For Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe, the Olympic road begins in Kenya... 8,000ft above sea level

The roads are a seemingly endless sprawl of rutted, red dirt tracks, while the audience comprises bony cattle and belligerent goats.

Occasionally, there are local children, who run effortlessly alongside, calling out in sing-song voices.

For Paula Radcliffe, whose Olympic heartbreaks have been more public than perhaps any other athlete, the road to London starts in a remote corner of the Kenyan hills, a long way from family or crowds. A long way from just about anything, save for mile after mile of trails.

‘It’s been really hard leaving the kids behind, the first real sacrifice of my career,’ she admits, before stopping, surveying the scene around her and remembering why she decided to make it.
Read more: Daily Mail