Road races have been part and parcel of the annual athletics calendar for some decades now, but in Africa, they do not come much bigger than the Toyota Great Ethiopian run, whose 5th edition took place on 27 November 2005 in Addis Ababa, with the start and finish in Meskel square at the heart of the capital. Since its inaugural edition took place in 2001, the Great Ethiopian run has established itself as one of the most important races in the road racing calendar and regularly as the most eagerly-awaited social gathering in Ethiopia.
This year's edition was not different. Carrying on with the tradition of "more participants each year", more than 26,000 participants took part in making the event Africa's largest 10 kilometers road race. Two innovations for the 2005 event were a separate elite women's race with its own early start and a new course designed to accommodate the increased number of participants.The race has seen some of Ethiopia's finest runners take part in the previous four editions and there was no shortage of elites again this time. Leading Ethiopia's title defense was defending women’s champion and course record holder Genet Getaneh.
Kenya was represented by no less than eleven runners (eight men and three women) as Kenya aimed to end Ethiopia's stronghold of the event. Apart from the main elite race, there was a race between twelve ambassadors based in Ethiopia. Mr. Myles Wickstead, former British Ambassador to Ethiopia and one of the masterminds behind the Great Ethiopian run project, won the title of three consecutive years between 2001 and 2003 before concluding his term of office in Ethiopia and his successor Bob Dewar was determined to regain the British crown after losing to Dutch Ambassador Mr. Rob Vermaas last year.

The 2005 great Ethiopian run was officially opened by the world renowned Ethiopian athlete, Haile Gebreselassie and the Romania women Gabriela Szabo . In the Ambassador's race, victory went to the French Ambassador Mr. Stephan Gompertz, who again foiled the attempts of his British counterpart.

Off-road Ethiopia Tour in collaboration with Toyota, the major part of the organizing committee can reserve tickets for people who are interested in attending the 2008 great Ethiopian run. Once the fixed date is set, it is possible to combine it with tour package of the countries attraction.