He Started Running in College—Then Made Five Olympic Teams | Abdi Abdirahman

Abdi Abdirahman arrived in the United States as a refugee from Somalia in 1990. He spoke no English, settled with his family in Tucson, Arizona, and went through high school without ever competing as a runner. He did not discover the sport until his sophomore year at Pima Community College. Abdi showed up to his first practice wearing jeans and boots. Despite having no formal training, he finished second on the team. One week later, he ran 15:05 and won the 5,000 meters in his first track meet. That unexpected beginning launched one of the most remarkable careers in American distance running. Abdi became a four-time U.S. champion in the 10,000 meters and represented the United States at five Olympic Games across more than two decades. At 43, he finished third at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and qualified for his fifth Olympic team. He also became the oldest male runner to reach the podium at the New York City Marathon. In this conversation, Abdi shares the story of leaving Somalia during civil war, adjusting to life in America, accidentally discovering his talent, racing legends like Meb Keflezighi and Haile Gebrselassie, and building a professional career that lasted far longer than almost anyone expected. He also opens up about the business behind professional running, the evolution of marathon training and super shoes, making money through prize purses and appearance fees, and why experience becomes so important over 26.2 miles. Today, Abdi divides his time between Tucson and Ethiopia, where he helps coach and mentor the next generation of elite runners. This is a conversation about talent, longevity, humility, and continuing to show up long after other people think your opportunity has passed. Thank you to our sponsors Our Title Sponsor ROKA: www.roka.com/ Code “RIDEOUT” Timeline: timeline.com/rideout Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ Chapters (00:00) Welcome Abdi (01:07) Somalia to Tucson (02:15) Starting Running Late (04:01) Jeans and Boots Debut (06:16) Scholarship to Arizona (08:26) Somalia Childhood (10:17) Sponsor Break (11:55) NCAA to Pro Life (13:11) Olympics and Selection (16:39) Masters Mindset (20:08) Shoe Deals and Money (23:58) Ethiopia and Altitude (27:12) Career Highlights (30:11) Training and Workouts (35:40) Boston 2018 Survival (36:52) Mitochondria Ad Read (37:19) Mitochondria Support Plug (38:25) Cold Rainy Race Start (39:49) Favorite Races Debate (40:44) Marathon Pacing Lessons (45:35) Fueling And Gel Evolution (47:30) Ultras And Recovery Runs (51:03) Biggest Wins And Coaches (54:44) Ethiopia Camp And Rivalries (59:10) Shoe Deals And Super Shoes (01:09:38) Community Book And Farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices