I always have room for another Paula Radcliffe piece

The Times sports editor, Tim Hallissey, and I have a number of jokes to ease the daily round: little running tag-lines and triggers and cues that you build up over any extended and cheerful working relationship. One of these began during the great Ashes series of 2005. "Have you got another Flintoff piece in you?" Tim would ask.

And always the answer would be yes. Because you do. Some people you write about again and again and again, and always there is something new to say. Have you got another David Beckham piece in you? Have you got another Jonny Wilkinson piece in you? Of course I have: I'm a sportswriter.

These people keep cropping up, and every time it's because they are doing something extraordinary. And the extraordinary is always easy to write about, as I was saying in this space the other day. It's trying to breathe life into the ordinary that's hard.

Which brings us to Paula Radcliffe. I had, it seemed, another Paula piece in me. I must have written dozens of them over the years. Now she is talking up her chances of running in the London Olympic Games in 2012. If we are both saved, it seems I will have a few dozen more to write. Will I have still more Paula pieces in me? I don't have the slightest doubt whatsoever.

I didn't expect her to win in the marathon here yesterday. I didn't expect her to finish, to tell you the truth, but as Radcliffe herself naively remarked, it's quicker to run to the finish than to hang about waiting to be rescued. And there she was doing the dramatics again: keeping up, finding pain, grimacing, getting dropped, hobbling over the line.

Cue the water-works: Radcliffe is always either in tears or in triumph. I have written about her striding majestically to win the London marathon. I have written, with fastidious good taste, of the time she defecated in public on the way to winning a London Marathon. I have written of her two amazing battles to win the New York marathon. I have also written of her big-occasion disasters, and her tendency to finish fifth on the track after leading all the way. I have written of the incandescent public bollocking she got from her hard-to-love husband, Gary Lough, after she messed up the tactics. And of course, I have written of her disaster in the Olympic marathon in Athens, when she collapsed after suffering from stomach pains and failed to finish.

Paula, and people like her, the people who cannot help but make stories, are an endless fascination. Their eternal complexities, their inability to do anything ordinary, are of the recurring themes of a sportswriter's life. For these people, victory is somehow more victorious than it is for other people, and defeat more hideous. Paula, in triumph or in disaster, is always a joy, at least for the writer. And that's true of all the athletes I write about again and again and again. I drop to my knees and thank them all.

Comments

[Mark Williams]

You may have another Radcliffe piece in you, but will you finish it?

[William Moore]

Good piece, neatly encapsulating the "two drunks leaning on one another for support" symbiosis that exists between hack and track.
I suspect that what offends the sensitivities of some of the blog trolls you refer to elsewhere is that often these dramatic figures cast such a long shadow and win so many furiously-typed column-inches that equally worthy achievements by the less "strident" personalities go sadly unheralded.

Cue Mara Yamauchi (who she?) or the actual winner of the women's marathon.

[G]

Is it just me or is Paula Radcliffe the biggest attention seeker in world sports today? She always has to bring some personal drama to every race she runs. If you are not fit don't run? I am sick to death of seeing her boo her eyes out every time she is on my TV screen.

[John]

Please can this be the last we see or hear of Ms Radcliffe unless/until she fianlly comes up with the goods. I do not care for the sight of a crying athlete who really ought not to have been taking part in the first place. Turn your attention to more deserving athletes please!

[Geoff King]

I have just read the vitriolous comments about Paula Radcliffe after she has given her all - OK she did not win, but atleast she finished. A great athelete who after suffering a "stress facture to her leg" and only back training for the last 3 weeks, showed the true Olympic Spirit of participating. What has Simom Barnes done in life - nothing except criticise time and time again our Sportsmen and Women - "Not Clever", perhaps he should learn the word "Encouragement". Paula get fit and show every one the true athelete you are in 2012.

[Karl]

How refreshing to see someone offer thanks to the people who enable their success. Well played sir!

[Jake]

William Moore - you've nailed it, many thanks. Been annoyed with the pro Paula bleating for years now. Even her husband doesn't love her as much as the BBC / "sportswriters " guild.

[courtney]

Good review. But Paula just annoys me with all the dramatics, what about everyone else doing the race their not complaining and making a big fuss. I just feel sorry for the girl Paula Radcliffe kicked out the race.

[Pauline Tett]

Yet another Paula fest. It seems the more she messes up, the more column inches/TV time she commands. (I have just switched off another re-run, with mournful background music, of Sunday's run). It was the same after Athens.

The woman came 22nd (or was it 23rd - who cares?) and immediately started talking up her chances in 2012, which I would imagine are close to zero. Meanwhile Mara Yamauchi who came a very creditable 6th in such distinguished company barely got a mention. She is the second fastest British marathon runner and heir apparent and yet after the race she got just a perfunctory few seconds' of interview time. She is the future and PR is definitely the past.

When willl the sports journos abandon their metaphorical love affair and get real? From where I'm standing the public have had more than enough.

[John F]

I really don't see how Paula Radcliffe is an attention seeker. Do bear in mind the following:

- She is still the best marathon runner in the history of the world.

- She was the one who had the cameras shoved in her face after crossing the finish line. It's not fair to hold against her the actions of pushy and intrusive journalists.

I'd really be interested in seeing anyone of the moaners accomplish what she has before they attack her.

[Howard]

This is simply a reflection of our society and what we deem as newsworthy - shall we follow the rollercoaster ride of a world record holder, who blitzes every marathon other than the Olympics? Or shall we give attention to the steady, "in the background, doing her thing" nature of Mara?

It's obvious which is more media friendly.

[carl lindgreen]

Simon may always have room for another Paula piece, personally, I have no room for anything else from the undoubted drama queen of athletics. I think it despicable that despite the obvious fact she was not, and would not get fit, she persisted with her own agenda and stopped one young female athlete from having possibly her only chance of appearing at an Olympic Games. I trust Radcliffe will now pay back all Lottery fundings from the past four years.

[david]

I do feel sorry for Paula, but it has been noticeable (and encouraging?) that this kind of plucky brit failure story is not the headline piece in the uk press that it once used to be.
Our fantatastic successes in these games has shown that there is another way to enjoy uk sports, and that is by winning and winning again.
Paula's story may stay with us for a short time, but our medal winning performances will stay in the olympic story for ever.
This winning mentality is rightfully the headlines news at the present and we must keep on working to make sure it stays that way for the future.

[Jen]

Those who think Paula should not have run because she wasn't prepared or was taking the place of someone else obviously have never been a competitive athlete. Paula ran the race because she felt she could and it was a dream to medal in the Olympics. Just because you don't have an ounce of understanding what it means to be a true athlete does not mean the rest of the world wants to hear your Paula remarks. She is a remarkable athlete and is the world record holder. Maybe if you understood what that meant you wouldn't be so quick to criticize.

[S Kendall]

I cannot agree more with Mr Lindgreen. When everyone, including yourself, expects you to fail surely you hand the torch to someone else. Paula's longevity is not doing the next generation of British athletes any favours - If I was a healthy aspiring marathon runner I would be livid to see someone not up to the job taking part for the sake of it - how much did it cost to send her to Beijing to lose? Those who who can no longer deliver the goods shouldn't be encouraged. Fly away Paula.

[Derwyn]

Paula has established a pattern of performing well for Paula, when it suits Paula. She must think of us all as a bunch of idiots when she can do so well in big city marathons (with big cash rewards) and then fail so miserably (and so often) when it is for country and 'just' a medal. UK needs more Eddie the Eagles, less Paula's.

[Moira]

Paula doesn't get any lottery funding as she earns too much to qualify.

While she is, without doubt, the most extraordinary marathon runner I cannot but agree that knowing she wasn't fit she should have stepped aside and allowed Hayley Haining her shot at the Olympics.

I'm sure that Mara is used by now to being utterly ignored regardless of how fast she runs, but that does not excuse it!

[David]

Paula's race was pure self-indulgence. She was not fit and should should not have been racing. At the very least she should have spared us all the drama and tears. There was more said about her failure on the news than the many British successes.

[Alan]

STOP YOUR CRYING RADCLIFFE AND GET A GRIP. PATHETIC.

[W Tarran]

So you always have another Paula piece. Why for goodnes sake?

Perhaps you could remember that she has not delivered at Beijing or in Athens, both of which were predictable. To talk up 2012 is plain hype and stupid.

The best comment I have heard at the British Under 18 Track Cycling Championships in Newport this week were "She would have made more money for charity had she dressed up in a costume during her fun run" and "The woman who came in after Paula was actually wearing that diving kit last seen in the London".

Paula was a great champion but either she is deluding herself to think she could come back in 2012 or we are being deluded because we do not have ANY talent coming through. Perhaps a Zero tolerance of failure like cycling has would bring a little sense into the Athletics field.

[JR]

Paula Radcliffe seems to be fading while Mara gets quicker every year. It was pretty clear this time round that Mara was the more realistic prospect for a medal but the hacks all went with the easy "PR" story. Hopefully by London 2012 the press will have done their homework

[Jamie Stevenson]

She probably should not have run but the nature of a sporting champion is always to believe that you can defy the odds and win. I am no great fan of PR and I found the fawning, schmaltzy BBC commentary from Cram and Foster distracting and unhelpful. But she is in a class of her own at the event so the other British marathon runners (even Mara Yamauchi is outside top world class) cannot really complain about the media coverage. PR will remain the story for four more years because she is still, when fit, the world's top marathon runner and has a far better chance than any other British athlete of winning the Olympic marathon in 2012. And that would be the all-time media sports story.

[ian cheese]

The Brits are not just good enough. Bet you the Aussies will beat us to the medals!

[Les]

Well, thankfully, the American commentators of the marathon were far more respectful of Paula Radcliffe. They had nothing but praise for her and reminded the viewing public that this race in no way diminishes this great athlete's stature. A pity her fellow countrymen and women aren't so supportive.
Radcliffe probably ran to offset some of the useless, ignorant, vitriol directed at her after the last olympics- I hope the damage she did to her body won't be permanent.

She is still the finest woman marathon runner in the world, but oh gosh- she's human...fancy that! Other countries appreciate her ability and achievements and are generous enough to say so.
Thank you Paula, you are still the greatest woman marathon runner.

[Les]

If it bothers you seeing Paula Radcliffe cry at the end of a gruelling effort, DON'T shove cameras in her face the minute she finishes. leave the girl alone, for goodness sake. I doubt she wanted her tears broadcast around the country- a bit of privacy should have been in order there gentlemen of the press.