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BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Paula Radcliffe: ‘The mindset of a marathon is a great precursor for going through life'
One of Britain's most successful ever sportspeople, distance runner Paula Radcliffe, may have retired 10 years ago, but this year she completed two marathons for the first time since hanging up her professional running shoes. 'It was definitely with a view to taking part,' the 51-year-old says, with a laugh, and she has to manage a foot joint niggle doing 26.2 mile races these days. Advertisement 'And the camaraderie of runners together on marathon day – it's very special. You have 50,000 or 60,000 people, largely going through the same motions, on the same day and sharing that together.' Radcliffe, who held the women's marathon world record from 2003 to 2019 after setting a time of 2:15:25 in London, completed the Tokyo and Boston marathons in the spring and plans to run the Kielder Marathon, Northumberland, in October. But her relationship to running has evolved in the past decade. Previously, 'pushing myself and seeing how good I could be was this huge motivating factor – now it's just like, OK, I feel a bit better after I've run.' Paula was a previous winner of BBC Sports Personality of the Year (Anthony Devlin/PA) Plus, the three-time winner of the London Marathon says running gives her time to think. 'That's one of the reasons I try and encourage kids to find the sport that's good for them. It may not be running, but it was running for me, and when I was going through the stress of exams or trying to work on homework problems, I would find if I went out for a run, part way through that run, sometimes, [I'd realise] 'Oh that's how you do it'. Advertisement 'Even now, if I've got a full day of work, it's like that. My mind is a little bit sharper. If I'm trying to write something, I'll go out for a run first and then come back and start writing. [It could be] the increased oxygen to the brain, I don't know. 'And equally, when I've been through tough times, when I lost my dad [in April 2020], it's like processing, it's perspective.' The retired athlete now makes regular appearances in the BBC Sport broadcasting team for athletics and long-distance events, as well as co-hosting the Paula's Run Club podcast with distance runner Chris Thompson. Learning to cope with the psychological journey of a marathon has been a great lesson in getting through challenging times too, she notes. Advertisement 'I think the mindset of the marathon is a great precursor for going through life. There are ups and downs in the marathon, and you basically get through them by using your coping techniques, by trying to stay in the moment, by focusing on what's good and what you can do rather than what you can't do. Paula Radcliffe during the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon (Adam Davy/PA) 'It's essentially the same metaphor for life; what can you do? If there are things outside of your control, focus on them a bit less, because there's not much you can do [about them] and recognise that it does get better. 'And when you go through down times, either flipping back to previous good times or looking forward to ones that are to come. 'If you're having a bad patch, even just visualising a time where remember the time that felt really good and really in control, think about that,' she suggests. 'I'll just count, over and over, up to 100 – that was my coping technique for grounding me in the here and there, one foot in front of the other.' Advertisement She is now based in Monte Carlo, Monaco, with husband Gary Lough and children Isla and Raphael, leaving the UK after the 2004 Athens Olympics – in which she famously withdrew from the race around the 23-mile mark. The location lends itself to an outdoorsy lifestyle and these days, she would rather run through forests than pound pavements. 'I really appreciate when you're out on a beautiful trail run, [I feel] extremely fortunate to be able to be out there in the beautiful countryside, breathing in clean air that, sadly, not everyone has access to.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paula Radcliffe (@paula_radcliffe) Health Equals says more than 12 million children in the UK are at risk of lifelong health problems due to toxic air, with more than 25,000 schools in areas that breach World Health Organization (WHO) air-quality guidelines. The campaigning coalition say the worst affected are Greater London, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and inner-city Birmingham. The impact on health can include asthma and other lung conditions, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, say the group, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, as well as those of low incomes, more likely to be affected. For Radcliffe, the statistics hit hard. 'I spend a lot of my time trying to encourage people to get outside and kids to walk to school and to be more physically active, because of all the benefits that physical activity can bring. But breathing clean air is a basic right and if they're going to be active in an area that isn't safe for them, it's really scary.' Advertisement Running in heavily polluted areas might even be doing us more harm than good. 'It should be something that's good for you ≠ and it is, if you're exercising in clean air – but [if not] it actually works the other way. You're better off sitting down in a chair doing nothing.' As an asthmatic, she's conscious of the quality of air she's breathing in too. 'My asthma is induced largely by pollen, cigarette smoke is another [trigger] and pollution is a big one. So I became aware of it through my career, travelling to more polluted cities and noticing [the impact] it had on my asthma.' In her 50s, she likes to use running to explore new areas. 'It's a great way to explore new cities, new places when we're on holiday.' But also, 'as a mum of teenagers, there are times when you just want to escape everybody and shut the door on everyone!' And what about that elusive 'runner's high'? 'It's very unique to everybody,' she says, 'It's not like suddenly feeling euphoric. For me, it's more generally content, a little bit more relaxed, everyday things that annoy you, annoy me a little bit less.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paula Radcliffe (@paula_radcliffe) Paula Radcliffe's tips for beginner runners over 50 1. Prioritise good nutrition and sleep – 'Try and eat immediately after running because it helps the body to recover better.' 2. Complement running with strength exercises – 'Everyone just wants to get an outdoor run in, but build a little bit of core exercises, basic planks, foot strength exercises, calf raises.' 3. Remember to stretch before and after. 4. Set goals – 'I really recommend joining a running club or group and once you've got the motivation, work towards completing your local Park Run or doing a half marathon.' To be part of the solution, visit and use the hashtag #MakeHealthEqual.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
UK's tallest outdoor climbing wall opens
What's as tall as four double decker buses and wider than a blue whale? The UK's largest outdoor climbing wall of course!The new mega-wall is 18m (59ft) high and whopping 35m (114ft) now open to the public in Gloucestershire along with 17-metre-high indoor climbing wall, along with bouldering walls and high ropes has boomed in popularity over the last few years - with nearly half a million young people in the UK taking part - and was included in 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. So the sport - and businesses - are looking to take advantage. David Stephens, who's behind the park, says the new wall "is a huge moment... for the UK climbing scene." Is climbing becoming more popular? According to the Association of British Climbing Walls, around 440,000 5-16 year-olds are regular climbers in the the 2024 Olympics in Paris, 19-year-old climbing star Toby Roberts won TeamGB's first ever Gold in the Hipwell, who runs the association, said: "Climbing is a fantastic sport for body and mind, for adults and children alike. "Indoor climbing walls give children and families the chance to access climbing close to their home, after school, in all weathers." David says he hopes the new walls at his centre will inspire even more kids."The 2021 Tokyo Games provided a small bump in participation, and Team GB's Paris 2024 success skyrocketed interest from potential young athletes and parents alike""We've opened a pathway for even more young people to discover climbing, a sport for everyone, where a lot of children who may not be the biggest, fastest or first pick at school find they can excel".Would you climb the super-sized wall, or are heights not for you? Tell us in the comments...
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Former England star Joe Hart in shock career revelation after almost turning pro in another sport
FORMER England star Joe Hart reveals he could have become a professional cricket player. The shot-stopper, who retired last year following a spell at Celtic, was a handy left-arm seamer in his day. 3 3 3 His talent saw him picked up by the Worcestershire academy but Hart decided football would be a better career path. Hart, 38, was also part of the Shrewsbury Town set-up in his youth and began to be selected for the matchday squad before he had even sat his GCSEs. The former keeper recently appeared on BBC Test Match Special where he revealed his cricketing past. He said: "I played at a good level. I was part of the Worcestshire academy when that first started to come about. "But I was always playing a lot of football as well and this was the time when cricket wasn't just in the summer it was becoming an all-year round type of sport so it was difficult." Hart was asked if someone sat him down to discuss his options as a teenager, but he revealed the decision to pursue football was one he made, and really it was a no brainer. He continued: "I was a lot further down the line (in football). I was playing for Shrewsbury Town in League Two and I was involved with the first-team from 14, 15-years-old. "They had more of a structure, so when you turn 16 you sign schoolboy forms and you almost train professionally. "You're a professional footballer from 16 so that pathway was there. They were very encouraging, I had been on the bench when 14/15. "I just felt there was more of a pathway there for me football wise and cricket's a really difficult sport to be in. You have to be at a top top level just to make a living in the game. Guehi & Eze to STAY at Palace? Transfer Blow for Liverpool & Arsenal! "And I don't think I was that good. I was decent, like many people out there, but was I going to go to the next level? I don't know. And in football it felt like I had a lot of people who knew a lot about me telling me I need to stay in this sport because you've got a chance." Hart once showed off his talents in a game of cricket with his Tottenham team-mates in 2020, and he bowled Harry Kane. And one of his former pals at Worcestershire, Jack Shantry, believes he would have made it as a cricketer. The former Worcestershire bowler said: "He could have gone further, definitely. "This isn't with any faux humility, but he was a better cricketer than me at the same age. If he wanted to, he could have made it." Ed Foster, another teammate at club level and with Worcestershire's academy, adds: "If he'd have carried on and had the glut of cricket that you can get if you want it from 17 through to 19 or 20, I'm sure he would probably have been in and around the England Under-19 setup – and who knows where he would have gone from there? "He had all the raw materials, and where he's got to in football shows he's got enough between his ears to be able to put his physical aspects to good use. "I'm sure he would have given himself an opportunity, for sure."
