British Champion Paula Radcliffe Returns to Marathons
Three time winner of the London and New York marathons, Chicago marathon winner and Berlin marathon bronze medallist, Paula Radcliffe is a legend in long-distance running.
The British runner will race the remaining two majors over the course of six weeks, making her a six star finisher, a prestigious award given to those who complete all six of the original Marathon Majors.
Why is Paula Radcliffe Lacing up for Marathons Again?
Radcliffe's world record time of 2:15:25 was held for 16 years from 2003 to 2019 until Brigid Kosgei broke it. However, 10 years after retirement and 22 years after her last win at the London Marathon, Radcliffe is not finished yet as she has decided to take on the Tokyo and Boston marathons at the age of 51.
With one goal left on her radar, Radcliffe aims to complete the Six Abbott World Marathon Majors. This competition for marathon runners consists of completing six of the world's most prestigious marathons: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo. Runners who complete all six races receive the great finisher title in recognition of their achievements. However, the Sydney Marathon was recently announced as the seventh World Marathon Major, because it successfully met the criteria of a major race: high quality course, large participation and significant impact on the running community. Having said that, the six star medal programme remains the same, only awarding medals to those who complete the original Six Abbott World Marathon Majors. Runners will earn a separate star for completing the Sydney Marathon, but it will not count towards the six star medal.
Radcliffe says she never had the opportunity to race at Tokyo because there were five not six majors during her career. She later goes on to say how Boston is special to her because it was where she won the World Junior Cross Country Championships in 1992, but was unable to race the marathon as it clashed with London.
In a recent interview with Athletics Weekly, Radcliffe explains how she is able to both commentate and run two marathons this year as opposed to previous years where they overlapped. “The stars kind of aligned a little bit in terms of the timings”, she says.
More Than a Marathoner: Paula Radcliffe Redefines Motherhood & Female Athlete Success
Beyond her achievements as a runner, Radcliffe remains a powerful force for women in sport. Just nine months after giving birth to her first child, Radcliffe went on to win the New York Marathon in 2007. The ability to balance her career and family has inspired countless women, proving that it is possible to succeed in elite sport without compromising motherhood. Radcliffe's success defied expectations for women in sport, which has made conversations about maternity leave, post-birth training and athletic recovery more nuanced and open.
Throughout her career, Radcliffe has faced and overcome numerous challenges, with injuries being one of the most significant. Now, she openly discusses the realities of managing an ageing body. She says there is maturity and wisdom in knowing she will not be as fast as she once was and therefore can enjoy the experience. However, as a marathon runner, where peak performance is often associated with youth, Radcliffe challenges that age does not have to be a limiting factor. By embracing the ageing process and acknowledging the physical changes it brings, she has sparked many important conversations about the longevity of female athletes.
Radcliffe's commitment to nurturing the marathon community is shown through her new podcast which launched in January. Paula's Marathon Run Club, hosted by Paula Radcliffe and Chris Thompson, is a 16-week limited series helping runners prepare and train for the London Marathon. Featuring practical advice, inspirational stories and world class athlete training tips, the podcast is designed to help runners of all abilities. Through the launch of her podcast, there is no doubt that Radcliffe wants to engage with her audience beyond the marathon finish line as it reflects her commitment to creating a space where runners can connect, share experiences and learn from each other.
Molly Blizard
Image Christian Petersen-Clausen
Sources:
- Athletics Weekly interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qtU2kmIz4E
- Image Christian Petersen-Clausen https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16714834
- Image https://images.app.goo.gl/mmpYdvKrXLhzue63A
- Paula My Story So Far Sport/Autobiography