The double Olympic champion, who will run to the halfway point as practice for his full marathon debut here next year, gave one of his trademark dazzling smiles when asked to respond to comments including Paula Radcliffe's description of his plan as "a bit strange".

"That's life," he said.

"You can't keep everyone happy. I have to do what works for me.

"This fits in well with the other races I want to do this year.

"One guy took the option of watching the race from the lead vehicle, and the following year he came back and won it.

"But I said I wanted to get more of a feel for running in the event

It's a no brainer if you think about it.

"If someone is giving you a practice run at something, why would you turn it down?

"I've known Dave Bedford for a long time in the sport and I always intended to move up to a marathon even when I was a kid.

"This year is not the right time to do it as I have other targets – I am looking at the 5k and 10k at the World Championships in Moscow."

Mo Farah (right) pictured with fellow British entrants for the 2013 Virgin London Marathon Scott Overall and Amy Whitehead







Farah said he had been told of the Boston Marathon bombings when he had got back to his home in Portland, Oregon - where his wife and three children remain.

"Sad news," he said.

"You never want to hear news like that.

"But everyone has to carry on - show their support, and continue on.

"London is a great city, it's where I grew up and I am here to do a job.

"I've got great memories of what we did as a nation at the Olympics last year and we can do a similar job to that here."

He added: "We want to show full support for all the victims of the Boston bombing.

"That's why we are wearing the black ribbons and having the silence before the race.

"But I believe people would want us to keep going.

"We'll go out and do a great job, just as we did last year for the Games.

"You can't be thinking about negative things when you race.

"This is home for me and I've just got to go out there and do what I've got to do.

"I'm not thinking about anything other than running.

"I'm just thinking about what I want to do and that's it.

"I'm quite excited about the race.

"I'm here to learn.

"I am always learning something.

"I won the London Mini Marathon three times.

"When I won the first one I could see myself on TV and I went 'I'm on TV! I'm on TV!'

"I got really excited about it.

"So being able to step up with the guys who are achieving so much in the event is really amazing."


Farah was non-committal about whether he would be moving permanently to the roads from the track, but he is clearly inclined to do as Radcliffe did and combine the two where possible.

"It just depends on what my coach Alberto Salazar says," he admitted.

"For me, I'm still a track runner.

"But it will depend on how well I run.

"If I run some amazing time next year then maybe Alberto will say to concentrate on the marathon.

"It all depends on how I go.

"But I like the track.

"When you are running the marathon you can do two, maybe three a year.

"On the track you can do maybe a couple of 10k races, and five or six 5k races."


Farah confirmed a newspaper report that he had been receiving support from American coach John Smith, who was mentioned in official documentation related to the BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative) doping scandal and who has coached two athletes, in sprinter Torri Edwards and high hurdler Larry Wade, who have served doping bans.

Circumstantial evidence has caused some to question Smith, but he has  always insisted he has never done anything contrary to the rules of the sport.

"I have worked with him, but I can't tell you any more than that," said Farah.

"It's to do with lots of stuff, mechanics, sprinting.  

"It's Alberto's idea - he is the genius behind everything.

"Alberto is my coach, as you know, but if someone is going to help you then that's how it is."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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