Paula's World Best

[Edward]

I watched with growing incredulity as Paula Radcliffe destroyed a world class field at the Great
North Run on Sunday. Notwithstanding her wonderful performance, however, what particularly
interested me was her running form. She seemed to be straining right from the gun, looking very
tense while her rivals looked much more relaxed. Once she had broken away this difference was even
more pronounced. But even though she seemed to be tight, she still managed a number of sub 5 minute
miles, and averaged 5m 01s which is pretty awesome. I know that the world best will not be ratified
because of the distance of the start and end points (must be <50% of race distance) and the drop in
height, but the GNR is NOT an easy course, and to run like this ....

Always a pleasure to watch someone doing something supremely well.

Edward

[ahass]

Edward <teddysnips@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I watched with growing incredulity as Paula Radcliffe destroyed a world class field at the Great
> North Run on Sunday. Notwithstanding her wonderful performance, however, what particularly
> interested me was her running form. She seemed to be straining right from the gun, looking very
> tense while her rivals looked much more relaxed. Once she had broken away this difference was even
> more pronounced. But even though she seemed to be tight, she still managed a number of sub 5
> minute miles, and averaged 5m 01s which is pretty awesome. I know that the world best will not be
> ratified because of the distance of the start and end points (must be <50% of race distance) and
> the drop in height, but the GNR is NOT an easy course, and to run like this ....

> Always a pleasure to watch someone doing something supremely well.

> Edward

---Actually I think it will be ratified. The IAAF rules concerning courses are much looser than the
USA rules. The interesting thing is that you should expect Paula to drop another minute + on her
next attempt. THat 1:05 and change is not really all that fast for a 2:15 marathoner! Andy Hass

[Edward]

ahass@dontspamumich.edu wrote in message news:<YUEbb.2853$H91.63853@news.itd.umich.edu>...
> Edward <teddysnips@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > I watched with growing incredulity as Paula Radcliffe destroyed a world class field at the Great
> > North Run on Sunday. Notwithstanding her wonderful performance, however, what particularly
> > interested me was her running form. She seemed to be straining right from the gun, looking very
> > tense while her rivals looked much more relaxed. Once she had broken away this difference was
> > even more pronounced. But even though she seemed to be tight, she still managed a number of sub
> > 5 minute miles, and averaged 5m 01s which is pretty awesome. I know that the world best will not
> > be ratified because of the distance of the start and end points (must be <50% of race distance)
> > and the drop in height, but the GNR is NOT an easy course, and to run like this ....
>
> > Always a pleasure to watch someone doing something supremely well.
>
> > Edward
>
>
> ---Actually I think it will be ratified. The IAAF rules concerning courses are much looser than
> the USA rules. The interesting thing is that you should expect Paula to drop another minute +
> on her next attempt. THat 1:05 and change is not really all that fast for a 2:15 marathoner!
> Andy Hass

I understood that the IAAF were going to move from "World Best" to "World Record" but tighten up the
rules regarding course design (specifically, start and end points as above, and a drop of no more
than 1 metre per kilometre distance(.

But don't you, Andy, as a pretty useful runner yourself, long to get your hands on Paula's training
diaries. In the commentary before the race Liz McColgan said that Paula was running 145 miles per
week, but what were her sessions? Not that I could really benefit from knowing, but you might!

Edward