© Copyright – 2025 – Athletics Illustrated
Paula Radcliffe came out of retirement at age 51 to finish of the original six Marathon Majors. She had already run London, New York, Berlin and Chicago. Two weeks ago, she ran the Tokyo Marathon in the time of 2:57:26 with a foot injury. Next up is the Boston Marathon, then she will have completed all six. Asked if she would do seven with Sydney, she said, “no.”
She told Athletics Illustrated, “I had a lot of problems with my foot from 25km in Tokyo. I went out well but perhaps too quickly for my foot. Then it was sore from 25km and really bad from 35k. At one point, I thought I would have to walk it in; however, I was very glad I didn’t because once I stopped and sat down at the end, I couldn’t put weight on my foot.
What a competitor 🫶
— Team GB (@TeamGB) March 2, 2025
Paula Radcliffe made her marathon comeback in Tokyo, and clocked 2:57:22 almost 10 years after retiring 👏 pic.twitter.com/iPwOVJw7xG
She needed a wheelchair after the race, she could not stand on her foot.
“I think perhaps the Alphafly were too aggressive for the degenerative joint and will have to rethink shoes and pace to get safely through Boston,” she added. “It’s frustrating as my training indicates better, but that is on soft trails, and the tarmac really increased the strain for my foot. Anyway, definitely no 7! Don’t want to take the risk of damaging my foot long term.”
During the early 2000s, Radcliffe ran the Chicago Marathon in 2:17:18, and London in 2:15:25, which was the world record for 16 years. Radcliffe ran the Berlin Marathon in 2011, clocking a 2:23:46 performance for third place. She ran New York in 2:23:09.
She was a three-time Half Marathon World Champion and a one-time World Athletics marathon Champion and excelled also in cross-country. She earned three World Cross Country Championships gold medals, as well as three silver and one bronze.
