MIRROR IMAGES? PAULA VS. STEPH
July 16, 2009
No two athletes are the same. But the similarities between Paula Radcliffe and Stephanie Twell are there. One look at the record books, it’s easy to see that both enjoyed illustrious careers in the junior ranks and both joined the senior ranks of world athletics at the age of 19 – though Paula more than 15 years before Steph. But do the similarities begin and end there? To find out, we posed the same questions to Paula, Great Britain’s world record marathoner, and Steph, the UK’s most promising world middle-distance competitor. We’ll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.
WHAT SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE BETWEEN YOU?
PAULA: Not sure! I guess we both were pretty motivated and driven from an early age. Also, we both have very supportive family and coaches and were involved in a club/team system from very young (Bedford and Aldershot).
STEPH: Being able to train hard and push yourself to achieve ultimate goals is something that I believe I can follow. Paula has always been a role model. I don’t want to aspire to be Paula, I want to be Stephanie Twell but to achieve half of what Paula has would be amazing.
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE OF HER BEST ATHLETIC QUALITIES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
PAULA: I'd like maybe to have had her finishing/flat speed when I was track racing.
STEPH: I admire Paula’s courage and conviction to follow her own path. There is a quotation I was given in a Birthday card a number of years ago. It was, ‘Don’t follow where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail’. I want to make my own pathway, just as Paula has made hers.
IF YOU COULD GIVE HER ONE OF YOUR BEST ATHLETIC QUALITIES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
PAULA: She has so many good qualities…maybe my ability to rest and take time off at the end of the season. I worry Steph doesn't allow herself enough time off sometimes!
STEPH: It would be wrong for me to think that I have any qualities that Paula would benefit from. She is the complete athlete – 2:15.25 is the best record in the book and there are not many men in this country that run faster than that!
HOW DO YOU MENTALLY PREPARE FOR A RACE?
PAULA: I guess pre race I rehearse different scenarios and race plans in my head but also have to be prepared to change these as needed in the race. I like to always know the final stages of the courses.
STEPH: I prepare mentally by visualizing and focusing on how I am going to execute my race. My coach, family and training partners all help me stay relaxed and get to the start line as mentally prepared as possible.
WHAT POSITIVES CAN YO TAKE FROM DISAPPOINTING RACES?
PAULA: Sadly, sometimes you learn more from the bad races. I look over each one and see what i can take as a positive. For example, Beijing taught me that you can get cardiovascularly fit from lots of cross training but your body and musculoskeletal system needs to have a minimum amount of time running to handle a marathon.
STEPH: You have to learn from every race. The disappointing races are part and parcel of making me a better athlete. I draw my strength from knowing my weaknesses and then I can work on improving them.
HOW DO YOU PICK YOURSELF UP AND MOVE ON?
PAULA: I allow myself a period of grief/feeling sorry for myself to put it behind me. By then I’m usually back running again and looking for a new target to get my teeth into. I think because I love running and racing it always helps to move on quickly and in our sport there is always another target around the corner.
STEPH: That’s easy. I enjoy my running, so the day after a bad performance I go out on my favourite running routes and I know despite whatever disappointments I have had – today is a new day and I can use any disappointment as fuel to make me better.
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE TO GIVE?
PAULA: Stretch yourself and NEVER SET LIMITS .Always give your utmost best each day, set yourself Dream targets and go for them. Even if you don't quite get there, you will achieve a great deal on the journey. Also, listen to your body and trust it always!
STEPH: From an early age, my coach, Mick, told me that ‘success is only ever achieved through hard work’ and ‘there are no short-cuts in athletics’. Nobody can rely on natural talent, so always set yourself target goals and work hard to achieve them. When I was young, I was never a naturally talented athlete, but Mick told me my talent was my work ethic, so every day I strive to be better!
WHAT SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE BETWEEN YOU?
PAULA: Not sure! I guess we both were pretty motivated and driven from an early age. Also, we both have very supportive family and coaches and were involved in a club/team system from very young (Bedford and Aldershot).
STEPH: Being able to train hard and push yourself to achieve ultimate goals is something that I believe I can follow. Paula has always been a role model. I don’t want to aspire to be Paula, I want to be Stephanie Twell but to achieve half of what Paula has would be amazing.
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE OF HER BEST ATHLETIC QUALITIES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
PAULA: I'd like maybe to have had her finishing/flat speed when I was track racing.
STEPH: I admire Paula’s courage and conviction to follow her own path. There is a quotation I was given in a Birthday card a number of years ago. It was, ‘Don’t follow where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail’. I want to make my own pathway, just as Paula has made hers.
IF YOU COULD GIVE HER ONE OF YOUR BEST ATHLETIC QUALITIES, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
PAULA: She has so many good qualities…maybe my ability to rest and take time off at the end of the season. I worry Steph doesn't allow herself enough time off sometimes!
STEPH: It would be wrong for me to think that I have any qualities that Paula would benefit from. She is the complete athlete – 2:15.25 is the best record in the book and there are not many men in this country that run faster than that!
HOW DO YOU MENTALLY PREPARE FOR A RACE?
PAULA: I guess pre race I rehearse different scenarios and race plans in my head but also have to be prepared to change these as needed in the race. I like to always know the final stages of the courses.
STEPH: I prepare mentally by visualizing and focusing on how I am going to execute my race. My coach, family and training partners all help me stay relaxed and get to the start line as mentally prepared as possible.
WHAT POSITIVES CAN YO TAKE FROM DISAPPOINTING RACES?
PAULA: Sadly, sometimes you learn more from the bad races. I look over each one and see what i can take as a positive. For example, Beijing taught me that you can get cardiovascularly fit from lots of cross training but your body and musculoskeletal system needs to have a minimum amount of time running to handle a marathon.
STEPH: You have to learn from every race. The disappointing races are part and parcel of making me a better athlete. I draw my strength from knowing my weaknesses and then I can work on improving them.
HOW DO YOU PICK YOURSELF UP AND MOVE ON?
PAULA: I allow myself a period of grief/feeling sorry for myself to put it behind me. By then I’m usually back running again and looking for a new target to get my teeth into. I think because I love running and racing it always helps to move on quickly and in our sport there is always another target around the corner.
STEPH: That’s easy. I enjoy my running, so the day after a bad performance I go out on my favourite running routes and I know despite whatever disappointments I have had – today is a new day and I can use any disappointment as fuel to make me better.
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE TO GIVE?
PAULA: Stretch yourself and NEVER SET LIMITS .Always give your utmost best each day, set yourself Dream targets and go for them. Even if you don't quite get there, you will achieve a great deal on the journey. Also, listen to your body and trust it always!
STEPH: From an early age, my coach, Mick, told me that ‘success is only ever achieved through hard work’ and ‘there are no short-cuts in athletics’. Nobody can rely on natural talent, so always set yourself target goals and work hard to achieve them. When I was young, I was never a naturally talented athlete, but Mick told me my talent was my work ethic, so every day I strive to be better!
