For Farah it was his seventh win in seven races on the famous central London course, while Twell took two seconds from her personal best to win the women’s crown for a second time just 24 hours after setting a world mile record for running hand-in-hand.

In the end Farah’s win was easy enough but the four-times Olympic champion was pushed hard by Rio Olympian Andy Butchart and former British Mile champion Nick Goolab before prevailing in 28:15.

“I really enjoyed it today,” said Farah, who was racing for the first time since finishing fifth in the Virgin Money London Marathon last month. “I love coming to London and particularly running on this course. It’s fantastic to win for a seventh time.

“The London Marathon is behind me now. I was a bit disappointed not to run quicker there but I have recovered well and was confident today.”

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

Goolab led the trio through halfway in 14:08 before he dropped back, but Butchart hung on until the last two kilometres, when Farah finally kicked away and put more than 100m between the pair.

“I knew Andy and Nick are both running well and I would have to keep my eyes on them,” said Farah. “We got rid of Nick, but Andy kept pushing and pushing and pushing.

“I thought, ‘When am I going to get rid of you?’ He did very well, but I was confident I could do it in the end. This is my race.”

Butchart may have failed to add to his victories here in 2016 and 2017, but the Scot was pleased enough to finish runner-up just 13 seconds behind, matching his personal best from 2016.

“I knew I would have to do the hard work,” said Butchart, who led for most of the first 5K. “But Mo was just chilling really. It’s really hard to lead a 10K and get away from someone like him.

“I wanted a good run and got that. It was only in the last 2K that he pulled away and I’m pleased to equal my PB. It shows I’m ready to run fast on the track.”

Personal best for Twell

As for Twell, she set off at a pelt in the women’s race, running with a small group of male club runners as she established an unassailable lead that grew with every step.

On Sunday she and husband Joe Morwood had smashed the Guinness World Record for the fastest road mile holding hands, but that effort did little to dent her 10K title defence.

Twell passed halfway in 15:33 and eventually won by nearly 40 seconds from Stockport’s Jess Piasecki with Verity Ockenden of Swansea taking third.

“This is a great course and a great event,” said the two-time Olympian who stopped the clock at 31:55. “A personal best and a world record in one weekend can’t be bad.

“My legs were fine after yesterday, but I think I felt it in my arms a bit. The bigger races always bring out the best in me, and this is one of the biggest and the best.

“Today was London in its full glory and the crowds were fantastic. I’m just delighted.”

The unheralded Piasecki was also pleased as she clinched the runner-up spot in her best time of 32:33, while Ockenden also took some well-known scalps from a race loaded with internationals as she pinched the last podium place in 32:39, a PB for her by nearly two minutes.

“I saw Steph go off and I knew that was too fast for me,” said Piasecki. “But I ran quite within myself until the last kilometre. That was tough but it was worth it to finish second.”

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

Mile & 10,000 double for Woods & Sidbury

In the wheelchair races, Shelly Woods made it two wins in two days since her return to elite racing as she took the women’s title just 24 hours after winning the Vitality Westminster Mile on Sunday.

Woods, who took two years out of the sport following the birth of her first child, led from start to finish and won by 43 seconds in 27:25 from Mel Nicholls, regaining the title she last won three years ago. Eden Rainbow-Cooper was third in 29:02.

“I feel refreshed so it’s great to be back and to be part of this event,” said Woods. “This is such a great race for wheelchair athletes, plus it’s a really competitive field. It’s been a really positive weekend; I’ve really enjoyed it.

Danny Sidbury also added the Vitality London 10,000 crown to his unexpected Mile victory, winning the men’s race for the first time by an even bigger margin in 22:32.

“I decided to go hard from the gun, like I did yesterday in the Vitality Westminster Mile, and then to settle into a comfortable pace, so I was surprised that I built up such a lead,” said Sidbury. “To do the double feels great.”

JohnBoy Smith was second in 23:21 with Simon Lawson third in 23:27.

The post Farah and Twell retain British 10k road titles in London appeared first on Fast Running.

Mo Farah will return to defend his title at the Vitality London 10,000 in the UK capital on Monday, May 27.

In last year’s race – which starts on The Mall and finishes in front of Buckingham Palace – the European marathon record holder won in a time of 29:44 ahead of Richard Allen (29:48) and Matt Sharp (29:50).

This year will be Farah’s seventh appearance in London’s top 10k, with wins in 2009 and 2010, when he set the course record of 27:44, then three more victories in 2012, 2013 and 2018.

A record number of more than 17,000 participants are expected to run on the course which passes iconic London landmarks such as Admiralty Arch, Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mansion House, the Bank of England, the Old Bailey, Somerset House, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

“I really enjoy running the 10k distance and look forward to returning to the Vitality London 10,000 again this year,” said Farah, who will make a swift return to London’s roads following his appearance at the Virgin Money London Marathon next month.

“The course is spectacular, and the London crowds are fantastic, lining the streets and cheering everyone the whole way round. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Vitality London 10,000 also incorporates the British Athletics 10km Championships for men and women.

Farah will also be at the Vitality Westminster Mile the day before (Sunday May 26), as the official starter for the family waves.

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The post Mo Farah to race London 10,000 appeared first on Fast Running.

Mo Farah returned to the streets of London after his London Marathon exploits to win the men’s race at the Vitality London 10,000 on Monday (May 28) in 29:44, while Steph Twell ran a superb race to win the women’s title in 32:34.

Newham & Essex Beagles’ John Beattie was the early leader in the men’s race before Farah took charge at the 4km mark.

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

Farah, who won over 10km in Manchester last week, always looked comfortable and didn’t pull away too early from a chasing pack that included Beattie, Jonny Mellor, Matt Sharp, Richard Allen, Nick Samuels and Mohamud Aadan. Sharp temporarily leapt to the front before Farah took charge again with 2km to go with Aldershot’s Allen hanging on.

The multiple track gold medallist was in control from that point and sealed a five second win ahead of Allen to claim his sixth Vitality London 10,000 victory.

“The pace was nice and comfortable and I really enjoyed the race,” said Farah. “I was happy with the win, which is the most important thing, but it was nice to be able to run alongside club runners who look up to you.

“It was good to forget about who you are, and what you have achieved, and just enjoy the moment, which is what I did out there.”

Allen, who won the England 5k championships last month and clocked 28:54 on the track at the Night of the 10,000m PBs last week, crossed the line in 29:48, with Sharp completing the podium in 29:50. The trio also picked up the British 10k Championships gold, silver and bronze medals.

Allen described duking it out with the six-time world champion as a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience and added: “It was awesome. It’s not often you get to run side by side with Mo Farah through the streets of London.

“It was an absolute pleasure. We were both at the front with two kilometres to go and Mo said ‘We’ve made a gap, see if you can run alongside me’ but he was running so fast I couldn’t hang on. It was an amazing experience.”

Farah added: “I think it’s important to help these runners out and encourage them. Everyone is inspired by someone; I was inspired by someone, so it was nice to be able to run alongside them and talk to them, to share a story, share what you have gone through.”

Callum Hawkins returned to compete in his first race since collapsing in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games and battled hard to cross the line in 31:27.

Fellow Scot Twell had a memorable race in the UK capital delivering a great performance to win the women’s event over the more experienced road runner Gemma Steel and defending champion Jo Pavey, who was racing for the first time competitively this year.

Photo: Vitality London 10,000

The Aldershot athlete’s last race over 10km on the road was in 2015, but she looked right at home and came within six seconds of her personal best. Twell’s 32:34 clocking was the third fastest 10km road time of the year by a British runner.

“The atmosphere out on the road was electric and everyone out on the course really got me round,” said Twell. “I took in everything, and coming up to St James’s Park I knew I had to finish strong in front of Buckingham Palace. I made sure I took it all in and just tried to keep my rhythm going.”

Twell finished 24 seconds ahead of Charnwood’s Steel, who looked back to herself with a good 33:00 performance, after a disappointing 33:29 last week in Manchester.

Former European 10,000m gold medalist Pavey completed the podium and British Championships medals in 33:12, while recent London marathoners Tracy Barlow and Lily Partridge finished fourth and fifth in 33:21 and 33:27 respectively.

Meanwhile, by 12:00 noon, more than 14,000 finishers had crossed the line, breaking the record for the total number of finishers for the event which stood at 12,400 from last year.

Top 10 men

1) Mo Farah, 29:44
2) Richard Allen, 29:48
3) Matt Sharp, 29:50
4) Mohamud Aadan, 29:58
5) Jonny Mellor, 30:04
6) Abdishakur Abdulle, 30:09
7) Ellis Cross, 30:13
8) Jack Gray, 30:17
9) Josh Griffiths, 30:20
10) Joshua Grace, 30:24

Top 10 women

1) Steph Twell, 32:34
2) Gemma Steel, 33:00
3) Jo Pavey, 33:12
4) Tracy Barlow, 33:21
5) Lily Partridge, 33:27
6) Rebecca Murray, 33:51
7) Sonia Samuels, 34:03
8) Hayley Carruthers, 34:05
9) Charlie Christiansen, 34:13
10) Georgina Schwiening, 34:21

The post Mo Farah and Steph Twell win Vitality London 10,000 appeared first on Fast Running.

Callum Hawkins will make his first return to racing since collapsing while leading the Commonwealth Games marathon at the Vitality London 10,000 on Monday, May 28.

The Scottish star will once again compete against Mo Farah in the men’s race, while Chris Thompson also joins them on the start-line.

Hawkins, 25, was on course for victory at the Commonwealth Games marathon on the Gold Coast, Australia, last month when, overcome by the heat, he lost control of his body and fell over just two kilometres from the finish.

The Australian Michael Shelley came through to win the race and Hawkins was taken away to receive medical treatment.

The Kilbarchan AC athlete continues to recover and has returned to training in his home city of Glasgow ahead of his competitive return to action at the Vitality London 10,000 on Bank Holiday Monday.

“I feel a lot better now I have had some rest since returning from Australia and I’m looking forward to getting out there and competing again,” said Hawkins. “It has been a few years since I ran a 10k on British roads and it will be a good race to see where I am at in order to kick-start my summer.

“Hopefully it will be an entertaining race for all the fans who will come out to watch too.”

Hawkins ran a stand-alone 10km personal best time of 29 minutes and three seconds in the Netherlands in February. Farah’s 10km personal best is a rapid 27:44 which he ran on the London 10,000 course in 2010 and he will be going for his sixth victory in this event.

The four-time Olympic champion showed he remains in good shape following his third place at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon by running 28:27 to win Great Manchester Run 10km last Sunday.

Chris Thompson has shown by his form this year that he still has the quality to make it more than just a two-man race.

Thompson was one of three British men to run inside 28 minutes at Saturday’s Night of the 10,000m PBs. The 37-year-old rolled back the years to run 27:52:56 – his fastest time over the distance since 2011.

Photo: Nigel Bramley

Other British men confirmed for this year’s Vitality London 10000 are: Johnny Mellor (PB 28:50), John Beattie (PB 29:11), Josh Griffiths (PB 29:28), Matt Sharpe (PB 29.31) and Dan Studley (PB 29:40).

In the women’s race, last year’s Vitality London 10,000m champion Jo Pavey, 44, has been added to an exciting field which also includes Lily Partridge and Steph Twell.

Pavey, the 2014 European 10,000m champion, won last year’s race in 32:57. She has not run competitively this year but will be hoping to once again mix it with her younger rivals.

Partridge, who won the 2016 Vitality London 10000, finished in a superb eighth place overall in last month’s London Marathon, setting a new personal best time of 2 hours 29 minutes and 44 seconds.

Twell is coming off the back of a busy schedule at the Commonwealth Games where she competed in both the 1500m and 5000m, finishing seventh in the former and 14th in the latter.

Other names in the elite women’s field include: Sonia Samuels, Louise Small and Caryl Jones.

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Lily Partridge, who ran a personal best 2:29:44 to finish eighth overall and first British woman at the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, is set to get back to racing at the Vitality London 10000 on May 28.

The 27-year-old will not be the only British marathon champion competing, with Mo Farah already confirmed for the last Monday of May bank holiday race.

RELATED: Mo Farah to run Vitality London 10000

Partridge’s, who clocked her 10k PB of 33:27 at the 2016 event, will face Aldershot, Farnham and District club-mate Steph Twell before looking ahead to the Berlin hosted European Championships in August.

“The Vitality London 10000 is great because it does bring together a range of athletes,” said Partridge. “Some people like Steph come into it in track shape and it can be fast and then there are us girls who come into it off the back of a marathon and we have to ease ourselves into it a bit more.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s a great event and it’s nice to support the London Marathon again because they do a lot for us.”

Twell, who competed in both the 1500m and 5000m at the Commonwealth Games for Scotland boasts a 10k PB of 32:28 which makes her the fastest in the field although the 28 year-old has not raced over the distance on the road since 2015.

Commonwealth Games marathoners Sonia Samuels and Caryl Jones are also among the leading entries and with PBs of 33:18 and 32:28 an exciting contest is expected.

Looking ahead to her second marathon this year in August, Partridge added: “The Vitality London 10000 is a good chance for me to blow the cobwebs away. Normally I start a 12-week build-up to a marathon but I’ve already been through a marathon cycle this year so I will stick to 10km and half marathons before going to Font Romeu to do some longer sessions before Berlin.”

RELATED: How I train: Lily Partridge

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