Paula Radcliffe running at the 2002 London Marathon (© Getty Images)
Paula Radcliffe will chase the world marathon record when she makes her second attempt at the distance in October. The Flora London Marathon victor has decided to join the 25th anniversary celebrations of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on October 13.
There were mixed views over whether the European record-holder would run a second marathon in 2002 after her sensational 2:18:56 debut in London but she says: “I recovered pretty well after London and I’ve decided to run another marathon this year with a long-term view towards the Olympic Games in Athens and running a marathon coming off a track season.”
Radcliffe had no shortage of offers but believes the excellent organisation of Chicago together with the quality field and fast course will provide the perfect opportunity to go even faster than she did on her debut.
Speaking from Font Romeu, where she is currently training in preparation for a busy track campaign, she said -
“I’d like to challenge the world record in Chicago, and I might have to just to win. I’m never one to duck a challenge and with the likes of Catherine Ndereba running it will be a fast race and it’s one I’m looking forward to. I really enjoyed my first marathon and I hope the second will go just as well. Chicago has a great worldwide reputation and I can’t wait to experience the event for the first time.”
Kenya’s Ndereba set the current World best of 2:18:47 in the windy city last year, ending Olympic marathon champion Naoko Takahashi’s week-old reign as record-holder. Ndereba, surprisingly beaten in Boston this year by Margaret Okayo, will return to defend her title while the in-form Deena Drossin will add American interest.
Race director Carey Pinkowski is delighted to have set up a head-to-head of the world’s two fastest female marathoners in history. With the race 25 years old this year, he plans a special event and a first prize of $100,00 is on offer – plus a further $150,000 if Ndererba’s record is broken.
Radcliffe revealed: “Carey has been talking to Gary (Lough, the former British international who is both her husband and manager) for a few years with a view to me running there. I haven’t actually seen the course but I’ve heard enough about it and spoken to many people so I know quite a lot about the race.”
“We had plenty of offers but Alec (Stanton, her coach) and I sat down and discussed which would be the best one for me. We were very impressed with the organisers and we felt the fast course and quality of the field makes it just what I need to go for the world record. Obviously I’ve got to see what shape I’m in on the day but I’m going there with the record very much in mind.”
It many ways it is appropriate that Radcliffe will be chasing the World record in the States, for it was a decade ago that she first made her name on the world stage with a major victory in the US. She defeated China's Wang Junxia to take the World Junior cross country title in Boston and she further raised her profile in the States with two successes in the Fifth Avenue Mile and then last year’s New York Mini-marathon 10km in 30:47.
She’ll be hoping her fine record in the States continues on October 13. Radcliffe has proved extremely difficult to beat on the roads, winning four of her five half-marathons to date including two gold medals in the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and then making a winning marathon debut in London, but she still yearns for a first major track success and hopes that will occur before Chicago.
She will run the 10,000m in the European Championships in Munich, and possibly the 5,000m, and the shorter distance in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, just a stones throw away from her birthplace in Northwich, Cheshire.
“This year is a big one for me on the track. I haven’t yet decided where I’ll open my track campaign, it will probably be the European Cup if I can shake off a cold I have at the moment. It’s not a serious cold so I expect to be ready for the European Cup, and I hope to make a winning start to the campaign.”
Bob Frank for the IAAF
