Well damn. Just as we were preparing to submit our accumulated evidence that Paula Radcliffe deserves admission to the International Super Heroes Hall of Fame (wherever that may be), word comes today of a crack in the steely exterior of the marathon world record holder.

The three-time London Marathon winner has been forced to withdraw from this year’s event due to an injury to a tendon in her toe (tendons! in the toe! yet another area of the body we’ve been neglecting to exercise all these years?). Despite the setback, Radcliffe is downplaying the seriousness of the injury, sustained during altitude training in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and maintains that this should in no way hamper her pursuit of the gold medal in Beijing this summer.

With Radcliffe out, we’re throwing the full weight of our support behind Buster, to whom we introduced you earlier this week, and Dave Heeley, a 50-year-old blind Briton who will run seven marathons in seven continents over the course of seven days to raise money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Heeley, who has already collected £200,000 for the association, will end his quest at the London Marathon on April 13. Mad, mad, mad. But admirable.

If that doesn’t inspire you to sprint out the door to the pub, we don’t know what will.

Image courtesy of Paul Carstairs via the Londonist Flickr pool