Day without running is like a day without eating: Gebrselassie

Ethiopia's legendary distance-runner 'King' Haile Gebrselassie said he could not imagine a life without running

“For me, a day without running is like a day without eating... it’s like going without food. If you need to cleanse your brain, you should get up, go out and sweat it out.u00a0

Running is not about just competitions. You run to win over yourself, that’s the most important lesson in life,” said the 39-year-old Ethiopian legend, appointed brand ambassador of the 2013 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist (10,000m in 1996, 2000) said he looked forward to running in the Mumbai Marathon next year.

“I’d love to run the Mumbai Marathon next time but not as a competitor. I’d love to simply run around the city to feel its vibrancy,” said Gebrselassie, who compared the rivalry in distance running between Ethiopia and Kenya to that in cricket between India and Pakistan. “The Kenyans can’t do without the Ethiopians and vice versa. Can you do without Pakistan (in cricket)? You need each other. It’s a good fierce fight,” he said.u00a0

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