Mo Farah Finds How Hard Marathon Training Can

Mo Farah is in Kenya right now, training on the red clay roads of Iten, at nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, as he has each year since 2008.

But things have changed a great deal between his first trip and this current one, as theTelegraph in the UK points out. He’s now the 5000- and 10,000-meter Olympic gold medalist and world champion, and a familiar figure to the local villagers who yell out “Mofarah, Mofarah” as he runs by. As Farah tells it, “They think it’s one word.”

This trip to Kenya will last three months, the longest stretch of time that Farah’s been away from his family. He’s training for a marathon this time, the London Marathon on April 13, and “it is not easy,” as the Telegraph’s Simon Hart writes.

"Your body is just taking a beating all the time,” says Farah, “but that's what the marathon is about - being stronger, getting the mileage in, getting back from your run, waking up the next day, going for a run, not feeling great.

"It's completely different to training for the track,” he told Hart. “It involves more miles and it involves longer workouts. Before I used to reps of 400, 600 or 1,000 meters. Now a minimum that I'm doing in speed sessions is one-mile reps. Even my warm-up is four or five miles." In a typical week, his mileage adds up to 130.

From UK media accounts, it's clear that many of Farah’s fans expect to see the same triumphal outcome at the marathon as they've become used to on the track. But historically, not every master of long-distance track racing has become a top marathoner. And he’s up against a field that includes the world record holder, Wilson Kipsang; the Olympic and world champion, Stephen Kiprotich; the owner of the fastest marathon in history, Geoffrey Mutai; and the London course record holder, Emmanuel Mutai.

"It's going to be the hardest race of my life," Farah says. "The London Marathon is not just about taking on a few guys. They get the best of the best.

"They are probably going to think, 'This guy's good at track, so we've got to show him something,'" Farah says. "I wouldn't be surprised early on if they did something crazy."

Farah’s coach, Alberto Salazar, will join him in Kenya near the end of his stay. The two have discussed Farah’s potential time for London. The current British marathon record, dating to 1985, is Steve Jones’ 2:07:13. "I believe I can run 2:07,” says Farah, “but the next level is, How do you get close to 2:03? It will take time but it's about learning.”

Source: runnersworld.com

Man City v Chelsea: Time for Jose Mourinho to park the bus?

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

• Venue: Etihad Stadium
 
• Date: Monday, 3 February
 
• Coverage : Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, MOTD2 highlights on BBC One at 22:35 GMT

Manchester City have swept all before them at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League this season, winning all 11 home games so far and scoring 42 goals in the process.

With the sort of attacking form they showed in demolishing title rivals Arsenal 6-3 before Christmas, the feeling is City could steam-roll their way to the title.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho no doubt sees things differently but how can his side, who are only three points behind Manuel Pellegrini's men in the table, stop them?

BBC Sport football pundits Robbie Savage and Mark Lawrenson consider Mourinho's likely approach - and whether it will work.

Savage: Stifle City and cut off Silva service

To deal with Manchester City, I think Jose Mourinho will have to park the bus, sit deep and try to hit them on the counter.

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Mourinho spoke of West Ham playing "19th-Century football" to stop his side in midweek.

In fact, as one historian pointed out in an article on the BBC Sport website, football from that era was actually very attacking - and I'd be surprised if it is the approach Chelsea adopt at City.

They will sit deep, as they did at bothManchester United and Arsenal. They came away with a clean sheet and a point from both those games, and a point at City will be a very good one.

Against United and Arsenal, Chelsea stifled the opposition midfield and it worked.

However, the Blues will still have to be careful if they employ that tactic on Monday because if City are forced to go wide, they can still cause problems with their dangerous full-backs.

Aleksandar Kolarov has vastly improved going forward while Pablo Zabaleta is a key weapon for them. So if you stifle the middle, you still have them to deal with.

Another danger with Manuel Pellegrini's side is that if you do go at them, they can hit you on the counter-attack. I think Blues midfielder Ramires has the legs to track back with Yaya Toure, but City just have so many other options.

Ian Thorpe: Olympic swimming legend in rehab after police called

Five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe is being treated for depression after being found by Australian police behaving oddly near a car in Sydney.

"The owner of the car basically called the police and the police came," said the swimmer's manager, James Erskine.

"They realised it was Ian Thorpe. They realised he was disoriented

"He is in rehab for depression," Erskine added in an interview with the Australian Associated Press. "He hadn't had a drink. He had zero alcohol in him."Erskine said the 31-year-old swimming legend was taking anti-depressants and medication for a shoulder injury but was not under the influence of alcohol.

Police said no official complaint has been made and no further police action is anticipated.

Erskine's admission that Thorpe is in rehab comes only days after the Australian's management company denied reports he checked into a rehab facility while battling depression and alcohol abuse.

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HARDtalk - Ian Thorpe

In his autobiography, published last year, Thorpe revealed he had been battling"crippling depression".

In an interview with the BBC's HARDtalk programme, he talked about having suicidal thoughts, drinking too much and hiding his despair from those closest to him.

Known to fans as "Thorpedo", he was a freestyle specialist and one of the greatest swimmers of his generation.

He won three gold and two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, followed by two more golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

He also won 11 World Championships gold medals, including six in 2001.

After retiring in 2006, he attempted a comeback early in 2011 but failed to make the Australian team for the 2012 Olympics in London.