By: Amy Begley, Coach- Atlanta Track Club
Not everyone instantly falls in love with running. Sometimes the sport is an acquired taste.
Kirubel Erassa may be an elite runner now, but in high school he was ready to quit after a mile. Kirubel, who moved to the Atlanta area at the age of 11 from Ethiopia, played soccer first. After his freshman season in high school, he tried track. He ran his first JV mile in 4:58, promptly threw up and didn’t want to run ever again.
That decision was short lived. Once Kirubel witnessed another Ethiopian immigrant run the 2-mile, he was inspired. Kirubel ended up not only sticking with track, but taking on cross country as well – becoming one of the top high school runners in Georgia’s history.
Kirubel went on to become a standout athlete at Oklahoma State University, where, among his many successes, he led his team to its first Big 12 Indoor Championships. After graduation, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in running.
With Kirubel’s impressive background and his ties to Georgia, signing with Atlanta Track Club Elite made sense. We’re happy Kirubel decided to come back to Atlanta. He is a talented and tough racer. He certainly proved that when he ran two miles of the USATF Club Cross Country National Championships with only one shoe – a performance that ended up earning him a spot on Team USA at the 2016 Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country Meet in Scotland. And he has big goals ahead of him, including making the U.S. team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships and competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials this year.
Whether you are just now starting to run or you are a seasoned runner who is going through a rough patch, remember there are good days and bad days. Don’t give up – you don’t know how far those running shoes will take you!
Amy Begley is the head coach of Atlanta Track Club, the second largest running organization in the United States. She competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in the 10,000M and placed sixth in the 2009 IAAF World Championships in the same distance with a personal best 31:13, making her the eighth-fastest American woman in history. Her 5,000M personal best is 14:56. Begley finished her professional career with six national titles.