Mo Farah has been hurt by suggestions he is only to run at the London Marathon for money
Mo Farah says he has been hurt by suggestions his appearance at the Virgin London Marathon is primarily for money.
Last Updated: 21/04/13 11:52am
Farah, who memorably became a double Olympic champion at 5000 metres and 10000m in the capital last summer, will run half of the course on Sunday before leaving the field.
The Hounslow-raised athlete dismissed criticism that the sizeable appearance fee had attracted him to his home Marathon.
Farah claimed the run would be part of a legitimate training regime aimed at completing the full distance in 12 months' time.
"When you become Olympic champion and everything else when you go into a race, yes there are rewards. But for someone to say he's only doing it for those rewards is wrong and that hurts," Farah said.
"It has come as a bit of a shock to me. Every race I do, am I only doing it for rewards?
"This race, in my heart, I'm here to learn about the course, learn about everything else. My aim is to come out here and learn about the race and get used to the course so that next year I'm ready to go. It's a no-brainer when you think about it.
"That's one of the things that hurts. I genuinely enjoy my athletics. It's not nice but all the people who know me and know who I am know I'm not the sort of person who would do that."