You just said there that you haven't gotten the better of this course yet. Because you seem to have done well from where I'm standing. Does that mean you think you can go fairly faster?Paula Radcliffe: Yeah, I think I've got a good understanding of the course now from the times that I've run it. But I feel that I could and should be able to run faster on it. Obviously, some of that is the quality of the race coming into it. Sometimes if you're looking around at the people around you, you're not going to run as fast. Sometimes it's been the weather, too. But I do feel the times I have run there have been kind of average. So I would like to go a little faster there.Given how long you've been away when you came back in 2007 and all the problems of last year, are you possibly in the best shape you've been in since 2005? Or is that pushing it?
PR: I think it's hard to tell right now because I'm in kind of the best block of mileage and things like that. That is something I'd be better able to gauge when I get into the ease down period and really start sharpening up. But certainly in terms of the amount of running that I'm able to do in long runs, recovering from those, yeah, probably am. Certainly not having to baby my foot and those kind of things.
You're planning to warm up in some ways for this (New York) race at the half marathon in Birmingham, the World Championships. Can you tell me what time there would persuade you you're in the right shape to run a marathon in New York three weeks later in the sort of time that you're, obviously, pushing for?
PR: Well, I mean, I'm not really looking for a time in Birmingham. I think the fact that the World Half Marathon was in Birmingham was kind of a waiting fact towards choosing New York as a marathon this fall, because it gave me the chance to be able to race in a championships in the home country, which is something that I obviously did not want to turn down. Having said that, the main focus is New York. So it won't be really just trying to run absolutely as fast as you I can. It's more about going and performing well in Birmingham, and using it as a stepping stone towards New York.
How much did you actually miss racing?
PR: Oh, a lot. A real lot. It's just kind of been ‑ I knew it was going to be a long time coming back from the foot surgery, and I wouldn't be racing quickly. But it was really nice to race in New York. Disappointed again that I couldn't recover in time to race in Berlin. But now just really looking forward to getting out and racing this fall.
How's the foot feeling these days?
PR: The foot's feeling good, thank you. It's really settled down a lot. I can actually almost forget about it. Only when I go to put on some shoes it feels kind of going out, and I can get my shoes on where I couldn't before. It's just encouraging, I think, really at the end of long runs where I used to be finishing and having to massage it to be able to walk freely on it. Just to forget about that and just to get on with the rest of the recovery, especially after a long run.
What made you decide to defend your (New York) title? What was the tipping point for you?
PR: I think there were lots of tipping points. I think the pull of New York in its own right. And then, I think the fact that it is the 40th anniversary. I would love to get that fourth title. Lots of things are still goals in my career. I want to go back and win more London, win more in Chicago, obviously, 2012. But I think to get as close as I could get to Grete's record, that would mean a lot to me, too. So that was a big factor. Again, like I said, the fact that it meant I could fit in running in Birmingham along the way.
How you look back on this year now? You were talking before the NYC Half Marathon about that being tough. Do you still feel this marathon now coming up will be a testing ground?
PR: Yeah. I think any marathon that you race is a testing ground. But I think I kind of knew coming out of the surgery that this year was going to be a stepping stone back. But then it's been that for me so many times and it's gone well so many times. So I guess I'm kind of looking and hoping and planning for that to workout like that again.
And you were kind of hinting at times. You were two seconds off the half marathon course record. Can you tell us what kind of time you're hoping for (in the marathon)?
PR: Well, I just think that really on a good day with good conditions that I should be capable of pushing the course record down around 2:20. I've got I think it's a tough course, but I don't think it's that much slower than London. So I think between London, Chicago, and New York could be closer. I'd like the chance to be able to go out there and do that.
What has your training mileage peaked at since the (foot) operation?
PR: My training miles, I haven't really added it up. But it's probably going to be somewhere around 145 (miles).
What was your first recollection of seeing Grete Waitz (the nine-time New York City Marathon champ) , and over the years, how much contact have you had with her? You share physios (physiotherapists) at least. But what have you gotten to know about her, and what is your relationship right now?PR: Yeah, my memories of her, my first memories of her, are memories of the record she had at the World Cross Country, I think before I even knew about any victories in New York. At that time I was focused on the World Cross Country. And Grete was really one of the icons of cross country running to me (Waitz won five World Cross titles). Then the first time I got the chance to meet her in New York was after one of the Miles. I can't remember which one. But one of the Fifth Avenue Miles I did, I got a chance to meet her.
I remember being kind of almost taken back. She almost looked exactly the same as she did when she was racing. Just really picking up on how humble she was. But also the energy of her. Then through the Miles I've been lucky enough to have a chance to meet her and get to know her better. She's just an amazing person. I mean, everything that she's going through and fighting against, and you'd never know it. She's just somebody who loves running, and loves New York, and loves watching the Miles, and that really comes over when you meet her.
Is there anything that you've learned from her specifically that you could apply to New York because of her experience?
PR: It's more than just what you'd apply to New York. I think it's what you'd apply to life in general. It's just her positivity, and her fighting spirit, and her just huge strength of character, which I think we could all learn from. It's not just about what happens today or tomorrow, it's about consistency of that. Sort of making it a life journey, and a life's voyage to give your best each time.
You mentioned your mileage has been almost as high as it's ever been. Do you consider easing back on the mileage?
PR: To be honest, the training isn't kind of constructed to specific mileage targets each time. I mean, I do add up at the end of the week almost to have a reason. For example, last week was a big mileage week. Kind of when I went out this morning, part of it was I went home with a bad cold, and I think I've got a bit of that. But then I felt a bit flat today....
So it's not like each mileage target has to be hit each week. I see it more as the sessions that need to be done. I think that kind of the injuries that I've had over the last couple of years has been for biomechanical reasons which has been compounded by the amount of mileage, but it's a marathon. There aren't shortcuts you can take and still perform at the level I want to perform at.
You said you have not had any setbacks since New York (the half marathon on August 16)? PR: No, I just kind of had this hamstring thing. But like I said, it hasn't stopped me actually running and doing the training. If I was getting ready for a short race, I'd be worried. But for a marathon, I'm not.
It's been noted that you're the only person who has won (elite) races at all the four major road distances in New York, the mile, the 10K, the half marathon, and the marathon. The half marathon came after your marathons. Does that seem to you to be part of a natural maturation process or a voyage of discovery of what kind of runner you were? How do you feel about that journey and that accomplishment?
PR: I'm feeling when looking back when I went there for the first time in 1995 to run the first mile, I never really thought about whether I'd be there running the marathon. When I went on to the 10K, I was definitely thinking that I was on a path to reach the marathon by then. I'm kind of thinking, yeah, I would love to come to New York and win the marathon here. So I think, yeah, you're right. It's kind of a journey of finding out things about myself. I always knew that I was better suited to endure, which probably actually worked to my favor in winning the Fifth Avenue Mile in the first place (she won in 1996 and 1997). To win a street mile is probably more of my thought at that time than I would have been on the track just because it is a different style of running and racing.
But, yeah. It's something that I think ‑ I'm probably talking in circles. But it worked to my advantage because I can look back on my career and say I would, and I've kind of fulfilled my potential after each distance. Also when it comes down to the marathon and you're coming to the final stages as I have done in New York several times. And the fact that I've been a fairly decent miler in my time as well is another kind of decent mile there, which kind of makes me feel stronger going into the closing stages.
It's hard to maybe even define what's normal for your marathon build-up in terms of races because of the injuries you've had and motherhood and other interruptions. But going to half marathons, you know, one in the middle of August, and one now (in Birmingham, England on October 11) as you build up to the marathon - is that the kind of thing you've ever done previously?
PR: No. I guess previously I've done more 10ks to build up. I've got to get the ideal build -up in 2005, 2003, I did 10ks in the build-up there. I think this time, honestly, because it is the World Half Marathon and it's in the UK, that I'm probably thinking more about that. Otherwise, I think the kind of ten-mile option, 10k just before has also worked well for me. I think what's most important is that I kind of keep my mind on the end goal, the big goal of New York. Other things that fit into that they have to fit in and work as a piece of the jigsaw in the training building into it.
It seems like altitude training is a big part of your race preparation. How does your training change when you're at altitude, if at all?
PR: That's difficult for me to answer, because all of my American block trainings have been in altitude. So it's kind of all the same. But I've differentiated between Albuquerque, Boulder and here. But I guess the biggest difference is I feel it's somewhere I can come and focus on my training, on my recovery. Do a lot of running off‑road. I also feel that here with all the hills really sort of make me strong and help, especially with a course like New York.
Do you have any plans to come back out to Boulder or Albuquerque before New York?
PR: No, not before then.
Any other consideration besides New York City when you won the half marathon then decided that you weren't ready for the World Championships (marathon). Was there any other marathon in your sights? Did anyone else try to come to you guys and say run our race, not New York City?
PR: Yeah, there were many choices, really. Well, four choices. When it came down to it came between Berlin, Chicago, New York, and Yokohama. I guess they were the options I was looking at. Like I said, the main reasons were all of those races were races that I'd love to do, and that's the hard thing with the marathon. You have to pick one. It was for me the pull of New York. I wanted to go for those four victories here. Also the fact that I could do the world's half and race a little bit more which to me was important.
I'm kind of curious about your great training experiment pre‑Beijing, by which I'm referring to the fact that you're apparently doing prodigious amounts of cross training but weren't able to do much running before the Beijing marathon. I'm just curious how much of this pool and other stuff were you doing? And how much running were you able to get in before Beijing? And through this whole process of the cross training, did you learn anything that you can use going forward?
PR: Well, I didn't have much choice because it was about five weeks before that I could start doing any kind of running. And it was really only three weeks before that I was actually running every day. So I really had to blast out the cross training more than I've ever done. So I really mixed it up.So I would do an hour and a half on the Nordic Ski, then go into an hour and a half in the pool straightaway. An hour on the elliptical, an hour and a half on the Nordic Ski. Things like that. So I was trying to simulate my marathon training. But because it was cross training, sometimes I just had to be a little bit longer. The way I find easiest to get my heart rate up in the pool was always doing reps, so every time it was just reps in the pool.
Is there any part of the cross training that remains part of your training going forward when you're healthy? PR: Yeah, it is using the Nordic Ski, using the elliptical. That's always been a part of kind of my week of training, really. So it would be usually one, maybe two days in the week where I would just think I'd rest a bit from the morning session, so I'm just going to jump on the machine instead. That kind of enables me to get a cardiovascular workout, but let my legs recover from the pounding a little bit.
We know you've been an Alter-G (treadmill) fan or used it in the past. Are you using it going forward?
PR: Yeah, yeah. I'm using it all the time. I think that's really been one of the good purchases that I've made in terms of helping my training through. Even with the example of this hamstring tendinitis that I've had. It's helped me to run on level ground. So I've been doing my temporary runs on that when I couldn't do them outside. Because I didn't want to risk flaring it up. Then just using that again as kind of a recovery strategy. So I'm running on that 90 to 95 percent (of normal impact).Just giving my body a chance to recover and stay afresh.
Can you sort of speak to the perseverance that you see in Grete (Waitz)? And maybe how you have had to apply similar principles with the trials and tribulations that you've gone through?
PR: Oh, gosh. Well, first of all I think whatever I've gone through is nothing compared to what Grete goes through and is going through in fighting against the cancer and being as strong as she is. I think little things, really.
How do you feel about being called a modern day Grete?
PR: Oh, I think that's a huge honor. I think if I play halfway to her character, and have the strength of character that she's got and choosing the results that he she he has, that's a big honor to me. I've always said my idols coming through American running, would be Grete and Ingrid Kristiansen and Joanie (Benoit Samuelson). It's not just from achieved racing, but what they are as people as well, and kind of the personality they bring and the strengths of character.
What part of the course in New York challenges you most? Is there a particular part of the course that you're preparing for?
PR: I think the whole course challenges you. You have to be prepared for all aspects of it. Last year was the hardest year to win. And certainly I did find the bridges are something that you kind of need to keep your focus on, because it can be easy to drift off and lose the focus a little bit, because it is so quiet on there. I think First Avenue really lifts you. My favorite part is when you come within distance of the park, and things start to pick up there once you get into the park.
You were disappointed in your time at the NYC Half Marathon and said based on that, you didn't do the (World) Championships. What was it you actually felt there? Are you doing any tests? What's going to let you know that you're really feeling 100 percent together besides having an all out half marathon under your belt? PR: Well, that race wasn't the deciding factor for not starting in Berlin. It was more the fact that I didn't recover, or I came out the last three miles of the race in New York feeling my hamstring getting tight. And I sort of just recovered through that week. Half marathons are tight, and it didn't. So that is the reason I didn't start in Berlin. And that's what I was talking about. It developed into a bit of a tendinitis. It took a little bit of a while to settle down.
Now that you're running your third marathon with Isla - not with her, but with her there - have you have figured out how to sort of manage that motherhood, and how you've kind of evolved your career around it?
PR: Well, like I said, I see it as a big advantage. It's part of my life that I'm really, really happy with. It's great to be able to combine the two. I think I'm lucky, really. If I was working full‑time with a child, I probably wouldn't be able to see them as often as I do Isla, if I had any other career. So I think that's really nice. As she's getting older she's kind of understanding a little bit more. So now she understands that mama goes allez (in French), as she's called it. I don't think she's grasped that's what every mom does. And she knows that's where I'm going, and she comes to hand out drinks. She's now developed that she wants to run. She wants to join in.So I have to do an extra little bit of a cool down with her.
You've talked about maybe expanding the family a little bit and having baby number two. That's kind of hard to plan out exactly. Have you thought maybe when that would fit into your schedule leading up to 2012?
PR: Yeah, it's something that I think about a lot. It's, I guess, something that anybody who has a family and combines it with a career like this has to go through. I'm tossing a lot of things around at the moment.I desperately do want another child. If I could take my fingers and just have one now, I think I would have already done that. But I've also missed racing a lot.
So I have to get things straight in my mind. So I kind of want to get my racing fix, and get what I want family‑wise as well. It's juggling both through to 2012. The last thing I would want to be is to come out of 2012 and have the medal I wanted and find out it's too late to have the child I wanted. So it is something that I want to try to fit in before then, and hopefully it can work out like that.
THX for another great interview RunnersWorld!
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