Sir Mo Farah had not lost to a club runner in more than 20 years before the most improbable changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Yards from the seat of Royalty the long-time king of distance running was dethroned by a club athlete who had to pay £37 to get into the race.
“I haven’t followed the script have I?” gasped Ellis Cross, a 25-year old from Aldershot, Farnham and District athletic club.
“I’ve just beaten arguably the greatest of all time on the streets of London in front of crowds. I’m still pinching myself.”
Farah, a seven-time winner of the Vitality London 10,000 - a 10k road race for 16,500 runners of all shapes and sizes - crossed the line four seconds behind the recently graduated student.
“I didn’t get elite entry, I got turned down for that,” Cross explained, still shaking his head in disbelief.
“I had to sleep in my own bed, wake at 6am and take the train in. I don’t have my name on my bib.
“When I was running round everyone was calling Mo’s name because they know who he is. No one knows who I am. I’m just a club runner.”
Farah admitted he was among those who had not heard of the shop worker and schools’ athletics coach from the Teddington area where, coincidentally, the runner-up took his first steps to greatness.
“But fair credit to him, he was very determined,” Farah added. “Some athletes kind of look at you but he didn’t fear anyone. That's a good attitude to have.”
Cross, a former under-20 national cross country champion, won in a time of 28 minutes 40 seconds and said he hoped the prize money would cover his entry fee.
“For someone like me £37 goes a long way,” he said.
In fact he pocketed £2,000 but if that was a pleasant surprise it did not come close to the delight he took from beating his idol.
The 10-time global champion took it on the chin, aware that he is still playing catch-up from a torn quad which sidelined him for the best part of six months.
“It’s not a shock because it is where I am,” said the 39-year old. “If I was in top shape and didn’t have any time out, it would be a shock. But the reality is, this is where I am.
“I look at that race and I couldn’t change gears. I just didn’t have that.
“As to what’s next I’ll have an honest conversation with my wife. No-one knows me better than Tania.
“I am like, ‘One more year, one more year, I ain’t looking after the kids, I’m going to training camp’.
“But it is what it is. I’m not a spring chicken any more. It’s hard to accept but you have to.”
Women's race winner Eilish McColgan missed the British record by two seconds but her time of 30:23 bettered mum Liz's 33-year old Scottish best.
