Quotes from Paula Radcliffe

I'm not meek at all.

Actually I don't choose to expose myself in public. I choose to compete; the other side just comes with the package.

You can be strong and true to yourself without being rude or loud.

If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I have a target that I'm blinkered towards and I won't listen to the warning signs quite so much. I'd rather be in shape and then look around and say there's a race next week and jump into that than have it planned.

In the week before a race, I try to stay away from germ areas. I keep disinfectant wipes in my bag for when I have to use a supermarket trolley or something like that.

I have always loved running on the roads, ever since I used to take part in relays for my club when I was 12 and 13. I felt really at home on the surface.

I actually got a nice surprise about being a mother because I expected it to be harder and to have to make more adaptations.

I have always run as hard as I can. You are not going to run any harder with or without men. You are running on your own two feet.

I just want to be in the best shape I can be. Not to stand on that start line and say: 'Oh my God, I have this injury and that injury.' I just want to be able to go out and race.

Never set limits, go after your dreams, don't be afraid to push the boundaries. And laugh a lot - it's good for you!

It's totally different from last year because I came in with good shape with no health worries so it was about going out there and running well and enjoying it.

I took a lot of bad things after Athens. I just learnt to deal with it. The problem was beforehand I had this feeling where I was trying to please everybody - I wanted everybody to like me.

I don't feel guilty in having pleasure!

Plenty of people who are 38 have run really well in the marathon.

I'm confident of what I have to achieve in the buildup to London 2012.

If you look back at my marathons and ask whether I would swap one of them for my one balls-up, of course I would. But you can't choose. You have to make the best of it on the day.

I can swim I'm not bad, but not great.

I cry all the time.

I've always been good at putting things behind me - I fall apart, do my crying bit and then put it away and move it.

The biggest danger is trying to put too much pressure on yourself, trying to get in too good shape.

I am not driven by any bitterness by what happened in Athens. I learnt a lot of lessons from it and probably came through it a stronger person in the end. There have been a lot of near misses, and that's taught me to keep persevering and that there is a chance it can come right.

I am not going to let Athens affect the rest of my life.

I deliberately returned slowly to training after Raphael was born and everything, apart from being bitten by a dog whilst out training in Monaco at the beginning of the year, has gone pretty well.

Every time I go out and race it's a goal to go out and run faster than I've done before.