By Mark Butler
BBC Athletics Statistician

One of my jobs during an important distance race is to keep a chart of the lap times as the race unfolds so the commentators Steve Cram or Brendan Foster - experts in interpreting such data - can stay up-to-date.

It was Brendan who, in 1974, threw in a 60.4 second eighth lap to crack the opposition in the 5000m at the European Championships. We want to spot any such developments as soon as possible.

There was no single pivotal moment like that in Birmingham on Sunday, though, when Mo Farah spreadeagled a world-class field over the same distance. He bided his time, edged in front at the bell and pulled clear to win comfortably.

What impressed onlookers most was not any statistic, but the way he and his training partner Galen Rupp turned the tables on the Ethiopian opposition. How many times have we seen Ethiopians sit in and kick for victory in the closing stages with non-African opposition trailing?