A former British athletics champion has revealed her secrets in becoming a worldwide success in long-distance running.
Paula Radcliffe, 48, says her secret was all down to her family's support which kept her motivated throughout her career.
She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon, a three-time New York Marathon champion, and a 2002 Chicago Marathon winner.
Paula also held the Women's World Marathon record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes, and 25 seconds for 16 years between 2003 to 2019.
She told the News Shopper she admired previous athletes growing up such as Ingrid Christensen, Grete Waitz, and Peter Elliot which also lead to her success.
She explained: “I was an active girl growing up and I just enjoyed running around.
“It was a gradual process for me, I competed in various competitions, then I pushed myself on how good I could really be.
“I think it hit me that I could make something out of this after winning the World Junior Cross Country in 1992. I worked really hard.”
She believes that athletics introduced many valuable lessons to her life with the people she met along her journey.
Paula said her dad was “brilliant” in getting her involved in running after signing her to local athletics clubs.
She now urges other parents to get their kids involved in athletics as it’s important for their mental health and wellbeing.
Paula attended a PE session at Norman Park Athletics Track in Bromley on Wednesday afternoon (February 9) giving athletic tips to kids through drills and workouts.
She added: “Kids are meant to move and are meant to be active that’s what makes them happy and healthy.
“We need to encourage parents to get their children out there, as most just worry about how they’re doing at school, but the long-term health is also as important.”
Research conducted by EE showed that 59 per cent of parents felt that their kids were less active due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She now wants to share her love for athletics with the up-and-coming generation.
She said: “It’s important for me to now see other children on the track with a smile on their face when they’re running. It’s a very awarding image to see.”
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