Olympic hopeful trains in sewers

Urige Buta has high hopes of making Norway's Olympic marathon team - and is training in an underground sewage pipe to make it happen.

Urige Buta has high hopes of making Norway’s Olympic marathon team, and has found a unique way of training during the harsh Scandinavian winter. He’s training in an underground sewage pipe.

Buta, a former Ethopian refugee, has lived in Norway since 2003 and became a citizen last year, according to an article on the Metro website. Buta is a school janitor by day who also happens to have a marathon PB of 2:09.

Buta, however, has had to adjust to running in the cold and snow – quite a change from his native Africa. Instead of running outside, he has trained by running up and down a mile-long service tunnel build for sewage pipes.

When he first arrived in Norway, Buta told Metro that he was fascinated by the snow. “When it snowed, I kept trying to catch the flakes but it always melted in my hands,” he told Metro. “But after three days the excitement was over and it was just very, very cold.”

Buta must also build his training schedule around his job, but his employers have said they will give him paid leave to prepare for the London Olympics. It’s also possible Buta will finish in the top 12 of the men’s marathon.

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget