Top 25 Paula Radcliffe Quotes

When you get close to race day, there’s that anticipation and excitement – it’s the same whatever level you’re running at because the marathon is like a festival.

I try not to worry about things that I can’t control.

I’ve had a lot of success over the years racing in New York, but the main point is that I feel the marathon is a different event, a lot more my event.

A half marathon is a good way to have a bit of fun and race against those girls and learn a bit more about them. The world half marathon is a world championship at the end of the day and it’s important. I’ve win it twice and it’s a quality event.

I took a lot of bad things after Athens. I just learnt to deal with it. The problem was beforehand I had this feeling where I was trying to please everybody – I wanted everybody to like me.

I have always run as hard as I can. You are not going to run any harder with or without men. You are running on your own two feet.

I cry all the time.

I set myself some specific goals, but the key one is just getting myself into as good a shape as possible for one day this year: the Olympic marathon.

I prefer to be in tune with my surroundings and to be aware of things. I like listening to my foot strike and my breathing. It can be quite soothing.

From my training I can get a good idea of what I’m capable of.

Actually I don’t choose to expose myself in public. I choose to compete; the other side just comes with the package.

In the marathon anything can happen.

I deliberately returned slowly to training after Raphael was born and everything, apart from being bitten by a dog whilst out training in Monaco at the beginning of the year, has gone pretty well.

Running gives me a lot of pleasure. It’s something I’ll always do, as long as I can.

If I start planning then that’s dangerous because then I have a target that I’m blinkered towards and I won’t listen to the warning signs quite so much. I’d rather be in shape and then look around and say there’s a race next week and jump into that than have it planned.

I can’t imagine living and not running.

You can be strong and true to yourself without being rude or loud.

Plenty of people who are 38 have run really well in the marathon.

I apologise to people when I need to.

I don’t like going away from my children.

I would be happy with an Olympic bronze. What I don’t have is an Olympic medal.

To represent your country at a home Olympics is something special and I’m over the moon to be selected for Team GB. I was pleased to get the qualifying time in Berlin earlier this year and my sole focus is getting in the right shape for London.

An Olympic medal won’t define my whole life, although it might look like it to onlookers. When I look back, I should have been able to get an Olympic medal.

You can wish as hard as you like but all that really matters is the shape you’re in on the day of the race. I’ve always felt these really big races aren’t necessarily won by whoever is the fastest. They’re won by the athlete who is the smartest and in the best shape on the day.

Every time I go out and race it’s a goal to go out and run faster than I’ve done before.