"One Mo Mile"

 

Paula and Mo

As a running addict, it's hard to top a day that begins with a 5K run alongside the UK's best international track star. Nike sponsored an event, in light of the upcoming Olympic games here in London for summer 2012, this morning featuring Mo Farah. He and Paula Radcliffe are the faces for Nike Running UK and both will be competing this summer on home turf. Today was an invite-only event held at an undisclosed location, only those those who were selected to run out of the applicants were privy to its whereabouts. On a whim, I entered the competition and received the qualifying email announcing my placement alongside other London runners, including Mo, to be followed by a meet-and-greet/Q&A/breakfast with the man himself. Obviously, unless your an avid runner, like I am, this even may not appeal, unless you're into meeting athletic celebrities, I suppose. In any event, I was thrilled and woke up plenty early to get myself up to Arsenal tube station with plenty of time to warm up for the run. In fact, just to log in some extra miles I ran part of the way there, as well, despite the bitter, icy clear morning.

Unlike most running events, this one was free. Plus everyone got matching 'One Mo Mile' Nike training t-shirts in addition to the after-event stuff. But I’m getting ahead of myself. So I arrived at Arsenal tube, literally running. It was far too cold to stand still and I needed to scope out the area and warm up my legs for the run. The grove where all the participants were to meet was admittedly quite well hidden. There is no way anyone would notice the entrance to this grotto if they hadn't been told it was there, specifically. Behind a 15 foot high brick wall with only a small door, up the overgrown dirt path, through the small foresty area, there was a clearing. The sun was still low at this point and hadn't crested the trees enough to even thaw the ice on the ground. I was one of the first to arrive. Slowly, more runners in all their tight spandex gear came trickling into the circle. In the congenial manner of athletic events we all formed small groups of 3 or 4 to discuss the morning proceedings; no one was exactly sure what to expect, including myself. I found myself in a group with a journalist who'd been given Nike gear from his magazine simply so he could participate in today's event; a tri-athlete and ultra-marathon runner from Scotland; and another fellow student who was merely a recreational runner. With 45 minutes or so to spare before show time, we compared training notes and experiences, backgrounds, and the rest, while standing, waiting, in this small clearing. Naturally, in our thin running gear we all began to freeze and the entire hoard of runners was visibly shaking by the time all was in order to begin.

After a mild group warm up they announced we'd be running as a group around the course noncompetitively, with Mo leading the way. That seemed fair enough since the competition would have been a bit unmatched, I think. Thankfully I had a pacer in the ultra guy because my feet were literally numb when we started off. If you've never tried it, it's not easy going into a steady-paced run with no feeling in your feet...a touch unsteady, really.

The group, in our matching black Nike shirts with the dripping skull on the back wound through a suburban course at a decent clip. We passed through a park with a petting zoo in the center, with goats and things milling about on one side, and a children's soccer game on the other (it should be noted the small boys were not members of the petting zoo, though the proximity might be confusing to some). We paced down a small hill and headed straight for the old Arsenal Football stadium which, my running companion inflormed me on the go, had been converted into apartments. My question, which was answered shortly thereafter, was what had been done with the inner circle/field? And then, as we passed through the complex, I got to see it for myself:

Converted Arsenal stadium

New Arsenal stadium

It was less than a mile to the finish by this point, ending at the new Arsenal stadium. The journalist caught up to us here and he and the ultra-runner sped up the flight of stairs, ahead of me. One loop around the perimeter of the stadium and, boom, done. The other runners who'd started at the lead of the pack were already gathering around Mo and the news crews for pictures and autographs. Naturally enough, I snapped a few on my phone.

Thankfully, they brought us in out of the cold for the remainder of the event. Inside Arsenal stadium, there was a big conference hall type room. Enormous, with huge windows looking out over the field. A giant screen played clips of Mo in training while everyone grabbed coffee, tea, and traditional English breakfast items from the buffet. My original group, the four of us, grabbed a table and chatted a bit more while we waited for Mo to take the stand.

Introductions were given and then the surprisingly small runner appeared on stage, all smiles. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and modest as well. Down to earth despite his achievements. His speech covered the highlights of his life and training, beginning with a humble start in Somalia, arriving in London from Mogadishu at the age of 8 and speaking very little English. He grew up in West London and began running at school when spotted by his PE Teacher, despite the fact he preferred football and dreamed of playing for Arsenal one day. But it turns out he had a knack for distance running, instead. He “was a very successful junior athlete winning the European Junior 5000m title in 2001. His major breakthrough on the senior stage came in 2006 when he won a silver medal in the 5000m in the European T&F Championships and later in the year won the European Cross Country Championships. At global level he went on to place a creditable 6th in the 2007 World T&F Championships and 7th in the 2009 World T&F Championships. His career took another step forward in 2010 with a 5000m & 10,000m golden double at the European T&F Championships and one week later became the first British man to run sub 13 minutes for the 5000m with a National Record time of 12:57.94. 2011 was a dream season for the popular 28 year old as he became the first British man to win the 5000m in the World T&F Championships a few days after winning the silver medal in the 10,000m. He smashed the European 10,000m Record with a time of 26:46.57 and improved the British 5000m Record to 12:53.11. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon and is coached by the famous distance runner, Alberto Salazar, and runs for the Nike Oregon Project.”

After his life-story synopsis, a Q&A. As I expected, people asked about his specific training and, as I also expected, it was a mainly high-volume training regimen; twice a day runs, just like me. As a side note: I always find it amusing how people respect that kind of training in professional athletes but question it in anyone else, like they do to me. Anyhow, I was curious, especially, how he avoided over-training and, thus, injury...and someone did indeed ask that question. His answer was simple; his coach watches him train every second of every run. If there is ever anything off with his form or in his speed, suggesting fatigue, it's immediately noted and corrected or adjusted for, accordingly. Plus, it is literally his job to run. He gets paid by Nike to be the best. He doesn't have a daytime gig. He does his two runs a day, eats right, has time for naps and plenty of rest, gets the best athletic training, and constant attention from professionals. That helps ward of injury, too, and keep you top notch.

Someone asked a rather silly question, I thought: How do you get yourself out to do runs when you don't feel motivated? His answer basically was that that doesn't ever happen to him. You don't run that much unless you LOVE it and you're competing to be the best in the world. If you're going to win you just know there is no shortcut; you don't skip days, take time off, chill out. That's WHY Olympians are the best. Their sport is their life and they don't compromise it by succumbing to the laziness of recreational athletes.

Despite the fact it reignites the jealousy in me that stems from the fact it's someone else up there instead of me, it was an inspiring day. Hearing someone talk about their passion, alone, is uplifting, but to hear an Olympic runner talk about the one activity I love more than anything else is exponentially more motivational.