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Can You Keep Up With A Speed Racer Mo Farah…Even for a Short Time?
Mo Farah is a running phenom you won’t soon forget.
He can run a 5K in 13 minutes! Plus, Mo has dozens of first place finishes in World Championships, European Championships and Olympic gold medals. Mo Farah is certainly the one to beat.
Obviously he’s astounding, but his blistering race pace is easy cruising for the British marathoner and Olympian. Check out this video to see him in action. Then, check out the “Mo Farah Challenge” down below.
Making It Look Easy With 100+ Miles a Week
While Mo might make it look like a breeze when he sails across the finish line, this level of athletic power is a labor of love. It takes intense dedication and devotion to your craft to fine tune your body to this level of performance. Mo’s weekly workout schedule is a testament to that. He takes no days off and does two workouts every day except Sunday. It’s no joke.
Monday –
AM: 10-mile recovery run (6:00 min/mile pace)
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Tuesday –
AM: 4-mile warm up, 8-12 mile tempo run (4:40-5:00min/mile pace depending on terrain), 3 mile cool down
Noon: Strength training and conditioning
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Wednesday –
AM: 12-mile recovery run
PM: 5-mile recovery run
Thursday –
AM: 11-mile recovery run
PM: 5-mile recovery run
Friday –
AM: 4-mile warm up, Intervals: 200m sprint with 200m recovery jog in between (10 times), 200m hill sprints with walk down for recovery (10 times), 4-mile cool down.
Noon: Strength training and conditioning
PM: 4-mile easy run
Saturday –
AM: 11-mile recover run
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Sunday –
22-27 mile run at race pace +1 min (this is 5:40/mile for Mo)
For those of you keeping track, that’s between 126 and 135 miles per week. And it’s not just miles on the pavement that keep Mo in top form at all times.
Eat, Sleep and Breathe Like a Champion
Mo paired with the Nike Oregon Project to utilize cutting edge sport training and science in the pursuit of his goals. This includes workouts on underwater treadmills. Mo can put in more miles with less recovery time and less stress on his joints and muscles.
Smart training science extends to the bedroom. Have you ever thought about sleeping in a high-altitude tent? Because Mo does. “Whenever I’m somewhere that’s at sea level, like in London, I’ll sleep in a high altitude tent,” says Mo.
The tent is sealed to simulate a high altitude environment, so the air actually has less oxygen. This forces the body to adapt by producing more red blood cells and hemoglobin to carry available oxygen more efficiently.
“The only problem is that it’s really heavy and we have to carry it everywhere,” jokes Mo.
It also goes without saying that junk food and McDonald’s aren’t part of Mo’s diet. Everything that goes into a top tier athlete’s body has to serve a purpose. This includes a healthy balanced diet that provides the nutrients, protein and carbs that your body needs to function at its best.
He doesn’t ignore his sweet tooth though. Occasionally there is a chocolate thrown in the mix, just to keep things in moderation.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Mo surely is an incredible athlete. But we wonder. Do you have what it takes to keep up with him for even a short stretch of a run? Something called the “Mo Farah Challenge” has been popping up around the internet more and more. Here’s how it works…
The challenge involves hopping on a treadmill and seeing how long you can maintain Mo’s regular cruising speed. Did we mention that his 5K speed is almost 15 mph (23kph)! That’s faster than many people can sprint, and he keeps it up for 13 minutes.
The challenge builds up to Mo’s speed gradually and then it’s all up to you to make it happen. See how these brave souls have fared attempting the Mo Farah Challenge (Notice that they are all wearing safety harnesses!):
It’s Not All Fun and Games…But There’s Some
Being a world-renowned athlete takes hard work and perseverance, but you have to have a little fun with it. You may not be winning any Olympic gold medals or shattering any world records, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it like Mo. Next time you want to channel your inner Mo Farah, do the Mobot!
Sources:
Mo Farah – Base Training (Typical Week): SweatElite
What it Takes to Become a Champion – The Training of Mo Farah. Runner’s Tribe; 2017
