Paula Radcliffe has managed to be both very successful in her field and incredibly popular with the Great British Public. She was the underdog for so long -- narrowly missing out on medals in the 1999 World Championships and the 2000 Sydney Olympics -- that fans longed to see her win. Paula's rosy manner hides a tough resolve to succeed and in 2002 her luck began to turn. She won gold medals at both the Commonwealth and European championships and started to grab the headlines, bringing Britain's focus back to athletics. Paula's bravery is not limited to the track, however. She has become a passionate spokesperson against drug cheats and, inspired by her own battle with the condition, she is widely admired for her patronage of asthma charities. And even though Athens in 2004 proved to be more Greek tragedy than triumph, her popularity remains undimmed. Her remarkable life story of highs and lows is fully chronicled in this fascinating and inspiring autobiography.
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From the Inside Flap
Paula Radcliffe has been hailed as one of the finest female distance runners of all time. Her amazing run of record-breaking victories in 2002 and 2003, including smashing the women’s world marathon record in Chicago and then again in London, showed an athlete at the peak of her powers – and her popularity. Such was her dominance that a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens seemed almost a formality. But as the world watched, and a nation held its breath, that historic race ended for her on a dusty kerbside instead of the podium.
Athens showed in heartbreaking and dramatic fashion that, for Paula, success has been hard-won. She was the underdog for so long – narrowly missing out on medals at the 1999 World Championships and the 2000 Sydney Olympics – and fans longed to see her win. But Paula’s eternally rosy manner and palpable decency hide a tough resolve to succeed, and she has never allowed high-profile losses to dent her confidence. With the support and guidance of her husband, the former 1,500-metre runner Gary Lough, and coach Alex Stanton, she remodelled her training schedule and emerged triumphant, winning gold medals at both the Commonwealth and European championships and grabbing headlines which have brought Britain’s focus back to athletics.
Paula’s bravery is not limited to the track, however. She has won many admirers for her work for asthma research – inspired by her own conquering of the condition – and has also been an outspoken campaigner against drug cheats in her sport, wearing a red ribbon symbolising her readiness to be tested for banned substances at any time.
What has driven this ‘quintessential girl next door’ to achieve so much, and how does she deal with the weight of expectation that now accompanies her? And what really happened that hot Athens afternoon? Paula Radcliffe reveals the true story behind the triumphs and trials in the most eagerly anticipated sports autobiography of the year.
About the Author
PAULA RADCLIFFE was born in Northwich, Cheshire, in 1973, but grew up in Bedford. She joined Bedford & County Athletics Club at the age of eleven, and competed in the World Cross-Country Championships at sixteen. After graduating from Loughborough University with a first-class degree in modern languages in 1996 she devoted herself full-time to her running, and is now acknowledged as one of the finest athletes of the modern era.
As well as her medals at 5,000 and 10,000 metres Paula has now established herself as the master of the ultimate distance race, the marathon. In April 2002 she won the London Marathon in her first-ever race at that distance, setting a debut record, and six months later she smashed the world record by over a minute in Chicago. The London Marathon in April 2003 saw her defend her title and break her own record, again by over a minute, setting a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds.
She was awarded an MBE in June 2002, and later that year was voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. She lives in Loughborough with her husband and manager, Gary Lough.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By girl
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
OK, I'll start by saying that I'm a runner myself and a fan of Paula's (although I'm not a die-hard, member-of-the-church-of-PR kinda fan).
I found it great to read about her childhood and her background as a runner - she really was the underdog for quite some time! Getting a (tiny) glimpse into her training schedule also interested me (for obvious reasons), and also the ice-baths, nutrition, etc. But she clearly adores running.
She seems to have suffered countless injuries. This is probably common in elite athletes, but reading about how often they get them makes you wonder how fit these people really are! I mean, these professional runners are plagued with injuries, while the average overweight middle-aged person manages just fine!
Paula also, obviously, talks in detail about Athens and how it all went wrong. It's pretty upsetting to read - but it was upsetting to watch, too.
She also has a great, not-too-detailing writing style.
I liked it.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Maltravers
Format:Hardcover
Paula Radcliffe is a nice person. She had a nice childhood with her nice parents and her nice brother. She joined a nice club run by a very nice couple. She's nice about her competitors, her friends and pretty much everyone else. Only her poor husband comes out as a bit of a git - and that's mainly because he writes small sections himself.
All this makes for a nice life but an extraordinarily dull autobiography from such an inspirational runner. This might be forgivable if the book were well written. Unfortunately it is one of the most badly written professionally published books I have read: repetitive (count the 'as I said before's), chronologically confused, and poorly structured.
On the plus side, it is not fair to describe this as a book of excuses. There are some interesting insights into the fragility of pushing the body to peak performance and the impact that small injuries and minor illness can have on elite atheletes. Possibly a bit too much insight into Paula's bowel movements, but the indignities she is happy to face in order to win are impressive.
Paula's a runner not a writer. But she was helped in this book by David Walsh, three times winner of the Sports Writer of the Year Award. And he really should have helped her make a better fist of this.
Let's hope Paula has lots more victories - and a better second volume - in her.
All this makes for a nice life but an extraordinarily dull autobiography from such an inspirational runner. This might be forgivable if the book were well written. Unfortunately it is one of the most badly written professionally published books I have read: repetitive (count the 'as I said before's), chronologically confused, and poorly structured.
On the plus side, it is not fair to describe this as a book of excuses. There are some interesting insights into the fragility of pushing the body to peak performance and the impact that small injuries and minor illness can have on elite atheletes. Possibly a bit too much insight into Paula's bowel movements, but the indignities she is happy to face in order to win are impressive.
Paula's a runner not a writer. But she was helped in this book by David Walsh, three times winner of the Sports Writer of the Year Award. And he really should have helped her make a better fist of this.
Let's hope Paula has lots more victories - and a better second volume - in her.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is a very honest story of dedication & talent combined with disappointment & success. However it is rather repetitive & dull, even for this marathon runner.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've been a fan of Paula's for many many years but strangely didn't know a great deal about her private life etc.
This is the most candid and honest autobiography I've ever read! Paula doesn't keep anything back; from incidents that happened all through her career, personal health problems to the very raw emotional highs and lows she has been through over the years.
Her book follows her career from a child to just after the Athens Olympics. A nice touch is when there's a paragraph written by her husband here and there, to tell how he was feeling and how he saw certain situations. It's really interesting how he juggles being a coach and the husband.
After reading the book I was left with even more admiration and respect for Paula, and for how dedicated and single-minded she is to achieve her goals.
I felt very angry that a recent TV review of 2004 called Paula their Number One Loser, because of Athens. I suggest anyone with that opinion read this autobiography, and find out just how ill she was leading up to that race....it is quite horrific and had it not been the Olympics she wouldn't have run at all.
Paula opens up her life quite a lot for the reader, but as well as the raw highs and lows of sport there are some humourous situations she talks about too.
A great read for all sports fans!
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am currently reading this book, i can honestly say its totally from Paula's heart, im hooked reading this, and i dont often read books but its now totally turned me around. Id recommend this to anyone who needs some insperation in life, Paula has showed true determination in life, and has proven that she is a dedicated athlete. I Have the greatest respect for Paula after this.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By C. CARBERRY
Format:Paperback
As a (former, now injured!) runner, I've often argued with people that Paula Radcliffe is Britain's greatest-ever sports person - check out her list of World Records at a wide range of distances if you can't believe that, her achievements are stunning. Her reputation with the general public has suffered because she failed at the Olympics, but that shouldn't obscure her overall record which is unlikely to ever be equalled by a European. Also friends of mine who know Paula say what an extremely nice, supportive and considerate person she is, not at all like your typical self-obsessed top athlete.
This book, though, came as a real disappointment. She's clearly no writer and doesn't seem to have got much help from David Walsh in that department. Once her childhood is out of the way, the book degenerates into nothing much more than a diary of training and races, you get precious few insights into Paula as a person, you get no idea what makes her "tick", you really don't learn anything about her. I had to give up reading it about 3/4 of the way through, which is rare for me, but reading this book became about as interesting as doing hill reps in my running days - just a case of get your head down, stick with it and hope you don't throw up at the end!
Paula - you deserve better than this. Much better.
This book, though, came as a real disappointment. She's clearly no writer and doesn't seem to have got much help from David Walsh in that department. Once her childhood is out of the way, the book degenerates into nothing much more than a diary of training and races, you get precious few insights into Paula as a person, you get no idea what makes her "tick", you really don't learn anything about her. I had to give up reading it about 3/4 of the way through, which is rare for me, but reading this book became about as interesting as doing hill reps in my running days - just a case of get your head down, stick with it and hope you don't throw up at the end!
Paula - you deserve better than this. Much better.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Down to earth, excellent read.
A book that gives some background into Paula's personal life as well as explaining the complexities of getting to, achieving and being an elite athlete. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Surfingpastie
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great autobiography - Not another novel
An honest and down-to-earth account of her life so far, from childhood, to the heartache of Athens. I really like and appreciate how this account hasn't been written as a 'novel' -... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Lucypuppy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
A superb story!! If you buy this you will not be disappointed. One of the best reads in a long time!!
Published 12 months ago by SLASH
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Read- Paula Is Such A True Herion
Reading this autobiography you really have to feel for Paula. After so much success all through the years she is still short of an Olympic medal. Read more
Published 20 months ago by frodo2010
3.0 out of 5 stars
A little slow!
I had looked forward to receiving this book, only to be a bit dissepointed with it.
I found the book, although it is divided into sections, not easy to follow, not generally... Read more
I found the book, although it is divided into sections, not easy to follow, not generally... Read more
Published on 23 May 2011 by Dr. Christopher G. Cottam
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant
I usually tend to struggle to get into books, however has I am into athletics myself I thought it would be interesting to read about Paula. Read more
Published on 13 May 2011 by Nikita Prentice
2.0 out of 5 stars
Paula is a runner not a writer
It's good to read about Paula's story so far, but can be a hard book to maintain interest, the first half of the book is very repetative, at times I thought 'I've read this bit... Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2010 by Ms. Siobhan Lewry
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good form, good pace, a bit heavy legged in places, not quiet a pb
This is an autobiography covering Paula's life up to the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. The book is a broadly chronological account of her life moving at a good pace delivered... Read more
Published on 4 April 2009 by Mr. I. Ogilvie
3.0 out of 5 stars
Thanks for all your hard work
After the first chapter where Paula thanks everyone under the sun - numerous times - the story of her running career starts. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2009 by Nigel Davies
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Inspiration
Having realised that walking up my own house stairs had me almost passing out I decided to take up running (walking was a good start in my case) and within 6 months I completed my... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2008 by Boof
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