Mo Farah has admitted his Tokyo Olympic marathon quest stopped him from retiring years ago.
The ten-times global track champion has confirmed he has no intention of returning to the track for the Olympics next year, despite plotting how he can possibly beat dominant Eliud Kipchoge, the marathon world-record holder, in a “brutal” Tokyo head-to-head.
Farah is aiming for a record sixth Great North Run win in a row on Sunday... five weeks before defending his Chicago Marathon win from last year.
He concedes he's still on “a massive learning curve” to understand the mysteries of the event.
Great North Run founder Brendan Foster describes Farah as invincible over 10k on the track, but not so over the marathon.
Farah, 36, who lost just one 10k race in a decade, said: “I would like to stick with marathon. It is a challenge. I look forward to the work, and the training.
“In my track career, when you have won all the titles and the Olympics, you don't quite get the drive. Do I want to do it again?
“No I wouldn't be running (but for the marathon challenge). I wasn't motivated. You have to be hungry. This is new and that excites me.”
Is it a tougher challenge that he thought? “Yes! Much harder. In the 10k you go in and feel tired, there are five laps to go, you just hang on. You get through it. Just do another lap.
“In the marathon if you are b********d and with 12 miles to go it is a long way. And you never know how you are going to feel.”
Farah still wants to be a winner for Team GB. He added: “Winning medals for my country was always No1 for me. No one can take that away from me. I want to win medals still. It is still important.”
