World champion to lead running programs at The Trailhead

Abdi Bile hopes to inspire a new generation of Somali runners

World champion runner Abdi Bile (left) trains (from left to right) Said Aden, Mohamed Salad, and Mohammed Bati as part of his elite runners program at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park on Oct. 23. Photo by David Pierini

By Abdi Mohamed Staff Reporter

Having inspired millions of his fellow Somalis with his life and career, Abdi Bile hopes to revive the spirit of his people and inspire a new generation of runners as he takes the helm of The Trailhead’s new running program in Theodore With Park.

Bile, a two-time 1500 meter champion won races in the World Championships in Rome (‘87) and the World Cup in Barcelona (‘89). He also has four Olympic appearances. Bile has represented Somalia in many competitive races around the world, making him a national hero in his native country. He now aims to galvanize Somali runners here in Minnesota.

The journey that took Bile to the world stage began when he was in secondary school in Somalia. He heard the story of Jamac Karacin, a local athlete, who received a scholarship to study in the United States for his running achievements. Inspired, Bile took up the sport and eventually received his own scholarship to George Mason University in Virginia. Shortly after graduating, he transitioned professionally into the sport and earned international recognition.

Bile’s program at The Trailhead trains youth and an elite set of runners. His youth program is made up of visiting schools around the metro and spending time with dozens of students at each event. The elite program is more hands-on and is currently made up of three East African runners in their 20s. On Oct. 23, Bile coached Said Aden, Mohamed Salad, and Mohammed Bati on a brisk evening in Theodore Wirth Park. Each of the runners came from different competitive backgrounds and spend several days a week training with Bile.

Aden has been in Minneapolis for only seven months and has competed in countries like Qatar, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Aden shared his excitement to be working under Bile. “He's a world champion, having someone like that coach makes you realize these things are possible for you,” Aden said. Bile hopes to eventually launch a junior elite program that helps youth runners transition to the elite level.

Now 56, Bile hopes to motivate youth to pursue the passion that once opened many doors for him. Aside from his fellow countrymen, Bile has found himself to be an icon to individuals around the world, including Minneapolis’s own Mayor Frey.

Nearly 30 years ago, while running on a track in Northern Virginia, Bile, who was then a world champion, took a moment to speak to a young Jacob Frey about his running, convincing him to stick with the sport and offering words of support. Now Mayor of Minneapolis, Frey shared the story on his Facebook page on July 2 showing the two reuniting with a run through the city. “Last week I received a text from the one and only Abdi Bile. And this morning, I had the honor to go for a run with him once again, 27 years after we first met,” Frey said in his post.

Abdi Bile was a world champion in the 1500 meter run in 1987, a first for a Somali athlete. Today, he teaches youth and elite runners through the Loppet Foundation. Photo by David Pierini

Mayor Frey was instrumental in bringing Bile to The Trailhead after several meetings with its staff and Somali leaders from around the city. “I met with Mayor Frey and shared with him my inclination to move to this state after liking it so much,” Bile said. Bile refers to Minneapolis as the sixth state of Somalia and felt it was important to connect to the diaspora as much as the people in the Somali homeland.

Bile has taken time outside of the program to attend many different schools in the metro in order to speak with students about his story. He speaks to them in auditoriums, cafeterias, and classrooms, playing videos of his races for them to give a sense of what can be accomplished with hard work. Bile tells students that they need qualities of discipline, perseverance, and a good attitude if they want to reach their goals. He also enjoys seeing the sense of pride wash over Somali students, like those at Banaadir Academy North where he recently visited, when he shows them race footage.

“The Somali kids get really excited when they watch the race. They see the success, but secondly, they see that Somalia used to have pride. They see that they were a strong people,” Bile said.

Jon Friedell, the Director of Marketing and Sales at the Loppet Foundation, says the organization is excited to engage with the Somali community. They lead programs in cross country skiing and biking which has led them to engage with a number of different communities. They aim to make that change now that Bile is on board. “I think the first night we had about a dozen Somali kids come out. Last week we had 60 Somali kids,” Friedell said.

The swelling amount of interest has been encouraging to Bile who hopes to see more Somali youth from urban areas take advantage of The Trailhead’s programs and the space at Theodore Wirth Park. “Just having kids from neighborhoods like Cedar Riverside here, taking in the nature, seeing the animals, that in itself is a big deal,” Bile said.

Bile is still in the process of moving his family to Minnesota from Virginia as he transitions into his new role. He has three children, two boys and a girl. Both of his sons are runners with the eldest graduating from Georgetown University after having competed on the collegiate level. When asked about his hopes for his new home in Minnesota, Bile shared that he was a little wary of the upcoming weather. “I want to see if I can adapt to the winters here.”