What Paula actually wanted to do in spring 2003 was run in the men's race. She wanted to start on the same start-line as Khannouchi et al. It would have been tough, in London there aren't normally too many men running in the 2:15 range, so she might have ended up running largely alone. She knew that, but was prepared to take the risk, for something great.London didn't want her to do that and forced her to run the women's race, so that they could guarantee maximum TV coverage of her. As a compromise they offered her male pacers in that race, and she accepted their offer. But it hadn't been her idea.
That race does not count as the women's only world record race, it counts as the world record race for a mixed race. The two men were contractually obliged to run to the finish. This was really no different from Chicago.
People forget about London 2005 in which Paula ran, entirely alone after quickly demolishing the female pacers, 2:17. I saw her do that live, all by herself down the street, sprinting into view and then disappering with just the motorbike for company.
Pacing wasn't ever particularly important to Paula. So often she was someone else's pacer.
posted by 'some coked up brit' on letsrun.com
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