Abdi Abdirahman, who edged Meb Keflezighi to win the 10,000 at the USA Championships in June, will run the 10,000 at the World Championships in Helsinki. Abdirahman, 28, ran a pair of 5000s in Europe in July - a 13:13.32 for third place in London on July 22 and a 13:13.75 for ninth in Oslo on July 29. On May 29, he ran a 27:33.47 in Hengelo for ninth place. Abdirahman was 15th in the Athens Olympic 10,000 in 2004 and tenth in the Sydney Olympic 10,000 in 2000. On the roads this spring, he won the USA 10-Mile in Louisville in 47:27 and was second in the USA 8K in New York in 22:56. Born in Somalia, Abdirahman became a U.S. citizen in 2000. He was 14th in the 2004 ING New York City Marathon in 2:17:09. He attended the University of Arizona and won two Pac-10 titles in the 5000 and one in the 10,000. Abdirahman still resides in Tucson and is coached by Dave Murray and James Li. During Tucson's hottest 110-place temperatures, Abdirahman was training at high altitude in Flagstaff. We spoke to him in Oslo on July 31 before he headed to Helsinki.
Runner's World Daily:You've run two 5000s in London and Oslo this summer. They were both 13:13s. You'll be running the 10,000 at Helsinki, so what were you hoping to learn and achieve in those 5000s?
Abdi Abdirahman: I changed a lot in the past year and a half or two years. These last two races were just to come to Europe. The first was just to get the 5000 PR and just learn how to compete in Europe correctly. Just don't be afraid of the pace, and go with the guys.
RWD: The Spring Marathons of 2025?
AA: Yeah, definitely. In both races, I ran pretty well, I think.. My confidence grows. In the first one, I just waited with the pace from the gun until the last 400 meters. I was in the race all the way.
RWD: It's been pretty good year for Americans in the 5000. In those races, there were some other Americans running some pretty good times - from Tim Broe and Adam Goucher and others. It seems to be getting to be a stronger event for Americans.
AA: Yeah, so far, it looks great. The future of American distance running the past couple of years was looking great, and this is just an example. The 5000-meter runners had to step up; the past couple of years we'd been running like a 13:25 or 13:30, and I know that an American guy would be happy if he ran a 13:25 or 13:20. But already five or six American guys have run under 13:15 (in 2005). I hope a lot of the young guys coming up will run faster the next couple of years.
RWD: The Best 1 Mile Races to Add to Your Calendar?
AA: I like the 5000. I like running 5000 in Europe. The 5000 is just a tough race. I didn't think I was that fast. The 10,000 is my main event. I'm looking at running well at the World Championships. My training has been going real well. My fitness has been great.
RWD: And there's just a final in the 10,000 in Helsinki, and the weather should be fine, so you'll probably be looking to get on the line and give it your all right off the bat.
AA: Exactly. To be realistic, I think I can be top five easily. There are just three guys from Ethiopia, they're real good. There's a couple of Kenyan guys, Moroccan guys. Everyone's beatable - besides (Kenenisa) Bekele and a couple of the Ethiopian guys. I'm just looking forward to the race. I just can't wait to get to the starting line, and just get in line and follow the pace.
RWD: Whats been your headquarters on your European tour?
AA: I think I'm capable of running 27:15, 27:20 right now. The way I've been running my 5000 In Oslo, I was right behind the rabbit from the gun until the last 800 meters. I was top three all the way. It just shows that I'm ready.
RWD: The Oslo race was the first big meet in the new stadium, right. What did you think of that, and were the Norwegian fans really excited about it?
AA: I'd never run in Oslo before. This was my first time. I thought I was in a soccer stadium, the way the people were screaming. It was just so different. I just think it's the Mecca of distance running, really. The people were so excited. When we got to the stadium, they started screaming, and they never stopped screaming until the last person crossed the finish line. I think they appreciate the distance runners a lot, that's one thing I noticed. It's a good track, too. That makes a difference.
RWD: What's been your headquarters on your European tour?
AA: London was our headquarters this year. My manager, Ray Flynn, has a lot of athletes up there. We have Ryan Hall, Ian Dobson, Luke Watson, Jonathan Riley, Alan Culpepper. We had a good group of guys who were training. We run in Richmond Park a lot. There were a lot of deer there. I was surprised when I was there the first time.
RWD: You're still very younger, but even younger guys like Ryan and Ian are now running at a higher level.
AA: Yup. I knew Ian and Ryan before. I just got to know them real well the past couple of weeks. I spent some time with them. They're really good guys. They have their head straight. They know what they want to do. They have been training harder. There first race in Europe didn't go well? in London, but they ran under 13:25. Guys in America would be pleased (with that) the last couple of years. I remember when I was in Europe the last couple of years, if I ran 13:25, I would be happy. But I told those guys ?you ran a great race,? and Ryan was in the race all the way until 800, 1200 meters to go. I think the future of American distance running? looks great. I think they're going to run well the next couple of years.
RWD: The 10,000 at the USA Championships turned out to be a battle between you and Meb Keflezighi. Chris Graff tried to stay in it for awhile, but you must be used to getting in these two-man races with Meb in the United States, right?
AA: In the last USA Championships. I knew it was going to come down to me and Meb. I didn't underestimate the other guys. I knew some of them might be there, but eventually, it was going to come down at the end that it was going to be me and Meb. And I was well-prepared for that race, and I was looking forward to racing Meb, as he was (me). We ran together all the way. As a lot of people know, we are almost the best friends, so we talked before the race and said ?we're just going to work together and see how things go, and then everyone's going to their own (way) on the last mile.? That's when the race began for us. Before that, we were just running. It was a great race. Meb ran real well. Fortunately, I just came out on top that day.
RWD: People always perceived you as a real talent, and last year we were hearing more talk about how you were finally getting really serious about the sport. Would you say your attitude and your training has changed?
AA: Exactly. My attitude towards the sport has changed. I was serious before. I don't want to say I wasn't serious, because I have been running well almost five or six years now. I haven't put any great time out there, but I've been consistent. I've been running under 28:00 every year. I've been making the World Championships team. I just didn't have a breakthrough to the international level for the 10,000 meters. I talked to Bernard Lagat; he's my training partner (in Tucson) and my best friend. He's been telling me what to do, how to race, just giving me friendly advice - don't be afraid of the pace, just go with it.? My coaches, Coach Murray and Coach Li, helped me a lot. They changed a lot of my training. Last year when I went to the Olympics, I didn't have a great race, but that gave me an itch. I couldn't wait to get back to the track after the Olympics to run, because training was going so well, so easy, with Bernard. Sometimes on tempo runs, I was just staying with him, and was telling me ?Abdi, you can stay with anyone, you're a great runner, you're so talented.? That motivates you, one of the best distance runners in the world telling you you can stay with anyone else. It just gives you confidence. You always have a rollercoaster, up and down. You just have to keep your head up. When I went to Europe and ran 27:33 (for 10,000 in Hengelo), it was effortless, actually. That was the easiest race I ever ran in my whole life. That gave me confidence, and I said 'I can run with anyone after that point.'
RWD: All About 75 Hard?
AA: Coach Murray doesn't like to look ahead of time. We take one race at a time. Our main goal is to perform well and place as high as we can at the World Championships. If I run like 27:15, I don't think I'll run in Brussels. I might just come home and start training for a fall marathon. I don't know what my plan will be. I'll probably sit down with my agent, Ray Flynn, and my Coach Dave.
RWD: You mentioned? that Meb might be your roommate in Helsinki. Do you he have the same tastes as far as music and things like that are concerned?
AA: Yeah. Yesterday (July 30, in Oslo), we went to an Eritrean Festival. It was real fun. We listened to some Eritrean music. We danced to it. It's fun sometimes to get out a little bit from a running zone, to do something else. I was with Meb and his brothers , so they treated us well. It was me, David Krummenacker, Khadevis Robinson, and Jonathan Johnson. We all went there and had some Eritrean food. We were welcomed real well. Meb was one of the guests of honor.
