Mo Farah patient over London Marathon success

Double Olympic champion fancies a crack at Steve Jones' 28-year-old British record of two hours seven minutes 13 seconds

Mo Farah runs as he completes his half-marathon (Getty Images)

Mo Farah admits it will take time before he can compete with the world's best marathon runners, but is confident he can adjust to the initial feeling of not winning.

The double Olympic champion fancies a crack at Steve Jones' 28-year-old British record of two hours seven minutes 13 seconds when he makes his full London Marathon debut next year.

The top three this year all went quicker than that, though, Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede's winning time 2hrs 6mins 4secs, and Farah knows he will not be an instant world beater.

"You have to accept that," said Farah, who kept up with the leading group at what was world-record pace in his controversial run to almost halfway in Sunday's race.

"How long did it take me to start winning races on the track? I've been a track runner seven years now and finished sixth in the World Championships (in 2007), seventh in the World Championships (in 2009), got knocked out at the Beijing Olympics and did not even make the final and then came out four years later (and won double gold).

"It takes that long process. I believe the marathon will be similar to that. You can't just think, 'This is my first marathon, I'm going to smash it'. It doesn't happen like that. It might happen one time and you might get it right, but it's a challenge."

However much Farah knows patience will be key at the start of his marathon career, it will still be a mental test for a man accustomed to standing on top of the podium to cope with finishing further back.

It is one, though, the 30-year-old is adamant he is prepared for.

"You've got to do that, as an athlete that's just how it is," he told to Press Association Sport.

"I'm looking forward to it. What's exciting is being able to run in you home town, where you grew up, where you've done everything, where you've got great memories of the Olympics.

"Running on the streets of London, how often are you going to have that chance?"

PA