The best athletes of today impact society, especially young and aspiring athletes. Whether you need the motivation to achieve your fitness goals or the right words to help you make the right decision that can change the trajectory of your life, the greatest athletes in the world and their view of sports and life can definitely offer a helping hand.
Let’s learn a thing or two about life and sports from Mo Farah, today’s best male track-distance runner:
Who is Mo Farah?
Mo Farah is a British athlete specializing in long-distance running. Currently holding ten global championship gold medals—four Olympic and six World medals, he is considered the best male track distance runner and Britain’s best track athlete in the history of modern Olympics.
On top of his successes in the sports competitive scene, Mo Farah has also won the European Athlete of the Year award and the British Athletics Writers Association British Athlete of the Year award; he bagged these awards three times and six times, respectively—more than any other athlete in the world.
Other notable achievements
- 2017 World Championships (10,000 m) – First
- 2016 Olympic Games (5,000m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2015 World Championships (5,000m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2014 European Championships (5,000 m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2013 World Championships (5,000 m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2013 European Team Championships (5,000 m) – First
- 2012 Olympic Games(5,000 m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2012 European Championships (5,000 m) – First
- 2010 European Championships (5,000 m and 10,000 m) – First
- 2017 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
- 2017 New Year Honours (Athletics)
Mo Farah’s Training Format
Mo Farah’s success and consistency were a product of his rigorous training. But how rigorous this training really is, and can a regular athlete achieve it? Here’s the typical weekly training routine of Mo Farah:
Monday (Recovery Exercises)
- 10 to 12-mile recovery run following a 6-minute per-mile pace
- 6-mile recovery run
Tuesday (Warm-Up Exercises)
- 4-mile warm-up run with 8 to 12-mile tempo run following a 4 to 5-minute per mile pace, then a 3-mile cool-down run
- Strength and conditioning sessions
- 6-mile recovery run
Wednesday (Recovery Exercises)
- 12-mile recovery run
- 5-mile recovery run
Thursday
- 11-mile recovery run
- 5-mile recovery run
Friday (Introduction of Intervals)
- 4-mile warm-up jog with a 10x200m interval
- 200-meter recovery jog on grass in 29 seconds each rep with a 10x200m hill sprints at equal effort, followed by a 4-mile cool-down run.
- Strength and conditioning sessions
- 4-mile easy run
Saturday (Recovery Run)
- 11-mile recovery run followed by a massage
- 6-mile recovery run
Sunday (Marathon-like Training)
- 22 to 25-mile run, nearly similar to a marathon race pace
Mo Farah’s Daily Routine
“My room is basic: a bed, no TV. I wake up, run, have breakfast, sleep, gym in the afternoon, another run in the evening… That’s it, nothing else. No going to the café, no going for coffee. I just eat, sleep and train.”
Following his sample training plan, Mo Farah treats his daily routine like he’s already competing for the marathon. On a typical training day, he rises between 7 to 7:30 AM and eats breakfast. After breakfast, he immediately starts his training routine, starting the day with a 10 to 12 mile morning run. Depending on the coach’s requirements, he heads to the gym for strength and conditioning sessions.
“I go to the gym a few times per week, with front squats, dumbbell work, Romanian deadlifts – a normal weights session, but nothing too heavy…When you get tired towards the end of a race, strength helps you maintain form and run straight,” Farah mentioned on his interview with Men’s Health.
After gym and training, Farah goes to lunch. He also takes a little rest, mostly naps, and easy runs afterwards before heading to dinner and finally calling it a day.
Mo Farah’s Nutrition Plan
Mo Farah burns around 600 calories per race and heavy training, which is equal to 60 calories per km. That’s why he needs a rich and healthy diet to maintain his performance and improve the condition of his body.
Mo’s breakfast usually consists of coffee and cereal. His personal favorite is Frosties, which gives him the sugar rush he needs to get through the early part of his training. For lunch, he usually eats pasta, steamed vegetables, and grilled chicken. Dinner is the same for him—pasta, steamed vegetables, and grilled chicken or something similar. He emphasizes that he’s not a fan of large meals, so eats small portions of his meals throughout the day.
Mo Farah on Motivation
“Look at my success. I didn’t achieve it overnight. It has been the product of many years’ struggle, and every year, my times have shown gradual improvement.”
Mo Farah believes in perseverance and the importance of gradual improvement. His achievements, after all, were so huge compared to his humble beginnings in his home country in Somalia. At 8 years old, Farah arrived in London from Mogadishu, knowing only a little English. He grew up in West London and began joining running competitions at school. His P.E. teacher saw his potential as a young athlete and this opened an opportunity for Mo Farah to be a professional athlete.
“There’s a time in everyone’s career where you go, ‘Ah, this is hard – how long am I going to have to do this?’ But the rewards are so great. Who gets to go on the podium and hear the national anthem? The whole nation is singing! Money can’t buy you that.”
Mo Farah also believes in the power of glory when it comes to motivation. For him, it was his country and the people around him who gave him the drive and motivation to reach for success. One needs inspiration—may it be a person, a nation, or a goal to find his or her drive.
Mo Farah in the Media
Mo Farah was featured in various print and digital media throughout his career. In 2013, he published Twin Ambitions: My Autobiography under Hodder & Stoughton. In 2016, he was featured in a Hodder children’s fiction book Ready Steady Mo!, written by Kes Gray and illustrated by Marta Kissi. Outside print, Mo Farah: No Easy Mile, a sport documentary dedicated to him was released in 2016. It was a non-fictional account of his journey to the Olympics.
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