Mo knocked from top of the ladder

Mo Farah (handicap -6.9) has occupied the top rung of the runbritain ladder since it came into being in 2010 but when Callum Hawkins (handicap -7.0) ran 60:08 at last weekend's New York City Half Marathon he improved his handicap score by just enough to topple Mo. 

Mo's score always slips at this time of year as he races less in his preparation for the track season. His worst was -5.6 in May 2013 and his best was -8.2 after the Great North Run last year. Callum's best score of -7.2 came in January after the Great Edinburgh Cross Country.

It would be an interesting half marathon race between the two of them just now. Callum ran 60:00 at the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon in Japan in February, just one second slower than Mo's time from a year ago at the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff but 38 seconds slower than Mo's best time of 59:22 achieved at the Great North Run in 2015.

Andrew Butchart (handicap -6.8) is also piling on the pressure in 3rd spot. Andrew's best score of -7.3 came last August when he ran 13:08 in the 5000m final at the Olympic Games showing that he is likely to be heading back that way as the track season gets underway. He also hits his highs in the summer and has made great progress year-on-year (2012 -4.3; 2013 -5.3; 2014 -5.3; 2015 -6.1; 2016 -7.3).

Laura Muir (handicap -3.2) is currently well clear at the top of the women's ladder. She has hit the all-time best women's of -3.3 twice: at the Diamond League in Zurich last September and when she won double gold at the European Indoor Championships this March.

It's promising to be an interesting summer and there could well be more switching of positions on the top rungs!