Paula: My Story So Far (Charnwood Large Print) - Hardcover

Radcliffe, Paula; Walsh, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1846171989 ISBN 13: 9781846171987

Publisher: Ulverscroft Large Print Books Ltd, 2006

Synopsis

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.

About this title

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.

Synopsis

Paula Radcliffe has been hailed as one of the finest female distance runners of all time. With record-breaking victories in 2002 and 2003, a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens seemed inevitable. But the race ended for her on a dusty kerbside instead of the podium. She missed out on medals at the 1999 World Championships and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. However, supported by her husband, Gary Lough, and coach Alex Stanton, she remodelled her training schedule and won gold medals at both commonwealth and European championships. Involved in asthma research and her stand against drug cheats, Paula reveals what drives this 'girl next door' and what really happened that hot afternoon in Athens.

About this edition

• Publisher: Ulverscroft Large Print Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1846171989
• ISBN 13: 9781846171987
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 440