“Out of Thin Air” Book Review: A Deep Look Into Ethiopian Running Culture
January 12, 2021
Modern distance running has two superpowers. Nowhere is that more apparent than the marathon, where 89 of the 100 fastest men in history hail from either Ethiopia (42) or Kenya (47).
Part of our job, as chroniclers of the sport, is to share these athletes’ stories; it is a disservice to simply refer to them as “the Africans.” And over the last decade, that task has become easier. Everyone from the
New York Times to
GQ have written about
Eliud Kipchoge, whose charisma, wisdom, and unparalleled ability have made him the biggest distance running star in Kenya’s storied history. The rise of social media has also allowed athletes to share their personalities directly with the world (I challenge anyone not to smile while watching Olympic 1500 champion