As Mo Farah got his competitive year underway at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country yesterday the invincible athlete in the field duly prevailed but it was not the double Olympic and world champion.
The 32-year-old had won on this course before, back in 2011, but in Garrett Heath he was up against a man who was pursuing a hat-trick of successes having beaten other greats of world distance running over the previous two years and the American powered away in the closing stages to claim his latest major scalp.
Farah admitted afterwards to struggling with the treacherous terrain around Holyrood Park and was disappointed at having suffered a rare defeat, but he readily acknowledged that there was no doubt that the right man won.
“It was slippery, it was tough, but this is cross-country, that’s what you get,” he said.
“When Garrett went, I just couldn’t respond. He was a better man on the course here and when he put his foot down, it was just bouncing off the ground quicker.
“There were a couple of times I nearly went. You see at corners when you’re comfortable. I wasn’t that comfortable, but that’s the course on cross-country.”
Fierce competitor that he is Farah - who had the consolation of helping Great Britain win the team event - also noted that if he was to be beaten any time in this Olympic year this was the time for it to happen.
“I don’t want to lose a race, that’s just me, but better to lose now than in August,” he observed. “To lose to someone like Garrett, who’s proven himself coming back here year after
year to win on this course, he is not a bad athlete, but I can go into training camp now and get some good mileage and then some good track sessions behind me.”
Heath, who beat Olympic and world 5000 and 10,000 metre record holder Kenenisa Bekele in 2014 and saw off Olympic and world 1500 metre champion Asbel Kiprop in each of the previous two years, admitted that he keeps exceeding expectations over this terrain, not least with the distance having been doubled to eight kilometres this time around.
“It’s been a surprise for me (here) every year actually,” he said.
“I don’t think you can ever expect to beat Mo Farah. The guy’s got an amazing record and whether it’s cross country or the track he’s nearly impossible to beat. I was confident that I was fit and I wanted to get out there and give myself a chance, but I can’t say I was confident I was going to beat him, but, I don’t know, I just love cross country… particularly this course.”
Even more so than when taking on these global stars Heath knew he was up against a more popular figure but he was hugely appreciative of Farah being prepared to take part in this event.
“Being where we are in the world there were a few cheers for me, but there were a lot more ‘Mo’s out there and it felt like he was right behind me the whole way,” said Heath.
“It wasn’t until about 50 to go after it felt like I was kicking for 800 that I finally looked back and was surprised that I had a shot to even beat him. I appreciate him coming out and he’s a guy who doesn’t have to show up for cross country races, so I was really excited just to have a chance to race him.”
It was also a great opportunity for Scots Callum Hawkins and Andrew Butchart who finished foruth and seventh respectively, in helping Britain’s men dominate that show-piece final race and consequently that team prize, while Scotland’s ‘A’ team claimed the inaugural Stewart Cup in the women’s relay race with Laura Muir, another who should be Rio bound this summer, bringing the baton home.
Even for locals, though, conditions were challenging as Muir, just home from altitude training in South Africa, pointed out.
“It’s been quite an acclimatisation,” she said.
“It’s completely different to South Africa where it’s 35 degrees and sunshine whereas here it’s freezing, but it’s good to be back and I’m glad we’re holding the gold medal.
“I’m relieved I ran as well as I did. I can now look at my next couple of weeks in training and see how it’s paid off.
“This wasn’t too serious. It was about enjoying it because I don’t get to compete much in Scotland and the team did a great job. They were already first and I’m glad I continued it on the last leg.”
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