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she's just bloody awesome (i don't run myself i must add) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05sz74f/paula-radcliffe-the-marathon-and-me
Just a shame the Olympic medal eluded her, but still a great athlete.
Just a shame she'll get nailed by the papers on Monday for 'not winning The Marathon'.
I think she's awesome too, but most people just don't seem to get that she's running for fun rather than as an elite competitor.
To go from plucky loser to world record smasher at her age was "amazing" some might say "incredible"
I am sure she will have a good run tomorrow.
Great ambassador for women's in sport. And when did she become bloody gorgeous on telly too? Not that it's important but it helps.
Amazing career [olympics aside].
To think that no one else has come within 3 minutes of her 2003 Marathon world record (the closest 3 times are all hers) is astonishing.
Agreed, your legacy normally lasts only a year or so in most sports but she set such a high bar is truly remarkable.
A fantastic athlete, I'm sure she'll get massive support all the way round the course and no-one deserves it more.
It's a shame she never got the Olympic medal, i wonder whether she tried to hard for them.
Matt
I watched that program earlier and was very impressed with her in it. She's a great woman and ambassador for the sport. I remember watching her run the national xc races years ago (maybe on Grandstand).
Her (auto?)biography is good.
It's a shame that people of her ilk aren't more revered in the world of celebrity and fame; would be good if young people looked up to people like Paula Radcliffe as role models, rather than Joey Essex and Kim Kardashian.
Or Mr Hankey.
As teamhurtmore implies, when a professional sportsperson puts in such an unbelievable performance, it's perfectly rational not to believe it. And she poos on the street.
Moi?
"amazing" some might say "incredible"
Oui. Toi.
You're implying she's doping.
The problem with athletes like Paula and Mo is that 99.9% of the population don't realise just how fast they can run. It's a different sport to what we do. Same with pro cyclists.
Surely not.
(Even on her fun run, she will run one mile faster than me.)
London street cleaners are on high alert
Was it 5.19 a mile for the world marathon best ?.I cant do that for one !
That marathon is pis$ easy for her
Rightly or wrongly I'll always remember as having shat herself whilst in front of loads of people.
Might be of interest to some [url= http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-prevention-recovery/gerard-hartmanns-front-row-seat-to-paula-radcliffes-career ]Gerad Hartmann[/url] her physio for 14 years.
Has she ever won an event with a mandatory drug test for the winner ?
Lots of podium places on road and track where she would be tested .Your point being what ?
Brilliant. Another perfectly nice thread derailed into ****ery.
A great ambassador for athletics. No question about that.
I have to say she's done remarkably well, particularly financially, with the advent of "appearance fees" for the marathons. She was unable to perform on the track at the highest level or in competitive marathons ie ones where medals are at stake.
Has she ever won an event with a mandatory drug test for the winner ?
Why don't you check her CV and have a guess?
(without checking I can think of numerous world XC and 1/2m titles, European and Commonwealth track titles, oh and that insignificant world marathon title - some of those might have had drug testing)
Having been recently banned for insulting forum members, I find it completely impossible to respond to some of these posts 😆
She was unable to perform on the track at the highest level or in competitive marathons ie ones where medals are at stake.
Eh? 1999 and 2005 world champs...
That's nice then
Nothing to see here, lets move on...
Seb Coe anyone ?
Seb Coe anyone ?
Shhh, he is more saintly than Paula
Incredible athletes. Once heard a good way to get an idea of how fast they are.
Get on a running machine in the gym, put it up to its fastest, run at that speed for a couple of hours.
One year, I forget which, I was doing commentary for BBC from the finish line at the Great North Run. Paula Ratcliffe was winner of the women's race, having made it look like torture as is her manner. as she came across the finish line in reocrd time I asked her if I could grab an interview with her when she'd had a chance to get her breath back.
"Oh, I'm all right now, if you like!" She said.
British sports commentators have an obsession with speeds, times,personal bests etc. The trouble is, medals are awarded for finishing first on the day. British athletes aren't quite as good at that particular achievement.
And she's another tax exile in Monaco as well?
I have to say she's done remarkably well, particularly financially, with the advent of "appearance fees" for the marathons. She was unable to perform on the track at the highest level or in competitive marathons ie ones where medals are at stake.
It may surprise you to know that the big city marathons are the most competitive. Many top athletes ignore those where they give out medals and opt for those that give out cash. Radcliffe was unlucky not to get it right on the big days as far as they are concerned however she won both a junior and senior world cross country championship gold. Many consider world XC gold as one of the most difficult to win given it includes the worlds best runners from 3k up to the Marathon all in the one race. She is a fantastic ambassador for the sport has been world class at pretty much every distance she has ran and we should be proud.
The juvenile haters need to reflect on what they have achieved.
So today Paula (retired runner) took 13 minutes more than the elite womens' winner. So what do the conspiracy theorists reckon? Still on the junk?
My own view is that she got to the top by sheer hard work. She's a top role model - even if she does poo in street now and then.
@slow it was a wee unless you know otherwise
I know I know. It was in reference to midlifecrashes.
I thought she did a poo.
Pro runners do not stop to wee she had a poo common knowledge.
Yep one dump in the street and no-ones ever going to let you forget it.
Shes a geat athelete though.
She didn't poo on the street.
(did she?)
Her 2:15 record is a stunning run and a good bit faster than any other woman in the world (and still only beaten by a handful of current British males).
Here she is trying to haggle with our (ex/prospective) MP for the commemorative club buff yesterday. I've got a couple under the stairs if she wants to get in touch https://twitter.com/GrahamEvans/status/592602349245464579/photo/1
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having recently returned to running i cannot comprehend a 2hr15 marathon, i bet alot on this forum couldn't cycle that far in 2hrs! great british athlete!
I played a few football matches in Loughborough and during the entire 90 minutes she was running laps of the pitch, I was knackered just watching her.