 Radcliffe says she is back to 100% fitness following injury |
News of Paula Radcliffe's pregnancy provoked almost as much surprise as anything else has during her eventful career.
Many had doubted that such a famously single-minded and dedicated athlete would do anything that might get in the way of training and competing.
Yet the 32-year-old, who is 15 weeks pregnant, insists her passion for athletics is as strong as ever and that she has her sights set on running in the 2012 Olympics.
"As soon as I first put on a pair of trainers, I knew running was what I wanted to do," Radcliffe told BBC Sport.
"At that stage it was my hobby, my enjoyment and my love, as much as anything career-wise. It was just something I loved and wanted to do well at.
"It's the same now. I want to carry on because I still enjoy it, and because I have no reason not to while I'm still performing well.
"Obviously I'll have to see how I feel as it goes through, judging what's best for me and the baby, but at the moment I'm still running twice a day, and that feels fine.
"I see myself as being a long way away from wanting to walk away, particularly with the 2012 Games being in London. I'd love to take part in that atmosphere.
 | Encouraging youngsters to take part is hugely important to me |
"Realistically, Beijing 2008 is a better shot of winning gold in the marathon. "It would be more difficult, but if I'm healthy I don't see why I couldn't qualify for the team and put in a good time.
"I'll be 38 in 2012, but Carlos Lopez won the 1984 marathon gold at 38."
This year has been a frustrating one for her so far, with a foot injury forcing her out of both the London Marathon and European Championships in Gothenburg.
Radcliffe, looking relaxed in the unlikely surroundings of an army regiment office in central London after acting as a starter in the Standard Chartered Great City Race, was philosophical about her injury problems.
"I've had worse times in my career with injury. But this one took out two of my main aims for the year - competing at the Commonwealths in Melbourne and in the London Marathon. That was really disappointing.
"But time-wise, I only missed eight or nine weeks of training, and now I'm back to 100%, and have been for a while."
As well as hoping to compete in London 2012, the marathon world record holder is also aiming to inspire a new generation of athletes who can compete at the Games.
"Encouraging youngsters to take part is hugely important to me," she said.
| It has to be inbuilt in an athlete to have desire and be willing to make sacrifices |
"It's not just about success, it's about life skills and what athletics gives you as a person - I used to be really shy when I was younger, but athletics brought out my self-belief. "I'm passionate about it, I want to show people what a great sport it is and what they can get from it."
Radcliffe welcomes the extra funding that has recently been committed to athletics by the government, and initiatives introduced by UK Athletics such as the "Power of 10" scheme.
But she insists that young athletes must have the passion and desire to succeed.
"We are finding that if we do support them through, we will see the benefits," she said.
"But I firmly believe that if it isn't in a person, it can't be beaten or funded into them.
"All the funding and support is vital, but it has to be inbuilt in the athlete to have that desire and be willing to make sacrifices and take the bad times with the good."
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