Mo Farah’s 2016 Track Campaign Gets Off To A Successful Start As He Wins Glasgow 3,000 In 7:39.55

by LetsRun.com
February 20, 2015

The 2016 track campaign of seven-time global champion Mo Farah got off to a successful start today as he won the men’s 3,000 in his lone indoor race of the year at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix in 7:39.55, after taking the lead from Kenya’s Augustine Choge with 325 meters to go. Choge ended up second in 7:40.66, Ethiopia’s Dawit Wolde was third in a pb of 7:41.69 as American Ben Blankenship was fourth in an indoor pb of 7:44.96.

Farah celebrates his victory Farah celebrates his victory

Coming into the race, there was talk that Dave Moorcroft’s outright 3000m UK record of 7:32.79 from way back in 1982 could be threatened but the pace making wasn’t great (Farah passed the rabbit some 1500 meters into the race). After an opening 800 of 2:01.29, Farah hit 1600 in 4:03.20 and once Mo was in the lead he wasn’t up to the task of pushing it on and the pace really lagged. He hit 2k in 5:06.56 and the record attempt was off.

“It was kind of a messy race. The beginning was quick and then it slowed down a little bit,” said Farah on BBC after the race. At 2k, Farah saw the time on the scoreboard and realized 7:32 wasn’t doable so he focused on getting the win. “Even if I pushed [at that point], I would have only run 7:35 so I [focused on ] trying to win the race.”

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The leaders times was as follows.

800 2:01.29
1600 – 4:03.20
2k – 5:06.56.
2400 – 6:10.16
2800 7:10.63
winning time – 7:39.55

To be honest, Farah didn’t look great. Victory was never in doubt once he got the lead but he didn’t look amazing and he only closed in 58.9, but maybe that’s because he’s going to run the World Half next month.

The fans were happy The fans were happy

“The last few weeks I’ve been training, really grinding,” said Farah who has been in Ethiopia who also added he was disappointed that his training partner Charlie Grice got sick and wasn’t able to race. He also mentioned someone named Adam who was injured.

Results

1 Mo FARAH GBR 7:39.55 SR
2 Augustine CHOGE KEN 7:40.66
3 Dawit WOLDE ETH 7:41.69 PB
4 Ben BLANKENSHIP USA 7:44.96 PB
5 Paul K KOECH KEN 7:45.23
6 Othmane EL GOUMRI MAR 7:50.74 SB
7 Andrew BUTCHART GBR 7:53.15 PB
8 Conseslus KIPRUTO KEN 7:55.76 PB
9 Jonathan DAVIES GBR 8:00.48
10 Tom LANCASHIRE GBR 8:03.01
Ismael KOMBICH KEN DNF
Vincent RONO KEN DNF
Charlie GRICE GBR DNS

Talk about the race in our fan forum:

MB: Mary Cain runs 4:13.55 in a 4:01 race in Glasgow.

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