Mo Farah credits roommates for running success

Mo Farah is one of the best distance runners of his generation, having captured two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics and multiple IAAF World Titles. In an except from his autobiography published in The Telegraph earlier this week, Farah explains that his decision to live with a household of Kenyan runners  in 2005 helped turn his career around:

"It was 2005 and I wasn’t fulfilling my potential on the track. I mentioned to my agent Ricky that I was looking for somewhere to live. ‘Why don’t you try living with the Kenyans?’ he said."

"PACE [my management company] represented numerous Kenyan athletes. Whenever they were competing in Europe, they would stay in a house on a leafy road in Teddington. I had always been curious about what the Kenyans were doing differently that made them so much faster in competition. ‘There’s a room free at the house,’ Ricky explained. ‘The rent is cheap. It might open up your eyes a little, Mo.’"

Farah continues:

"The Kenyans would go out for their first run of the day no later than 7am. I remember shaking my groggy head clear and staggering out of bed to join them. By the end of the session I was knackered. After our first training session, we went back home and the guys would rustle up some food. They cooked simple, home-grown foods in these massive pots, typical Kenyan staples like ugali, a maize flour mix rolled into a doughy lump. This was new to me. Kenyan runners swear by ugali."

The book looks like it’ll be a fascinating one, so make sure to check it out if you’re a fan of running.