Get on Track

Mum of two and former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe tells LISA SALMON about her mission to get families taking part in 10K runs

PAULA RADCLIFFE started running as a child with her father, and quickly developed a passion for the sport which led to her becoming one of the world’s greatest ever long-distance runners.

But although she retired from competitive running more than five years ago, Paula, who held the women’s world marathon record for 16 years, has by no means hung up her trainers. She’s on a mission to get not only children but whole families out running together, just like she does with her own children.

“I’ve always been a big fan of families getting active together,” she says. “My own family love running and I want to spread the pleasure we get from it to other families.”

To share that running joy, Paula – spurred on by her now 14-year-old daughter Isla, who was the first person to ask if a family running initiative could work – created Families on Track, in which teams of three to five people, including at least one person aged over 18 and one aged between four and 16 years, complete 10km continuously in a relay by running loops of various distances.

“It’s about making it much easier for families to run 10k together, and have some quality time,” says Paula.

“Even youngsters of five or six can run 250m. We wanted young kids to be able to work hard and be really active. At the first one we did it was pouring down all day, and it was lovely to see the big smiles on everyone’s faces despite the weather. They really enjoyed it – particularly the kids.

“It’s not really a race, it’s more about the whole family completing 10k together. It’s important to make sure everyone – and particularly the