Paula Radcliffe starts her customary training period in the United States next week as she looks to regain her form.

The Brit will start preparing to regain both the Flora London Marathon and IAAF World Championship titles

Radcliffe has almost a full month's training under her belt already this year, although she recently lost a few days through sickness at her base in the French Pyrenees.

"We've been three weeks in Font Romeu and it went well I until got flu and missed last the last four days," said Radcliffe, who was accompanied by husband and manager Gary Lough and two-year-old daughter Isla.

"I was enjoying running in snow and think it helped strengthen my legs. I was doing fast stuff on the treadmill and it was going well."

Now the 35-year-old world marathon record holder is looking forward to heading off to another favourite location in New Mexico next Monday to intensify preparations for the London Marathon on April 26.

After missing her favourite marathon through injury and the birth of daughter Isla two years ago, Radcliffe is determined to add to her victories achieved in 2002, 2003 and on her last appearance four years ago.

A fourth success would match the number of wins achieved by Norway's Ingrid Kristiansen and would also be a massive boost before attempting to regain the world title in Berlin this August.

Radcliffe said: "Yes, I'm heading to Albuquerque as I know it well, the weather is safe and I've got reasonable back-up there, both massage and medical.

"We go on February 2 after a few days' check-up in UK and plan on staying eight weeks."

Radcliffe bounced back from the disappointment of last summer's Olympic Games, where she competed when not fully recovered from injury, to claim a third New York title in November, and is hoping to test herself with a tough event in the US before London.

"There are no races planned yet but we're looking at both 10-kilometre and half-marathon options," said the Bedford star.

"Now I will just be careful to shake off this flu and then decide on races."

After London the 2005 world champion will turn her attention to regaining the gold medal she won in Helsinki where the winner's prize of US dollars 60,000 (£42,000) will attract as strong a field as that which competed at the Beijing Olympics.

That opportunity to set the record straight after her demise in China is as far as the world's greatest marathon runner is prepared to look.

"My plans for the rest of the year only include the marathon in Berlin so far, but will include other shorter races too," she revealed.

"I'm not sure on a fall marathon until I come out of Berlin okay."