Tucson Marathon’s Most Accomplished Athlete: Bassirima Soro

I first learned of Bassirima Soro while searching through some of the history of the Tucson Marathon. Soro’s name came up frequently regarding his 6 wins from 1999 to 2004. I figured Soro was an elite runner, but what I would come to realize is that he is a man of many talents.

Bassirima Soro is also a Licensed Practical Nurse and Afro-Pop/Reggae vocalist and song writer under the stage name K-Bass residing in Tucson, Arizona.

Soro was brought up by a loving but poverty-stricken family of musicians on the Ivory Coast of West Africa. In a “true example of the strength of the human spirit, [Soro] overcame severe economic hardships, obtained a hard won education (while working two jobs), became a world class cross country runner, and eventually followed the path of his true love, music.” Under the stagename K-Bass, Soro has released 3 different albums in 3 different languages, as he is fluent in English, French and his native language of Bambara.

Now to get into some of the Soro’s history with the Tucson Marathon.

Soro has won the Tucson Marathon an impressive 6 times, mostly running barefoot.

When he first toed the line of the Tucson Marathon was in 1999, it wasn’t his smoothest running. After briefly becoming lost, Soro removed his shoes just after the mid-point of the race and finished the remaining miles barefoot to begin his stretch of first place finishes.

In an interview with the Tucson Citizen Newspaper he was asked about his decision to lose the shoes and he responded “I was having problems. I don’t run as well with shoes.” Soro would go on to win the 2000, 2001, and 2002, running mostly barefoot as well as 2003, but while wearing shoes.

Soro would return to the Tucson Marathon again in 2004. At Mile 14, around the same place where he had removed his shoes in 1999, Soro found himself in second place behind runner Peter Vail. At that point he decided to once again, remove his shoes and continue on barefoot, a decision that would cement Soro as a legend at the Tucson Marathon and in the barefoot running community.

Soro’s timing chip was in his shoe for safe keeping so he removed it and took it with him before pressing on. Soro would eventually catch Vail just before the finish line in a dramatic ending for his final 1st place finish, while simultaneously swiping his timing chip across the timing mat to be sure his victory was official.