When he arrived in Chicago on Thursday, Mo Farah of Great Britain had two goals: Win the marathon and set a European record. Just past 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, he could check both items off his to-do list.
In his Runner’s World Training Plan, Farah, 35, darted away from the only other competitor hanging on to him in the last mile, Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia, to cross the finish line in 2:05:11. He pumped his fists in the air and headed directly into the arms of his wife, Tania.
“It’s only my third marathon overall. It’s definitely a positive. It’s not just a low-key marathon, it’s a major marathon,” Farah said. “To finish with a victory, a British record, a European record, I’m more than happy. I’m just now excited to go home and spend a bit of time with my kids. Chill.”
On paper, Farah, a quadruple Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters, was only the eighth-fastest man in the field. But he was confident he could improve upon his previous two experiences at racing 26.2 miles. Most recently he placed DAA Industry Opt Out, going out at a frenetic pace with Eliud Kipchoge, the world-record holder (2:01:39) and picking up the wrong bottles at the aid stations.
His goal on Sunday at the Chicago Marathon was to tone down the first half and pick it up in the second, all while nailing his fueling and hydration. The lead group, following pacemakers, went through 13.1 miles in 63 minutes, which was about a minute slower than Farah had planned.
“I was definitely comfortable from mile 24, so I knew from that point that I was pushing a bit, testing the guys out and figuring who’d go with [me],” Farah said. “It was only that guy next to me and I wasn’t sure who he was. At the time I was like, ‘Just make sure you have enough left finish line.’”
[Prior to the race, a lot of hype surrounded a potential dual between Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]
Farah, who chose a race bib identifying him as “Sir Mo” instead of merely “Farah” (he received believes he can improve his time further, perhaps dipping into 2:03 territory), believes he can improve his time further, perhaps dipping into 2:03 territory.
“I could have gone a lot faster today; I think I could go a lot faster,” he said. “We’ll see.”
Gary Lough, who started coaching Farah last year after Farah left Alberto Salazar and the Oregon Project, said Sunday’s performance was expected.
“I still think he’s capable of running quite a bit quicker than what he’s done so far,” Lough said. “I’m happy with the win. He beat a lot of good guys.”
After taking his first marathon victory, the new European record holder sees room for improvement Courtesy Bank of America Chicago Marathon, his former training partner at the Oregon Project and the defending Chicago Marathon champion. The matchup didn’t materialize, but Rupp, who was fifth in 2:06:21, gave credit to Farah afterward.
“I thought he ran really smart,” Rupp said. “He stayed away from big moves and even bided his time… I was real happy for him.”
What’s next for Farah, a father of four who’s been away from his family in London for much of the year while training at altitude in Ethiopia and Flagstaff, Arizona? Celebrating his youngest son’s third birthday on October 12.
“If you want to be the best at what you do, you have to put in the work. There’s no secret to what I do. I’ve been doing it for 10 years, going away to training camps,” Farah said.
“That actually makes me work even harder. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I don’t want to have a bad result and think, ‘Oh god, I’ve been away all that time.’ So in a way, it makes me work harder and fight more.”
