Paula Radcliffe to return to action in Great Manchester Run

World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe will return to competitive action after 15 months out in the Great Manchester Run on May 15.

The 37-year-old Briton has not competed since the 2009 New York Marathon after taking time out to give birth to her second child in September.

The 10km road race marks the beginning of her preparations for the 2012 London Olympics where she will have the chance to improve on disappointing results at the previous two Games.

She is expected to contest a marathon later in the year where her primary aim will be attaining the qualifying standard for the London Games.

"I deliberately returned slowly to training after Raphael was born and everything, apart from being bitten by a dog whilst out training in Monaco at the beginning of the year, has gone pretty well," she said in a statement on the Great Manchester Run website (www.greatrun.org).

"Starting my comeback with a 10km race is ideal as I build up later in the year to achieving the marathon standard, and I'm confident of what I have to achieve in the build up to London 2012."

Radcliffe, whose marathon record of two hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds has stood since 2003, is also the world road running 10km record holder with a time of 30 minutes and 21 seconds.

She has been undergoing high-altitude training in Albuqerque, New Mexico since mid-January.