Great Ethiopian Run 10K
The Lowdown
The Great Ethiopian Run 10K is Ethiopia's flagship road race and the largest mass-participation running event in Africa, held every year on the streets of Addis Ababa. Founded in 2001 by Olympic and world champion Haile Gebrselassie together with Peter Middlebrook and Abi Masefield, the race has grown from roughly 10,000 entrants at its first edition to more than 45,000 runners today, and 2026 marks its 26th running, with the 25th anniversary edition (2025) celebrated with fully digital registration through Telebirr and the Dashen Bank Superapp. The race is AIMS-registered and starts and finishes at Meskel Square in central Addis Ababa, looping through the city's hilly streets at an altitude of roughly 2,350 meters (7,700 feet), which makes the course notably demanding despite the flat-sounding 10 km distance. Alongside the international 10 km race, the event includes a 5 km women-only race. Runners line up in two color-coded start waves by predicted finish time, and the late-November date falls during Ethiopia's cool, dry season. The race has carried different title sponsors over the years, including TotalEnergies, Sofi Malt, and, for the 2026 edition, Bank of America, while its organizing entity is Great Ethiopian Run Events PLC. Local entry fees for the most recent (2025) edition were 790 Ethiopian birr (ETB) for the Fun Wave and 950 ETB for the Fast Wave; international participants have historically paid roughly $90 USD, though official 2026 pricing had not yet been published as of this listing.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
World-class event
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Legendary crowd support
Meskel Square (start/finish)
Africa Union (AU) Headquarters
Bole Road
National Palace (Menelik Palace) vicinity
Sidist Kilo / Addis Ababa University area
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Meskel Square, Addis Ababa
ET
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Open to all ages for the 10K, though organizers recommend a minimum age of roughly 12 for the full 10 km distance
- 5 km race restricted to women entrants only
- Runners self-select a color-coded start wave (Fun or Fast) based on expected finish time
Required Documents
- Race bib/number collected at packet pickup
- Government-issued photo ID or passport for registration verification
- Passport required for overseas/international entrants at pickup
Entry Methods
- Online/mobile registration via Telebirr and the Dashen Bank Superapp for local entrants
- Official event website (ethiopianrun.org) for international/overseas entrants
- In-person registration at designated centers in Addis Ababa before race week
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Entry fees are non-refundable and bibs are non-transferable, consistent with standard mass-participation race policy in Ethiopia
No official deferral program has been publicized; contact the organizer directly for exceptional circumstances
Addis Ababa sits at roughly 2,350 m (7,700 ft) altitude; the thin air materially slows finish times and increases perceived effort even though the course itself is only gently rolling, so runners from low-altitude cities should expect 5-10% slower paces than at sea level
The Great Ethiopian Run 10K has been recognized as the largest single road race in Africa by entrant numbers
Streets around Meskel Square and Bole Road are closed to traffic on race morning
Race day falls in Ethiopia's dry, relatively cool 'bega' season (roughly October-January), with mild highland temperatures and low rainfall probability
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