Thirty-four-year old Paula Radcliffe won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, beating a very competitive field of women - ten months after the birth of her baby girl!
I celebrate the accomplishment of this British runner unreservedly. Yet when I saw the photo of her flat stomach merely 10 months later, and visualized my wrinkly tummy 22 years after the birth of my twins, I do feel a little envy! I'd never wish her flat stomach away, but would love to have one myself. Ah, well, they're my "love scars"!
I like to make a clear distinction between "envy" and "jealousy." With envy, you want something for yourself, but you wouldn't take it away from someone in order to get it. With jealousy, not only do you want it, but you don't want someone else to have it!
The green-eyed monster of jealousy is often nasty and mean. Envy, on the other hand, can be productive - you congratulate the victor, but work harder to achieve your own success!
In a Runner's World interview, British runner Paula Radcliffe said of her closest competitor in the race, Gete Wami, "I really respect Gete, and I knew that it was going to be tough and I would have to race really, really strong to beat her."
Now that's the spirit of sportsmanship that we can practice in all aspects of life - we race for our best and leave the nasty green-eyed monster behind!
To read more of the interview with Paula, click here.
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