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How Austinites Choose to Move: Gilbert Tuhabonye
RUNNING
Gilbert Tuhabonye believes in “running with joy.”
As a kid growing up in Burundi in east Africa, Gilbert got his start in running early on, running nearly 3-5 miles everyday to the creek to transport water for his family. This earned him an early reputation as a fast runner, and he carried it into both his high school career as well as college career at Abilene Christian University, earning multiple conference and national championship titles.
However, it’s evident Gilbert’s talent was meant for a higher purpose than solely winning races.
In October 1993, during the Burundian civil war, members of the Hutu tribe invaded Gilbert’s high school and captured him, as well as over 100 other Tutsi children and teachers. While many were beaten to death, the rest were set afire to be burned to death, including Gilbert. After eight hours spent beneath his burning peers, Gilbert managed to escape out of the fire and jump from the building, running into freedom despite the severe burns he endured.
After surviving the fire, Gilbert sprung into a new life in the U.S. and ultimately landed in Austin after graduating from ACU. Here he has become an influential leader in the running community and a source of inspiration to many — runner or not. In 2002, he began a running training group, Gilbert’s Gazelles, which is now one of the largest running groups here. He also coaches the cross country team at St. Andrews high school.
In 2006, after many were inspired by his book, This Voice in My Heart, Gilbert co-founded the Gazelle Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps to serve the needs of the Burundian people with access to clean water and other resources while also spreading awareness of the global water crisis locally. The foundation hosts a beneficiary running event, The Run for the Water, every fall.
“When I think about running with joy, I think about this gift we’re given, this gift God gave us to enjoy,” Gilbert says. “Running is free therapy you can get for yourself. It only requires shoes and clothes and getting outside. And if you live in Austin, it’s even better, because there is a trail — I call it a treasure...To be able to put one leg in front of the other, clear my head and enjoy the moment becomes a joy — I’m a blessed man, let’s put it that way.”
