriers Mark Thompson and Hugh Marsden