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November 1, 2010 — Haile Gebrselassie is headed to New York City and, like always, he's planning to win, reports USA Today.
The 37-year-old Ethiopian widely considered the greatest distance runner ever has set a host of world records, won two Olympics golds and captured eight world titles in events ranging from the 1,500 meters right up to the marathon.
Now, for the first time, he is running in the New York City Marathon, saying he isn't worried about setting a record there, just winning. Seventeen years after his first world title, he's in no mood to wind down his incredible career.
"Why should I retire? Why should I say I will retire in three or four years? You retire the very moment you utter those words," Gebrselassie told The Associated Press at his office in the Ethiopian capital. "I still think about doing more."
Gebrselassie clearly likes to keep busy.
That's evident in his office on the eighth floor of his Alem Building, which is named after his wife. He has a string of business interests, including a car dealership, a cinema, real estate and a newly opened hotel to watch over.
He smiles a lot. He jokes. People leave his presence laughing. He likes to dress casually he's wearing a short sleeve black shirt and always seems at ease.
Yet you know every second counts here, as it does when he's running. His cell phone doesn't stop ringing. Aides constantly walk in with papers for him to sign. And he still has to make time to train in his gym down on the ground floor, to run, and to set new marks.
Getting Gebrselassie, who is famous for carefully picking his events, to run the streets of the five boroughs has been a long journey for race organizer Mary Wittenberg.
"It's been a more than 10-year recruiting effort," the New York Road Runners CEO and president said. "We have always wanted the greatest ever in our event. And, in this case, Haile is the greatest ever."
Wittenberg said that she and two of her colleagues from the NYRR traveled to Ethiopia in April this year to spend some time with Gebrselassie in his home country and continue their campaign. It finally paid off.
She pointed to a five-hour road trip in Gebrselassie's car as helpful in gradually persuading him to run.
"There was no one final 'pitch' or 'hard sell,'" Wittenberg said. "Just a constant drumbeat: 'Come run New York!'"
Source: USA Today