Fate Tola set a personal best in 2012 at the Berlin Marathon and then took time off to have her daughter Samiya in 2013. She has started to return to form and last year won the Frankfurt Half Marathon, placed seventh at the Vienna City Marathon, won the Bad Liebenzell German 10K Championships in 31:56, and finished tenth place at the Berlin Marathon. Tola is a two-time winner of the Vienna Marathon, winner of the Thessaloniki Marathon, and runner-up of the Turin Marathon. Of her first Boston appearance she says, “Running the Boston Marathon is a first for me for competing in the United States, and I have nothing to lose. I will run bold to try to win the race.” Tola’s best half marathon is a 1:09:38, achieved at the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. German elite runner Irina Mikitenko coaches Tola.

Since 2011, Tola has lived in Germany with her husband, Musa Roba-Kinkal, and she is currently seeking German citizenship. She enjoys spending as much time with her family as possible, watching tennis on television, dancing, and eating German bread.

“ Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”