There are rust busters, and then there is Mo Farah’s season opener at the Portland Track

Festival. When Farah steps to the line this weekend for the 5k, it will be his first track race since Moscow last August. Farah’s name will bring the world’s attention to Portland, as track fans are eager to see how the double Olympic champion has recovered from his marathon debut. That debut, his 2:08:21 finish in London was a “bad day at the office” according to Farah, and makes his first track race back all the more significant. 

 

For a season opener, this meet has a lot at stake for Farah. Win convincingly, and the legend of the Mo-Bot only grows. However, a loss or anything short of his past form will raise questions about Farah’s future on the track. The transition between marathon training and track-specific workouts is not an easy one, and Mo is making that move with little time to reset. Recovery from a marathon is both physical and mental, and Farah is most certainly feeling the pressure that a poor performance could bring.

 

If Mo cleans up in Portland as I expect, the hype for Farah returns to its pre-London level-

incredibly high. Coach Salazar said about a recent workout “not far off the times he’s run when in peak track shape. I was surprised”. This is telling. Now that he has shown he can be human, the 5k in Portland can squash any idea that his track dominance is on the decline. Better yet, the 5k gives Mo the opportunity to taste victory and put the rest of the world on notice. What separates good runners from great ones is the ability to rise up after defeat, and Mo Farah will begin that quest this Sunday. The Mo-Bot will be back, and Portland will delight in seeing it.

Watch Mo Farah's Debut LIVE on Flotrack - Portland Track Festival, June 14th - 15th