Running Insight

32 runninginsight.com ©2017 Formula4media LLC. 32 runninginsight.com ©2017 Formula4media LLC. Meb Tops the Podium at TRE Capping off a busy and emotional year, Meb Keflezighi was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Running Event during the annual awards dinner in Austin. Keflezighi received the award from his good friend and fellow marathoner Deena Kastor, who praised him as "an inspiration" to her and so many other runners. His acceptance speech was vintage Meb: humble, funny and honest as he talked about his career and his family and gave thanks to his sponsors and supporters. "My parents brought me and my siblings to this country from Eritrea to have a better life and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had," he said. Keflezighi told how his parents would wake the children at 4:30 each morning to learn English from a dictionary before everyone went to school or work. While he was in middle school, a gym teacher promised a T-shirt to who ever could run a sub-six-minute mile. Young Meb ran it in 5:10 and fell in love with running. "Wanting that T-shirt changed my life," he said. Keflezighi also thanked his sponsors (see list at left), singling out Skechers, who signed him after he was dropped by Nike in 2011 and was without a shoe deal for seven months. "I thought about retiring then, but I also felt I had a personal best left in me." After signing with Skechers, Keflezighi fin- ished fourth in the 2012 London Olympics and then famously won the Boston mara- thon, one year after the event was marred by a terrorist attack. n PRESENTED BY: Deena Kastor introduced Meb Keflezighi as he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Meb's Sponsors Skechers Footwear & Apparel CEP Socks Epson Wearable Technology Elliptigo Training Bikes Generation Ucan Super Starch New York Athletic Club Krave Jerky KT Tape Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape Maui Jim Sun Glasses MEB KEFLEZIGHI American Running Legend LIFETIME ACHIEVIEMENT AWARD

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