Paula Radcliffe

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

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.

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.

You can wish as hard as you like but all that really matters is the shape you're in on the day of the race. I've always felt these really big races aren't necessarily won by whoever is the fastest. They're won by the athlete who is the smartest and in the best shape on the day.

It's important that athletes can compete on a level playing field. And youngsters coming into the sport can know that if they are working hard and training hard, they'll see a true reflection of where they stand and what they can achieve worldwide and not be swayed by people who are cheating.

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.

As an athlete, there are advantages being with a team and getting regular physio.

I would be happy with an Olympic bronze. What I don't have is an Olympic medal.

In my Olympic history I don't think I have achieved my potential as an athlete. That's what I want when I look back at my career. I want to be able to say I gave it my best shot.

I can't imagine living and not running.

In the marathon anything can happen.

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

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've had a lot of success over the years racing in New York, but the main point is that I feel the marathon is a different event, a lot more my event.

From my training I can get a good idea of what I'm capable of.

I don't like going away from my children.

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.

I have not had the chance to go out there and do myself justice in an Olympic marathon yet. I have not been able to get to an Olympic marathon injury-free yet.

An Olympic medal won't define my whole life, although it might look like it to onlookers. When I look back, I should have been able to get an Olympic medal.

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

I never plan to run at a certain pace. All my career my motto has been 'no limits.' I don't try to run with a set time in mind, sticking to set splits, because what happens if you're ahead of your splits - are you going to slow down?

You see, with me, when I'm nervous, I smile and laugh.

A half marathon is a good way to have a bit of fun and race against those girls and learn a bit more about them.The world half marathon is a world championship at the end of the day and it's important. I've win it twice and it's a quality event.

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.

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.

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

I cry all the time.

At big championships it's not the fastest person, it's the person who gets it right on the day.

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.

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

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.

You can't magic yourself back 10 years.

I apologise to people when I need to.

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

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

No one remembers who came fourth.

I prefer to be in tune with my surroundings and to be aware of things. I like listening to my foot strike and my breathing. It can be quite soothing.

I've been to three Olympics and I don't feel I've ever quite achieved my best at any of them.

I try not to worry about things that I can't control.

I prefer just a women's race. It's a totally different game mentally.

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

I set myself some specific goals, but the key one is just getting myself into as good a shape as possible for one day this year: the Olympic marathon.

I have been doing 120 miles a week, when normally I would do about 140.

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

A half marathon is a good way to have a bit of fun and race against those girls and learn a bit more about them. The world half marathon is a world championship at the end of the day and it's important. I've win it twice and it's a quality event.

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.

To represent your country at a home Olympics is something special and I'm over the moon to be selected for Team GB. I was pleased to get the qualifying time in Berlin earlier this year and my sole focus is getting in the right shape for London.

I'm not meek at all.

For an athlete, the biggest pressure comes from within. You know what you want to do and what you're capable of.

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

There's always going to be somebody who takes a dislike to you and you can't waste time worrying about it.

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 don't feel guilty in having pleasure!