No Sweat for Geb – well, maybe a little

What does it take to make Haile Gebrselassie sweat? As I found out at the Adidas Running Camp in Carson, California, it takes a pace of about 2:50 per kilometre (or 4:36 per mile) on a treadmill set up in the blazing midday sun. In a demonstration meant to show off the Adidas ClimaCool apparel, the real focus of attention was on the Ethiopian distance star, who put on an entertaining show for the 15 or so journalists at the event.

Gebrselassie spent about 20 minutes warming up on the high-end Woodway treadmill, wearing a regular cotton T-shirt. By the time the reporters gathered around him, sweat was beginning to soak through the shirt. Using a heat-sensing camera aimed at Gebrselassie’s chest, the Adidas reps pointed to a nearby video monitor to show his rising body temperature.

After Gebrselassie stopped briefly to switch from the cotton shirt into his yellow racing singlet, the fun began. He brought the pace back up again and I yelled out to him, “Haile, how fast are you running now?” Leaning forward to get a better look at the display, he said. “Four thirty-six mile.” This was slightly faster than his marathon world-record pace and it looked like a brisk jog. With a mischievous grin, Gebrselassie poked at the treadmill controls, quickly declaring, “Four eighteen per mile,” and finally, “Four-minutes per mile!” Wiping sweat off his face with a towel, Gebrselassie maintained the four-minute-mile pace (2:30/km) for almost a minute, finishing up by raising both arms in the air, to cheers from the crowd. Apparently, the singlet works.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSp1r1QhUSY[/youtube]

A full report on the Adidas Running Camp will appear in the July issue of Canadian Running.