London Marathon 2013: Mo Farah 'Sleeps In', Then Double Olympic Champion Runs Half Race | HuffPost

Mo Farah's 'Overslept' Before London Marathon

PA/ The Huffington Post UK

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Double Olympic champion Mo Farah was running just half the London marathon in preparation for running a full marathon next year.

After dropping out at the 13.1 mile mark near Tower Bridge, Farah told the BBC: "It was incredible. The atmosphere is great.

"My aim was just to learn a lot here. Next year, I'm going to come out and do the full marathon."

Mo Farah attends the British atheletes photocall ahead of The the London Marathon at The Tower Hotel

The Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m gold medal winner had to run to get to the race on time this morning after he overslept.

Asked how he found the distance, he admitted: "I think the biggest challenge really is picking up the right drinks - I think I made a mess up."

Earlier on Sunday, the 30-year-old Londoner revealed he was running late live on the radio.

He shouted to a waiting BBC presenter: "Radio 5, gotta go! Gotta run, run, run, run!"

Asked how he was feeling, he said as he ran down the street: "Yeah, feeling good."

And has he warmed up?

"Not yet!" he replied.

"I'm late! I woke up late! I'm going to miss the bus!" he laughed.

The Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion added: "It should be good weather as well, so I'm quite excited."

The build-up to Farah's participation in this year's London Marathon has been shrouded in controversy as he will be paid a reported £425,000 for taking part in the 2013 and 2014 events.

There has been talk of murky motives and money-grabbing, with critics of his plan to run to halfway, as practice for making his full 26.2 mile debut next year, accusing him of cashing in on his status and going against the spirit of the mass-participation event.

But Farah, who won the mini-marathon event three times in a row between 1998 and 2000 as a west London schoolboy, has said the race brings back plenty of happy memories.

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London Marathon 2013

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British Olympic double gold medallist Mo Farah (C) runs in the 2013 London Marathon in Blackheath in southeast London on April 21, 2013. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / NO COMMERCIAL USE (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Virgin London Marathon 2013(02 of51)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 21: Runners stand in a silent tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings before the start of the London Marathon from Greenwich Park on April 21, 2013 in London, England. Thousands of runners are taking part - with some wearing black ribbons as a mark of respect to the Boston victims. Extra police are on duty as an estimated 500,000 people line the streets of the capital. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

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Preperations are made to the finish area before the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Medals on display before the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Katherine Jenkins runs this year's Virgin London Marathon, at the Green Start Line, in Greenwich Park, east London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. Katherine's father passed away with lung cancer and she is running for cancer charity Macmillan. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)

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Katherine Jenkins, centre, at the Green Start Line of this year's Virgin London Marathon, , in Greenwich Park, east London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. Katherine's father passed away with lung cancer and she is running for cancer charity Macmillan. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)

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British police officers maintain their usual guard at the gates of Downing Street near the route of the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The London Marathon started in defiant mood on a glorious sunny morning Sunday despite concerns raised by the bomb attacks on the Boston Marathon six days ago. London's is the first major international marathon since the double bomb attack near the finish line in Boston, which left three people dead and more than 170 injured, including many who are still hospitalized. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:AP)

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British police officers have something to eat near the route of the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The London Marathon started in defiant mood on a glorious sunny morning Sunday despite concerns raised by the bomb attacks on the Boston Marathon six days ago. London's is the first major international marathon since the double bomb attack near the finish line in Boston, which left three people dead and more than 170 injured, including many who are still hospitalized. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:AP)

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Spectators watch as runners cross Tower Bridge during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Runners help themselves to water during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Harry Judd poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Katherine Jenkins poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Katherine Jenkins poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Wayne Hemingway poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Harry Judd poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Harry Judd poses during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Sian Williams (centre) poses with colleagues Sophie Raworth (right) and Susanna Reid during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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A runner wears a black ribbon in memory of the victims of Boston Marathon bombings starts the race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Runners wear black ribbons in memory of the victims of Boston Marathon bombings start the race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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A runner wears a black ribbon in memory of the victims of Boston Marathon bombings starts the race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Richard Whitehead (left) competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Kenya's Emmanuel Mutai competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Ethiopia's Ayele Abshero competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Amy Whitehead competes during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Da Costa of Brazil waves at the crowds during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's paralympic gold medalist Richard Whitehead during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah in the elite mens race during the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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British police officers gather at the start at Blackheath during the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. The London Marathon started as planned on a glorious sunny morning Sunday despite concerns raised by the bomb attacks on the Boston Marathon six days ago. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (second left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (centre) before the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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A runner wearing a USA vest competes during the 2013 Virgin London Marathon, London. (credit:PA)

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Britain's Mo Farah gestures as he prepares to start the elite men race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

Competitors observe thirty seconds silence before competing in the 2013 Virgin London Marathon, London....(39 of51)

Competitors observe thirty seconds silence before competing in the 2013 Virgin London Marathon, London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah reacts before competing in the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (centre) before the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (centre) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (left) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (centre) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Great Britain's Mo Farah (centre) at the start of the Virgin London Marathon in London. (credit:PA)

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Runners observe a 30 second silent in memory of Boston Marathon bombings before the start during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Runners observe a 30 second silent in memory of Boston Marathon bombings before the start during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Britain's Mo Farah, center, starts the elite men race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Yoko Shibui of Japan, center, prepares to compete in the elite women's race during the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Yukiko Akaba of Japan starts the elite women race during the London Marathon, London, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan) (credit:AP)

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Competitors take off at the start of the 5 kilometer long race, a side-show to the 26th international Belgrade Marathon race, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, April 21, 2013.(AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (credit:AP)

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