Born in Zalambessa, Tigray, Ethiopia, Miruts spent the early part of his youth working in different factories and as a carriage driver.

His talent as a long-distance runner was noticed when he joined the Ethiopian Air Force.

Due to his abrupt acceleration when executing his kick towards the finish, Miruts acquired the nickname "Yifter the Shifter."

At the Moscow Olympics, part of the mystery surrounding Miruts was the question of his age, which was reported to be between 33 and 42.

Miruts continued competing into the early 1980s, running on Ethiopia's gold medal winning team at the 1982 and 1983 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.