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Ruth was consistent all the way, says Radcliffe

Dubai - Radcliffe knew her record will last a little while longer

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In the end, the world record lived to fight another day. Paula Radcliffe's 15-year-old mark set at the London Marathon continued to stand although it had looked likely that it could come threat in the 20th edition of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon.
But Radcliffe's time of 2:15:25 stayed safe with Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich clocking 2:17:08 on cold Friday morning.
Asked what this generation of elite athletes need to do to break her benchmark, "Well, they have run faster," Radcliffe giggled and said.
Radcliffe knew her record will last a little while longer as she witnessed the race unfold while doing television commentary.
"No," she said when asked if the record could have been broken on Friday.
"I thought she (Ruth) was going to run around about the 2:17 all the way through and she was quite consistent all the way," said Radcliffe, who won gold at the World Championship in 2005.
Ruth led from start to finish and although it could have been a tad risky in maintaining a leading pace throughout the distance, Radcliffe felt Ruth was in fine shape to go with that tactic rather than hang back with the pack.
"I think she knew she was in good shape and probably in the end, she was perhaps very even all the way through. I think it was good pacing, it wasn't too fast in the beginning and she was able to maintain it," she observed.
"She looked as though she was slowing a little bit at about 30 to 35km and then she started to pick it up again," the 45-year-old added.
Talking about the race overall, where new course records were set in both the men's and women's sections, she said: "When the weather is on board as well, the better the chance of breaking the course record. The pacing was sensible in both the races. It was a little bit smarter in the men's race to go a little slower in the first half than last year and to be able to maintain it through to the finish. So, I think it was a very good race."
Radcliffe also felt the reason for new course records being set was because of how well the race has been organised.
"The reason is that it is very well organised, they bring the best runners in good shape and the conditions are good. Moving the start earlier is a good move and I think it was pretty much perfect for running as the ladies and the men showed," said Radcliffe.

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