Farah, who claimed the 5,000 and 10,000 metres double for the second Olympics in a row in Rio de Janeiro last month, was content to trail his American rival for the first 12 miles of the half marathon course from Newcastle to South Shields.

He then pulled clear on the same downhill stretch in which he was dropped by Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele in 2013 before crossing the line at a canter in 1:00.04.

If he had produced one of his renowned sprint finishes, the 33-year-old would surely have broken the 60 minute barrier.

But he was instead content to put one arm up in a tribute to Newcastle United and England footballing legend Alan Shearer before a customary mobot celebration.

"Half-marathons are tough, I find the track a lot easier," Farah, who also won in 2014 and 2015, admitted afterwards.

"I only feel the pain in the last lap or two laps there. 

"It’s a different pain.

“Dathan made it very hard, I had to hang on for my dear life.

"Down the hill, I remember in this race against Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie, when Bekele just went boom and opened up a gap I couldn’t close. 

"So I tried to do the same to Dathan, make a gap and then hold it."

Ritzenhein finished in 1:00.12 for second place while Emmanuel Bett of Kenya took third in 1:00.22.

Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot engineered the perfect birthday present in the women's race with victory in 1:07.54.

Her fellow countrywoman Priscah Jeptoo was beaten by just a single second in a sprint finish.

Ethiopian distance running legend Tirunesh Dibaba lost touch in the closing stages and had to settle for third in 1:08.04.