I think if you come first with a new world record, that is the best.

I used to run to school, 10k every day. And this at altitude, perfect preparation, really.

I wanted to be famous. I wanted people to talk about me.

Many people know that Ethiopia is poor. When I break a world record, maybe people get to know something else about Ethiopia, something good. We can't make planes or cars, we don't have the materials. We do what we can.

You know the marathon in my country is just exceptional. It's like soccer in England. If England win the world cup and Ethiopia win the marathon - it's the same.

Age for me is just a number.

When I wake up at 5 in the morning is it just to jog? Definitely not, I give it all of my efforts.