text: The distinctive head bop was still there and the white socks pulled up over the calves but plastered across her face was something we are not used to seeing during Paula Radcliffe’s races – a beaming smile. When she set the World Record of 2:15.25 in the London Marathon in April 2003 – a time no woman has threatened 12 years later – there was no grinning until after she crossed the line. Similarly in 2005 when she recorded her third and final victory over the 26.2mile course from Blackheath to The Mall, emotions were kept in check until the end. The crowd lining the London Marathon course cheers for Paula Radcliffe as she wraps up a stellar career . Radcliffe breaks down at the end of the London Marathon on Sunday, her final competitive race . The world record holder for 12 years, Radcliffe said the time was irrelevant in her final London Marathon . Radcliffe runs down The Mall hand-in-hand with a fellow runner as she  takes in the atmosphere . But a time of 2:36.55 in her final competitive marathon is not to be sniffed at for a 41-year-old with a left foot as flexible as a rod of iron who described herself as ‘unfit and unprepared’ for the race. It is well inside 2:42.00, the IAAF qualifying standard for the Rio Olympics next summer. The British Athletics standards – which are likely to be sterner - have yet to be announced but it is immaterial as Radcliffe maintained this was it for her elite running career. ‘My body can’t train at this level any more,’ she said, ‘In Kenya [where she did a winter training camp] I pushed myself too hard and I broke down. I’m sure the magic of London helped me run faster than I would or should have been capable of.’ Radcliffe was due to give a BBC interview on Tower Bridge with Denise Lewis but the former heptathlete could not keep up. ‘She ran alongside me for a little bit but it was too loud and I didn’t want to stop because I was worried my foot wouldn’t be able to start again.’ Instead of running with the elite women, Radcliffe chose to take off with the 37,000-strong mass field . Radcliffe smiles at the front of the mass group as the elite men prepare to set off on their run . The 41-year-old sets off with the main field after having barely run since February due to injury . Radcliffe was in nowhere near the condition she was in when she set the 26.2mile world record in 2003 . Radcliffe began strongly, running at 2:30.00 pace for the opening 10kilometres. ‘I ran the first mile in 5min30sec which was way too quick but every time someone shouted in the crowd it boosted me up again,’ said Radcliffe, . ‘I felt the achilles twinge at 7 miles then backed off. As much as my body wanted it to finish I didn’t want it to end.’ In the women’s elite race, the attention pre-race was centred on four Kenyan women but Tigist Tufa broke away from the pack to become only the third Ethiopian to win the London marathon, after Derata Tulu in 2001 and Aselefech Mergia in 2010. Tufa, who the bookmakers judged a 25/1 shot before the race, crossed the line in 2:23.22 with two-time winner Mary Keitany 18 seconds behind. Ethiopia’s Tirfi Tsegaye was third in 2:23.41. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, a World Champion over 5,000m, triumphed in the men’s race in 2:04.42, five seconds ahead of his compatriot Wilson Kipsang. Radcliffe became the first recipient of the London Marathon lifetime achievement award after the race . Radcliffe savours the moment with her husband Gary Lough and childern Raphael and Isla . Prince Harry joins the family for a happy snap after the presentation of her lifetime achievement trophy .
target: Paula Radcliffe finished in 2:36.55 but said the time didn't matter .
  The world record holder began at the front of the mass start .
  She had barely run since February due to an Achilles injury .
  Radcliffe was the 199th woman to finish the race on Sunday .
  She was first to receive the race's lifetime achievement award .
  Earlier in the day Ethiopian Tigist Tufa won the women's elite race .
  Eliud Kipchoge won the men's race in a Kenyan top three .