Flash quotes

“I am really happy. The goal today was to try and win but to come away with my fourth title here is really special.

“I can see from my time today that my fitness isn’t quite where I’d like it to be. It’s no secret I’ve had some issues since April, so I am just happy to be back racing.

“I actually enjoyed racing today, although it was tough fitness-wise there were lots and lots of cheers around the course. It gets bigger and bigger and the support gets bigger and bigger.

“I am just grateful to be back doing what I love and it’s another step forward.”

On another battle with Jess Warner-Judd, who finished second in the women’s race

“I was saying I didn’t know where all the other GB girls are this year, it seems to be us two popping up at every race. 

“We’ve had some great races over the years, and Jess is just preparing for a marathon so is in a completely different phase. I am coming in with less fitness and she’s coming in with too much fitness, but for the marathon. It’s nice to have a match-up with her over 10K again.”

On building up fitness and end-of-season plans 

“I need to just get fit now, I am going to go into a big block of training. I only had four weeks before the Big Half and again it’s been disrupted.

“I am proud of what I’ve been able to do off of four weeks, but the goal now is to get into a big block of training. 

“I won’t have the end-of-season break that other people are having, I have had my time off. I’ve got a very short four days of rest now then reset and maybe do some smaller runs in the winter.

On racing again next year:

“Of course – to go for a fifth one, I can’t say no to that.”

“I can’t imagine I have won the race. When I was called to the front, I was feeling too much pressure. I’ve never been called to the front before a race started. I was asking myself, ‘Are you going to handle this?’

“I am delighted I have won the race and that pressure is gone.”

On the competition today and race strategy

“The competition was good; we started really well. The first five guys stuck together and approaching 6K was when I decided, let me test myself.

“I have confidence in myself. I won the Big Half and now the fitness is there, but it was big pressure performing twice.

“I am delighted, realising that I can do it. I had terrible injuries for four years. This year I am grateful that I can run every day, I am able to do my sessions and just being healthy and back doing races like this.”

“It feels really good, it is always good to race on the streets of London. I’ve had a mixed bag of training for the last couple of weeks so it’s nice to push myself a bit to see what I need to do for the next couple of weeks. 

“Once I started moving it was quite windy, coming back it wasn’t too bad.”

On his goals for today

“A lot of people had pulled out so the competition for me was my time, average speed and max speed, so I am judging that and it gives me an indicator of what I need to do in the next couple of weeks to be ready for [Bank of America] Chicago Marathon.

“I am really looking forward to Chicago, it’s not a course that suits me, but I’ve always done quite well there. Last year I was second. I do like Chicago as a city as well, it’s a cool city so I like going back.

“Then I’ve got New York City Marathon about three weeks later, which is a course that suits me more because it is more up and down and more challenging.”

“It feels really good [to win]. I didn’t really know what to expect, I did the Big Half three weeks ago but haven’t really been in my racing chair since then. I did the [Vitality Westminster] Mile yesterday, which I really enjoyed.

“It was a little bit breezy [today], more so than I expected. But it is a really nice course, it is nice pushing through London at this time in the morning, nice crowds.

“It’s cool [to be racing with David Weir]. To be part of his academy is very special as well. To race alongside him and have wins in both races for the academy is really good.”