6 May 2022 – “We live in uncertain times. Even if you have the best plans, these count for nothing unless you also have the knowhow and determination to make them happen.”
Dagim Teshome is the Operations Director at Great Ethiopian Run. With more than 15 years of event management experience at Ethiopia’s leading race management company, he knows a thing or two about the challenges involved in staging events.
“You could say that every year has its own particular challenges, but I would say that this past year has tested our resolve to keep doing what we love doing, despite all that has been happening in our country and around the world.”
“So it feels right to celebrate a full year of these new races which we believe is bringing both hope and fulfilment to the public here in Addis Ababa.”
Teshome is speaking about tomorrow’s anniversary race of the Entoto Park Predator Run, a monthly run in Ethiopia’s newly-opened scenic park high in the forests above Addis Ababa, which has seen a steady growth in participation numbers since its inaugural race in March 2021.
“In our first race, we had just over 150 participants. Last month that figure had increased to over 335 with registration selling out in the space of ten minutes.”
Bearing in mind also that registration opens at 6am in the morning on the last Monday of every month and that the 5km run takes place at an altitude of 3000 metres, it’s clear that this run is not for slouches.
“What’s great about this event is the way our participants keep coming back each month trying to improve their times,” says Teshome who also masterminds operations at all the company’s big annual races which include the international 10km, the Women First 5km and the Hawassa Half Marathon.
“It’s their enthusiasm that also motivates us as a team of race organizers to keep staging this race.”
“Tomorrow’s anniversary race should also be a celebration of the resilience of our event team to keep delivering quality events in the midst of our busy annual programme of races.”
Tomorrow’s 12th edition starts at the usual time of 8.30am.
