Hello and welcome to MR’s weekly rundown, your unofficial guide to all the comings and goings in the world of running. This week, we look at the European Championships in Zurich
Good week
Jo Pavey, 40, makes history by becoming the oldest person to claim 10,000m gold at the European Championships.
Bad week
Laura Muir. After failing to capture a medal in front of her home fans in Glasgow, Muir was then unable to qualify from the 1,500m heats at the European Championships.
Stat of the week
32mins 22secs. The time it took Jo Pavey to run the 10,000m, good enough for gold.
Rant of the week
Mo Farah vs Paula Radcliffe
Mo took umbrage at Paula’s claim that he took the “easy option” by pulling out of the Commonwealth Games.
Farah: “Paula said I had taken the easy option, which is not fair, because she had seen me struggle. I was quite disappointed. I’m not going to turn up in my home country and get beaten.
“A lot of those Kenyan guys I can beat, but when I’m only 80 or 90 per cent I’m just asking to be beaten. I’m genuinely disappointed I couldn’t take part, but I had been through a lot and just wasn’t ready.”
Radcliffe:“I don’t want to get into any kind of battle with Mo. I didn’t say he is taking the easy option, I said it is an easier option – but that’s not the reason he’s here.
“It is because it comes later and has given him more time to get ready [for the European Championships]. It was always going to be a battle against time once he got ill.”
Dubious product award
Wellwoman Boost. MR’s (male)assistant editor received this in the post – we’re not quite sure what they’re trying to tell him…
Video of the week
A long distance race can play havoc with a runner’s mind. Check out this amusing video on ‘Marathon Thoughts’…
