A reader rebukes me for my remarks about Paula Radcliffe (see posts below) thus:

'I must suggest that it is unfair to blame Paula Radcliffe for being caught short in the London Marathon. These stomach events are fairly common, and probably inevitable, under the physical stress of marathon running. I saw it happen to a women leader at the Boston Marathon, the difference being that it wasn't shown or even mentioned in the mass media. And if you remember the dreadful, nasty, small-minded abuse Ms. Radcliffe suffered from the British press after the Athens Marathon, and imagine what they would have said if she had left the course in London to look for a proper facility, I think you will have more sympathy for her behaviour. Now what is totally unexcusable and unforgiveable is that the TV and press would film a person in that situation, and then show it to the world. That is really low.'

Since I am not a runner, I confess I am nonplussed.