Nairobi,(insidesomalia.org)- He sprinted toward the Drachman Stadium finish line in his knock-kneed style, going faster than it looked, in the last of his 12 400-meter workout laps.

Tucsonan Abdi Abdirahman passed Dave Murray with the coach's stopwatch poised in the air, and he couldn't help it - he flashed for the billionth time his million-dollar smile.

He knows he's fortunate to have escaped from probable disaster. He could have ended up carrying a gun for an African tribe in a mutual war of extinction.

"I'm more American than people who were born here," Abdirahman says, quite seriously. "A lot of times you don't appreciate what you have until it's taken away from you."

Or more specifically, when you haven't had it.

A one-time Somalian refugee, he has reached that celebrity status, at least for people in his long-ago adopted hometown of Tucson. He's known by just his first name.

He loves to show off his West Side gated community home, his GMC Denali, even his hat collection. In the coming Olympics in Beijing, his name may become more universal.

Abdirahman has an irrepressible charisma and likability, likes to be known as the "Black Cactus" or "Mayor of Tucson."

But celebrity and material blessings - all because of his ability to run fast - will never replace humility.

"I've seen both sides," said Abdirahman, who set his personal record in the 10,000 meters earlier this month at the Prefontaine Classic (27 minutes, 16.99 seconds). "Coming from a third-world country, it's an honor to be an American. When did I realize it most? In the opening ceremony at Sydney (2000 Olympics) when all the great athletes came marching into the stadium."

Abdi became a U.S. citizen right before the Olympics. He came to the U.S. from Kenya at age 12 when his father gained employment in Tucson. His family left Somalia amid civil war when he was 5.

He attended Tucson High School and Pima Community College and later, after being "discovered" by Murray, then the head University of Arizona track and field and cross country coach, was a two-year All-American in the 5,000, the 10,000 and in cross country for the Wildcats.

Among other notable accomplishments, he has run the 10K in the last two Olympics, goes for a third at the Olympic Trials in early July and vows to be in England in the 2012 Olympics as a U.S. marathon participant.

The UA part of Abdi's story bears constant repeating as another example of wondrous circumstance. He had never run competitively until UA's Martin Keino, son of Kenyan legend Kip Keino, got his attention and offered both his example and advice.

"I never thought about running at all," Abdi said. "Then my second semester at Pima, (Keino) and friends I knew from Pima were running at UA."

Then comes maybe the most profound understatement he'll ever make: "I surprised myself and a lot of people."

Murray, now retired as UA's coach, was a hard case at first, even when told Abdi had run just under 15 minutes for a 5K and under 31 minutes for the 10K.

"All I saw was a time," Murray said. "No way could I give him a full scholarship. Not even a partial. I told him, 'walk on and maybe if you do well, you'll get a partial one.' "

Seeing is believing.

"He would be out in the foothills running with my team," Murray said. "Even though he didn't have the (competitive performances), you knew this guy could be good. I don't want to stereotype, but here was another skinny African, and those guys are fast. I took a chance and gave him a full scholarship. People thought I was crazy."

Murray has always been Abdi's post-UA coach and oversees Abdi's workouts, most either in the desert near Tucson or in Flagstaff, where he labored six months preparing for the Olympic Marathon Trials held last November. Because of his surging speed and endurance - he once laughingly said the rock band Musiq inspired it - he was listed as a favorite.

But a lingering hip injury that occurred after a groin pull killed his chances at mile 19 with Abdi among the leaders.

"In every race you learn something," he said, and in this case, he learned not to overdo it. The groin pull came in the high altitude when he decided to add some miles to an 18-mile workout.

Abdi now runs with his smarts as well as his long legs, grit and stout heart. Just making the Olympics was an honor.

"Training for the (marathon trials), I was doing 120-to-140 miles a week, but with the 10K it was 60-to-70," he said. "I have been one of the most consistent runners in the U.S. all these years. Other athletes don't last as long.

"Coach Murray is all about getting to know his athletes and he has known what will work for me. I'm running well and just peaking. It's how you train your body and how you monitor your workouts."

But first things first. He is the favorite in the 10K Trials.

"I'm going to run on the Fourth of July," he said.