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.
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 ....
Quoted message said:
Always a pleasure to watch someone doing something supremely well.
Quoted message said:
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
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Quoted message said:
Edward said:
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 ....
Quoted message said:
Always a pleasure to watch someone doing something supremely well.
Quoted message said:
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!
