Having broken the women's world marathon record in Chicago yesterday, Paula Radcliffe has announced that she may give up running the distance in order to concentrate on her track events.
Radcliffe trimmed 89 seconds off the previous record on only her second competitive run over the 26.2-mile distance, and then suggested she might quit while she's ahead.
"I don't know if I'll run a marathon next year," she said. "I'll be sitting down and considering my schedule after I've had a holiday."
Radcliffe's run of 2hrs 17mins 18secs was too good for previous record holder Catherine Ndereba, who finished more than two minutes behind.
Yesterday's run has added to a marvellous season for the 28-year-old Briton who added the Commonwealth 5,000m gold and the European 10,000m title to her thrilling win in the London marathon on her debut in the event.
But the Chicago marathon win has been her best moment yet. "I've got the world record so it's got to rank at the top," she told the BBC.
"Ever since London I have been working towards this and my track races went 100% to plan.
"I did think I could do it, but I don't like talking about breaking records. I just like to go out and run my own race rather than shout about what I am going to do.
"I knew I was in good shape. But also you have nerves and you wonder whether you'll hold it together."
Her achievement was all the more remarkable considering it was only her second competitive marathon.
"I was nervous warming up, I'm still new to it, and I knew it was going to be a tough race," she continued.
"I held back in the first half and then in the second half I pushed on a little bit. I was running with some US guys a lot of the time and they were really helping me.
"I went through the first half feeling good, and everyone said the second half of the course was faster and so I kicked on again and felt good."
