Paula Radcliffe, 2008 ING NYCM, photo by PhotoRun.net

The facts are these: Paula Radcliffe is the womens’ world record holder for  the marathon, her best run was an astounding 2:15.25 on April 13, 2003, run on the Virgin London marathon course. Haile Gebrselassie is the men’s record holder for the marathon, his best run was the eye opening 2:03.59, run on September 28, run on the BMW Berlin marathon course.

The marathon is a challenge that most men and women can train for, with some degree of success. Finishing a marathon is the first goal of a newbie marathoner.

Haile Gebrselassie, 2009 BMW Berlin Marathon,
photo by PhotoRun.net

For marathon racers, various goals come to mind, but the World Records are times that are respected and discussed. Racing marathon takes a huge toll on the marathoner, not only physically, but mentally. There is another price with racing to the edge; injuries. The hidden side of physical injuries is the self doubt and lack of confidence one feels during rehabilitation. This is something most marathoners go through. It is one thing to complete a marathon, it is another to race a marathon.

Both Haile and Paula like to run fast. Both have paid the price of pushing their bodies to the limits. In a piece on BBC News (Radcliffe: I might have quit without London 2012 (news.bbc.co.uk), and the Times of India, Paula Radcliffe sites how this year was a very difficult, if not most difficult in her career. She wants to medal in London, specifically, take the gold. That will be a towering challenge. Haile Gebrselassie, who set 25 world records so far in his career, had a tough 2010, and now seems ready to race. We shall see how both do in less than three weeks!
 

Tough challenge for world record holders
Haile Gebrselassie and
Paula Radcliffe at
the BMW BERLIN MARATHON on September 25th

The Marathon world record holder Haile
Gebrselassie faces one of his toughest ever challenges in the BMW
BERLIN MARATHON on September 25th. With Patrick Makau at
the starting line Gebrselassie is facing the fastest marathon runner of
2010. Last year the Kenyan won the Rotterdam Marathon in April, clocking
2:04:48, and ran 2:05:08 at the BERLIN MARATHON last September in a
tactical race beset by heavy rain. At the Virgin London Marathon last
April Makau fell near the halfway mark and finished a close third
(2:05:45). Both runners want to qualify for the Olympic Games next year
and have to run fast in order to achieve that goal since competition for
the three spots in their respective countries is stiff. “I´m sure he will
run fast in Berlin”, Makau said. “But I will try to concentrate on my
race. If we are still together at the end the stronger one may win.”

With Haile Gebrselassie and Paula Radcliffe (GBR) on
the starting line of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON this is only the
third time in history both marathon world record holders are in the same
marathon. It happened in 1989 in New York City (Belayneh Dinsamo, Ingrid
Kristiansen) and 2005 in London (Paul Tergat, Paula Radcliffe). Strongest
competition for Paula Radcliffe in Berlin should come from the German
Irina Mikitenko (2:19:19, Berlin 2008) and the
European Champion Nayla Yulamanova (2:26:01, RUS)
with Kenyan Florence Kiplagat also posing a potential
threat, although the world cross country champion of 2009 and world half
marathon champion of 2010 failed to finish her marathon debut in Boston
last April. Also running is Lidia Simon (ROM) who wants
to qualify for her fifth Olympic Games.

The BMW BERLIN MARATHON will be broadcasted live in more than 150
countries.

Information on press conferences can be found on the website
www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com