British distance running legend looks back on his career as he prepares to tackle his final marathon in London

This is it, said Mo Farah as he faces up to the final marathon of his career. Unlike times past, when gold medal followed gold medal and the distance running world followed his lead, he knows his body just cant stand up to what his mind is still willing it to do.

The TCS London Marathon on Sunday (April 23) will represent the end of a journey which began with victory as a teenager in the Mini London Marathon and has seen the now 40-year-old accrue four Olympic and six world titles on the track in between.

This outing wont be Farahs last race he has plans to toe at least a couple of other start lines before the year is out, though he has no aspirations to qualify for the World Championships but it will be his sixth and final outing over 26.2 miles.

At the pre-event press conference, he admitted he will be emotional at ending his marathon career in the city which hosted his greatest triumph on that unforgettable Olympic Super Saturday of 2012 and in front a public audience which will roar his every step. When you know its the end of the road, you always get emotional, he said. I think it will get to me. Maybe after the race there will be tears.

The last couple of injury-interrupted years highlighted how fast the clock has been ticking on his career and it was a reflective Farah who spoke with the media just a couple of hundred metres away from Sundays finish line.

You take it for granted over the years, he said about being at the top of his game. Each year, you just continue to do it. You are almost like a robot you just do this year then you do the same thing again and your body allows you. I took that for granted.

I realised over the past couple of years that I have to be grateful for the career Ive had. I think the bit that now I appreciate more than anything is the last two months training in Ethiopia, just knowing I could do two sessions a week or three sessions a week [without breaking down].

That would suggest Farah is not about to threaten his British record of 2:05:11 which brought him victory at the 2018 Chicago Marathon. However, he did claim that recent training sessions have seen him finishing neck and neck with Bashir Abdi, who clocked a world-leading time of 2:03:47 in winning Rotterdam last weekend.

The marathon has been a tough nut to crack for Farah, who first tackled the distance in 2014 and last did so in 2019. It hasnt gone as well as Id wanted, to be honest, is his assessment.

Asked to look back on his career as a whole, he added: I wouldnt have done anything differently. I think every part has been a journey that you never know and you took that journey and you kept going and kept grafting. If I look back, theres nothing I would have changed.

Not even his association with Alberto Salazar, a man who was suspended for four years due to doping violations in 2019 and subsequently banned for life for sexual and emotional misconduct? Farah was part of the now defunct Nike Oregon Project, which was led by the American, between 2011 and 2017. He has not spoken with his former coach since then and said: That was always hard and you have to put that past you and you can only control things that you can control. I knew life wasnt going to get any harder than what I went through as a child.

READ MORE: 2023 TCS London Marathon preview

Not far from where Farah was speaking, the preparations are in full swing not just for the marathon but also the imminent coronation of King Charles. As a knight of the realm, Farah is now living a very different life from the childhood which saw him illegally trafficked to Britain from Somalia.

As a kid growing up coming to the UK was always a hard thing but you embrace it, he added. My PE teacher [Alan Watkinson] pointed me in that right direction if it wasnt for him, I wouldnt be in the sport. I brought so much pride for my country.

With that in mind, then, how does he feel about the current UK Government policy of sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda?

I think I was slightly in a different situation but you have to think these people dont come with choice, said Farah. They are human just like us and dont want to be in that situation. I was just a young boy and if my country didnt embrace me, didnt support me, the system didnt support me, I wouldnt be here.

Im not a politician, Im a sportsman. If I see a kid whos struggling or someone struggling, my initial thing is to go there and see if we can help them, whatever their colour or race or religion as a human piece of humanity. I think we just have to do the right thing.

He wants to help, too, through his chosen sport. My legacy is what Ive achieved and Id love to be able to help other British athletes to benefit from my experience, said Farah.

One of those doing just that was Emile Cairess, who sat alongside Farah and Chris Thompson at the media event. There are high hopes for the joint British 10km record-holder, who broke the European 10-mile mark in March and whose marathon debut is being hotly anticipated.

READ MORE: 10 things you didnt know about Emile Cairess

I think Emile has got the potential to do huge things in the sport, said the 42-year-old Tokyo Olympian Thompson. The problem hes got is that there are so many races and events, you can market yourself in so many different ways. When I was a junior it was set out that youd run cross country, youd do a track championships and then youd go to the roads.

Now, the marathon majors are as big as the World Championships and the hardest thing he has is deciding what races he does and figuring out goals.

The British contingent are not expected to be a factor at the very sharpest end of the race on Sunday, in which Amos Kipruto will be looking to defend the London Marathon crown he won in October with a time of 2:04:39. With Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri finishing first in Boston at the beginning of the week, Kipruto intends to add to the Kenyan success with another victory.

The London Marathon really means a lot to me, he said. Its been a race Ive dreamed about running in since I was young and to win last year was an amazing feeling.

The preparation has gone well. Training has been balanced and similar to last year. Thats why Im ready and confident for the race. Im strong and looking forward to racing with guys that are fast.

The guys who finished number one and number three in Boston [Chebet and Benson Kipruto], we train together. The training for me and for them was different as Boston and London are different courses but I have come to London with morale [high] because of what they both achieved in Boston.

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The 42-year-old on how shoe technology has allowed him to try and break barriers for older athletes

Chris Thompson may be in the twilight years of his career but is not planning to stop anytime soon, ahead of his fifth London Marathon on Sunday (April 23).

The recently turned 42-year-old first raced at the London Marathon back in 2014 when he clocked 2:11:19, yet his personal best over 26.2 miles was set in 2021, when Thommo, at the fledgling age of 39, ran 2:10:52 at Kew Gardens. That time was a V35 British record and saw him qualify for his second Olympics after representing Great Britain over 10,000m at London 2012.

With athletics having evolved hugely in the last decade, from greater understanding around recovery to the introduction of carbon plated shoes, athletes can now push the boundaries much more at an older age.

Thompson, a European 10,000m silver medallist from 2010, believes that he can be a trailblazer for athletes who are in their early 40s, proving that what wasnt possible when he started out in the sport is now, largely because of the shoe technology.

I think the marathon now is a completely different event, he says. When I ran in 2014 and clocked 2:11, I brought the 5km/10km intensity into marathon training, which was tough because the shoe technology then didnt give you as much time to recover then as it does now.

I was feeling a lot in sessions and back then you had to put that down to how adaptive you were in training. You were never running your fastest time on the first marathon and you needed at least two or three races behind you before your body let you go in a way.

Now youre getting much closer to race speeds within a session and can get personal bests in sessions even at my age. For me, Ive got to be careful how I deal with that to get the best out of myself out on race day.

Thompson is coached by Alan Storey, who has also trained both Sir Mo Farah and Emile Cairess. The trio were together at the press conference ahead of this years London Marathon.

Like Thompson, Farah is also in his 40s and the pair will be going after Andy Davies British M40 Marathon record of 2:14:20, which was set in Seville last December.

This will be the third marathon that Thompson has raced in super shoes and he will be wearing Ons Cloudboom Echo.

Adjusting to that [how quickly you can recover between training sessions now] is a shock to the system and its really confused me, he adds. To put it into context, you can feel when youre hitting a red line in training. So when me and Alan [Storey] talk after a session, we dont talk about the actual session as much compared to figuring out how much recovery youll need.

Is that one, two, three or four days? Im finishing sessions and I cant read that and Im coming back after two days and doing stuff that I think shouldnt be possible.

But that doesnt necessarily mean that adds up to a great race. You have to do more in training and it has to be at a much higher intensity. Its about finding that balance and I didnt know for example, until I got three or four miles into a session on one particular day, that I bonked. I didnt see it coming because I didnt understand the feedback.

How can I approach this years London Marathon? Im having to be open minded because I dont quite know how to massage the race. In some ways its been great as I feel a bit reborn as Im discovering new things and its exciting.

Sports stars breaking the boundaries of whats possible in your twilight years has occurred in a number of sports over the past few years, including Tom Brady (45), Roger Federer (41) and Serena Williams (41).

Thompson wants to see how long he can stay at the top level and provide both data for On Running and inspire the younger generation, in an age where athletes will train and run in super shoes.

For me to learn [how to push the boundaries] is to actually race, the 42-year-old explains. Its almost like an experiment to see what I can discover and then I want to use that to help teach others. Last year was frustrating but I hope this year can be a springboard.

In my mind Im trying to create a bit of a mindset that athletes in their 40s can do things in the sport. There have been examples but the shoes now have helped keep athletes at that age in the game. Off the back of what Ive discovered with On is trying to help our athletes with the shoe tech and how can we push the limits of whats possible?

Hes not quite the level of athlete that I am [Tom Brady at 45]! Thats [American Football] an impact sport and its pretty brutal on the body. Its hard to compare sports but On have given me the opportunity to see how far I can go with this and Im not here as an old athlete making up the numbers, Im here to compete.

I think I can genuinely run well [at the London Marathon] and I want to use this as a way for the next generation to see what theyll go through and what to expect.

Inspiration will not come from afar. Thompsons enthusiasm for the sport is unwavering and the fact that his mum is doing the London Marathon for the first time this year will provide extra motivation.

Capturing memories is as important for him as performing to the best of his ability.

Its one of the biggest road races in the world and the badge of honour to run London is amazing, Thompson adds. In my first race back in 2014 I was really emotional because I had just completed the course. It knocks you in a way you dont quite realise.

I want to stay in the sport and stay relevant. Ive dipped my toe in coaching and there will always be an affinity to keep that side of my brain operational. I dont think Ill ever be a full-time professional coach but I just want to continue to keep my mind sharp and relevant long into the future.

As one high-profile Brit approaches his final race over 26.2 miles and another prepares for her first, former world record-holder Paula Radcliffe urges both to make time to enjoy this years London experience

One athlete saying farewell to the marathon, another taking on the distance for the very first time. One athlete approaching the final strides of their career, another at the peak of their powers. Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan are coming at this weekends TCS London Marathon from very different angles.

Paula Radcliffe knows how both will be feeling. The former world record-holder, who recently celebrated the 20^th anniversary of that landmark run of 2:15:25, is very much aware of what its like not only to be the centre of attention for the vast crowds who line the streets of the city, but also to be standing on the start line of a debut marathon with questions to be answered.

Having won London in 2002, 2003 and 2005, she has also experienced the joy of being able to say goodbye to the British public along the world famous route, having bowed out from competitive racing at the event eight years ago.

Farah, while still aiming to be a competitive presence, has admitted this will be his last foray into running 26.2 miles, having run five marathons a win in Chicago and third place in London (both in 2018) being his best results.

Retirement is looming for the highly decorated track athlete who has four Olympic titles to his name and a 10km tune-up in Gabon which saw him finish seventh did not suggest a renaissance is in the air. That performance comes on top of the now 40-year-old having to make a late withdrawal from last Octobers London Marathon through injury, a surprise defeat to Ellis Cross in last years Vitality 10,000 and a failure to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Radcliffe expects the six-time world champion, who is coached by her husband Gary Lough, to still be giving his all but is also hoping he allows himself to simply enjoy the occasion.

Having to train hard and put a lot into racing thats never a sacrifice. The hard thing is doing the hours of physio and getting over the disappointment when you cant do a race because your body wasnt able to do it

What makes him so great is that attitude of I always think I can do it so when your body starts to tell you no mate, you cant, and you keep getting injured, thats when suddenly you have to think okay, says the 2005 world champion.

Having to train hard and put a lot into racing thats never a sacrifice. The hard thing is doing the hours of physio and getting over the disappointment when you cant do a race because your body wasnt able to do it.

Or [theres also] when you feel like youre in shape but your body just doesnt click and it just doesnt go right on the day. Those days, as you get older, become a bit more frequent.

I think the most important thing is hopefully that hes able to enjoy it and hes able to make a few more of those London memories and savour them. Im eternally grateful that I got the chance to do that in 2015. It was the slowest time I ever ran, so it wasnt for speed. It was just the chance to be able to get out there and be a part of it.

[For Mo] to be able to go out and to be semi competitive, but to get around and just appreciate the crowd, appreciate the race that it is and appreciate London, I think it will be really, really special. It makes me emotional thinking about it.

The struggles of athletes who have been at the very top but are then forced to come to terms with no longer being able to produce superhuman feats are well known. Radcliffe admits that she no longer times of any of her runs as she simply doesnt want to know how much slower she has become.

Farah is also reaching the point of having to contemplate life beyond being a professional athlete. For now, however, Radcliffe insists reaching the start line healthy is a small victory in itself and that we shouldnt forget the vast back catalogue of big race experience he can lean on.

I remember running with him in 2012 and saying at the moment everything feels easy, just take the time to enjoy it, because it wont be there forever and itll get harder, she continues.

I dont think hes really thinking about what hes going to do next. I think its just still one target at a time. I think hes realistic and he doesnt think hes going to be up there trying to win this race but, at the same time, he still wants to run as well as he is capable of doing at this stage.

I would think shes probably bursting with excitement and anticipation to get out there. With this being her first one, shes learning so she can play about with it a little bit and have fun

What McColgan might be capable of on her marathon debut is a question on many observers lips. She is an athlete who has taken great strides forward thanks to the year of her life in 2022 which featured a series of record-breaking performances, European medals and that unforgettable Commonwealth 10,000m victory in Birmingham.

The 32-year-old has carried the momentum on. Her London build-up has featured a run of 30:00:86 over the 25-lap distance which took down Radcliffes long-standing British record, while a knee issue was subsequently overcome as McColgan broke her own national mark by 43 seconds with a time of 65:43 at the Berlin half marathon.

Those times have done little to dampen expectations around what might be possible for her over the marathon distance, plus theres the added dimension of her mother and coach Liz being a former London winner. However, as Radcliffe explains, only once the notoriously difficult distance has been covered will the picture become clearer.

READ MORE: 2023 TCS London Marathon preview

Until someone runs one [a marathon], you really dont know and thats absolutely not trying to take anything away from Eilish, says the 49-year-old. Shes shown how good she is, shes shown how strong she is and shes shown shes in great shape by running 30 minutes for 10,000m in the middle of a marathon build-up.

Shes in that really exciting position now of knowing shes in shape coming into the biggest race that a British athlete can do, plus her mums been there and won it before so theres a whole family history to it, as well. I would think shes probably bursting with excitement and anticipation to get out there. With this being her first one, shes learning so she can play about with it a little bit and have fun.

McColgan will line up as part of an impressive elite womens field which also features the likes of world record-holder Brigid Kosgei, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and defending London champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw. There is a temptation to try and estimate the Scots potential finishing time and Radcliffe does concede everything points to a great a performance.

However, she adds: Im not sure she wants to [put a time estimate on herself]. I think she just wants to go out for the first one and just race well. Its a good field, but I dont think its a field that she should be scared of.