Mara Yamauchi plans to emulate Paula Radcliffe
Sep 18 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal
MARA Yamauchi is already planning for an Olympic showdown with Paula Radcliffe as she looks to provide a British winner in the Great North Run.
At 37, Yamauchi knows she is approaching the end of her athletics career, but like Radcliffe she is showing no signs of slowing down.
The Japan-based athlete has competed in the shadow of the world record holder throughout her career, but has run the second fastest time by a Briton in the marathon and, if she can stay clear of injury. has a good chance of picking up a medal in 2012.
Her third appearance in the Great North Run is part of her preparations; she competes against Romania’s Olympic Marathon champion Constantina Dita as she looks to become the first British winner of the race since Radcliffe in 2003.
She said: “I would expect Paula to be running in the London Olympics, that’s her aim as far as I’m aware. I see no reason why she won’t be.
“It will be great for British athletics if we are both in that race and both have a chance of medals. Getting to the start line without injury or illness is half the battle at our age. We are both a similar age, and as you grow older injuries become more common.
“Injury management becomes paramount. Seeing Dita win the Olympic marathon a couple of years ago in her late 30s, that was great. It proves it can be done.
“As I’ve got older, I’ve got mentally stronger and some of the training I can do now, I would never have been able to do it when I was younger. It would have been too hard for me.
“I’ve developed the mental strength, concentration and focus over a long period of time and that’s what you need to run marathons. It isn’t just the race, it’s the long, hard training runs.
“I still feel young. I think you really are only as young as you feel. I’ve got that experience now, which is vital. It counts for a lot in all races, but in the marathon you only get two or three races a year, development is slower.
“It’s not like a sprinter, who can put what they’ve learnt in one race into practice the next weekend. You have to wait half a year for the next race. I think age helps marathon runners.”
Yamauchi has been based in Japan for five years and some had thought she would change her nationality.
But she insisted: “People have mentioned to me about changing nationality, but they don’t accept dual nationality in Japan and I don’t want to give up my British national status.
“Even if I could, getting into the Japan women’s marathon Olympic team is a million times harder than getting into the British team.”
