RADCLIFFE HAS BABY, WINS MARATHON

by Kristine, This Suit Is Not Black

What with training for the New York City Marathon this year and being a woman and all, I feel that this is something to which I can relate. Forget, please, that I never actually went through with the marathon. Or given birth, for that matter. Details, details.

I would like to introduce you to Paula Radcliffe, mother of one and winner of yesterday’s marathon, finishing in 2:23:09. Radcliffe is a 33-year-old British phenom who holds the women’s marathon world record with a time of 2:15:25 set at the 2003 London Marathon. But that’s not all. This chick’s run all of seven marathons in her illustrious career, winning six and setting a record in five. Oh, and that little world record she set? Third. Marathon. Ever.

The longest physical activity she’s ever been through, though, was easily the 16-hour labor to give birth to her little girl, Isla, on January 17th…of this year. Please don’t bother grabbing your calculator, I’ve already done the math and it equals out to just under 10 months before yesterday’s event.

I’ve met women who have had babies - consider some of them friends, even - and ten months after giving birth, most of them were still complaining about having to lose all that “baby weight,” let alone stepping foot into an hour-long spin class. Many, many hats off to Radcliffe for being an outstanding competitor, probably a wonderful mother as well, and for just being an all-around freak of nature. I aspire to follow in your footsteps someday. Two-and-a-half hours behind your footsteps…but in them nonetheless.