A week which began with a bruising public relations battle against one track legend ended a with painful beating by another as Mo Farah trudged home three minutes and four places behind Eliud Kipchoge in a London Marathon for the ages.

Afterwards, as Farah hugged his young son Hussein, he insisted that his extraordinary spat with Haile Gebrselassie – which has seen accusations of theft, blackmail and public brawls traded between the two men – had not affected him. There is no reason to doubt him. It was just one of those days when his legs became leadened and energy leaked from him like a sieve.

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All marathon runners have tasted that experience. Except, perhaps, the extraordinary Kipchoge who again emphasised that he is the greatest marathoner in history by powering away from his rivals with a stunning 4min 30sec mile near the finish to seal a record fourth men’s title. His winning time of 2hr 2min 37sec was not only a course record but the second quickest in history, behind only his world record in Berlin in September.

Eighteen seconds back was the Ethiopian Mosinet Geremew, who had clung to Kipchoge like a puppy to its master until the final mile, while his compatriot Mule Wasihun was third, 21 seconds further behind.

Farah, meanwhile, was left to lick his wounds after coming home in fifth in 2:05:39 having been dropped by the lead runners at halfway. Kipchoge had told his camp that he was going to attack at halfway, and he was as good as his word, putting in two 4:32 and two 4:34 miles between mile 14 and 18 to burn off the British star, who spent the last third of the race in no man’s land.

“My aim was to follow the pacemaker, do as little work as possible and sit back,” admitted Farah. “I felt fine at halfway but then they got a gap on me and it went away from me. I hoped to reel them in, but from 20 miles the wheels came off and I was just hanging there.”

There was a compensation of sorts as Farah set a British 30km record along the route – remarkably he now holds national bests at 1500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m, the half-marathon, 30km and the marathon – but given he had convinced himself beforehand he could win it was bittersweet.

Play Video 1:41 Mo Farah stands 'by every word I said’ in furious row with Haile Gebrselassie – video

The last two miles were particularly tough as Farah’s ambition of running a low 2:04 slipped from him. Marathon runners talk about experiencing spells in a race where it feels ridiculously, laughably easy. When the asphalt is like a trampoline and the miles tick by in a beat. Farah, though, must have felt like he was wading through sludge.

The women’s race was won by Brigid Kosgei in a speedy 2hr 18min 20sec. That time was even more impressive given a torpid first 10 miles. The Kenyan is only 25 and the way she blitzed clear of last year’s winner Vivian Cheruyiot, who was second this time, suggests she can go much quicker.

Britain’s Charlotte Purdue was delighted after a stunning 2:25:38 earned her 10th place and a spot in the record books as the third fastest British women in history, behind only Paula Radcliffe and Mara Yamauchi. “I am over the moon with that,” she said. “To come to London and smash my PB – it’s all I can ask for.”

There were also accusations of technological doping after all the podium finishers in the men’s and women’s races wore Nike’s new Next% shoes, which the company says can give a 5% improvement in running efficiency. Speaking afterwards the renowned sports scientist Ross Tucker said the carbon fibre shoes “distorted performance, maybe even more than doping” and equated them to the LZR swimsuits that were banned in 2008.

But, inevitably, most of the focus was on the remarkable Kipchoge. When Britain’s Callum Hawkins, who finished in a respectable 10th in 2:08:14, was asked for his thoughts on the Kenyan he didn’t hold back. “He is a pretty big fucking machine,” he said. “He is unbeatable. If he is in shape, he wins. He’s a one in a lifetime runner.”

Farah was also brutally honest when asked what it would take to match up to Kipchoge. “I think just let him retire,” he sighed. “I’ve run 2:05, I was hoping to improve, but 2:04 is not enough for Eliud, is it?” And after this latest masterpiece, who would dare disagree?