Tucson’s Abdirahman outraces Father Time

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Abdi Abdirahman, 44, is considered by many for his marathon best time, but with the right training, patience and consistency, he has found the ideal balance to compete in his fifth Olympic Games. (Photo by Stu Forster / Getty Images)

PHOENIX – At 44, Abdihakim ‘Abdi’ ​​Abdirahman defied the odds to become the oldest U.S. runner ever to join an Olympic team. Thanks to small adjustments to his training plan and a heightened awareness of the needs of his body, he will compete in the marathon at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“Ultimately, we have to realize that we are human,” said the Tucson resident. “If you are doing something and you don’t feel well, you don’t enjoy it, and you feel tired, you need to give your body time to recover.”

Minor injuries occurred at key points in Abdirahman’s career, the most devastating at the 2012 Olympics. Although he felt in the best shape of his life, he had to abandon the race with a knee injury. Even so, he continued to develop and took part in his fifth Olympic Games.

The many great races still outweigh the bad ones and the injuries.

“All long distance runners will have injuries. They have fatigue problems, stress fractures, ”said Dave Murray, his professional and former college coach at the University of Arizona.

“If you run a distance of up to 160 kilometers per week, you sometimes twist your ankle and your hip starts to bother you, which has happened to Abdi a couple of times.”

Although many world-class marathon runners can easily run 120 to 130 miles per week, Murray said that through trial and error, they determined the mileage that works for Abdirahman’s body.

“We’ve experimented with this in the past and it seems that every time I say, ‘OK, let’s try 110-115 miles a week,’ he comes back with some kind of aches, pains, and fatigue, so we do right away fall down by around 100. ”

Jeffery Taylor-Hass, an orthopedic physical therapist who specializes in sports and running injuries, admitted that Abdirahman “needed to find the right formula for training, rest, recovery, and probably a good dose of happiness. Because even if you feel like you’ve ticked all the boxes, you can still get injured.

“Most people are considered master runners by the age of 35. Age is usually the deciding factor whether you are a beginner, intermediate or master runner. With increasing age in the Masters phase, the maximum speed, maximum endurance and muscle strength usually decrease steadily, which is usually reflected in slower running times. “

But he’s not the usual for Abdirahman, as seen with a marathon qualifying time of 2:10:03 to finish third in the US Olympic Marathon Trials.

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Physiological changes are inevitable with age, but Abdirahman’s simplistic mindset and minor adjustments to his recovery have contributed to his longevity.

“We look at our bodies like racing cars,” said Abdirahman. “You can’t just use it every other week and not wait.”

His 6am workout is usually followed by a nutritious meal and an afternoon nap. As the day progresses, his recovery continues, with stretching, lifting, and physical therapy sessions to make sure “everything is in tune”.

He’s made only minor changes to his food choices since college, other than being able to afford more nutritious organic foods as a professional athlete. And his favorite food is still his native Somali beef or lamb stew with rice.

Patience and persistence are evident, from his lifestyle choices to his decision to keep the same coach since college. Abdirahman credits Murray for seeing him run outside and offering him a scholarship to run at the University of Arizona after completing two years at Pima Community College.

Abdirahman wasn’t the best runner then – he was just starting out in college – but Murray knew his stride pattern would be a good runner. And the moment he asked Abdirahman who he was after spotting him on the street, Murray said that Abdirahman’s personality had become clear.

“Abdi is 44 years old and will be 18,” Murray said with a chuckle. “He’s got that kind of personality, just a fun-loving guy.”

A coach-athlete relationship spanning more than 20 years makes it possible to coach Abdirahman remotely.

“I know Abdi like a book,” said Murray. “I don’t have to be with Abdi every day of his training. If he’s in Flagstaff, I’m not moving to Flagstaff. I correspond by phone and tell him what to do this time.

“When he’s in Tucson, we’ll train together, but I don’t run with him. I’m 79. “

Since Abdirahman is very self-confident and knows what works after all these years, Murray is confident that the runner can train himself at this point.

Abdirahman believes the continuity of the same coach has helped him develop.

“Sometimes people want to change coaches when things don’t go well. But they have to remember that every time you change a coach, you are put back a year or two because you have to start over, ”said Abdirahman.

Your connection is deep.

“Our relationship became more than a coach and an athlete,” said Abdirahman. “I became a member of his family. He became a father figure for me.

“I share my problems with him and it makes it a lot easier to share my feelings while running. As an athlete, you sometimes have a tendency to hide minor injuries if that doesn’t sideline you, but it is important that your trainer is in tune with your body in order to tailor the workout accordingly. ”

And while Abdi enjoys exercising, the persistence and commitment not to overtrain has helped him, Murray said.

“As long as he goes into the race and is healthy he will be competitive,” said Murray. “I just want him to be competitive and when he finishes the race he’ll be happy.

“I don’t care if it’s a podium or 10th or 12th place.”

But for Abdirahman his goal is not just to run, but to win a medal.

“There are some who are favorites when you look at the paper,” he said. “But the favorite doesn’t always win. … If they had known who was going to win, they should have given the medals and no reason to run and have a party.

“Give yourself a chance, keep doing what gets you there.”

The men’s marathon begins August 8th in Sapporo, Japan.

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