MARA YAMAUCHI is a woman of many talents. In addition to her marathon running credentials, she boasts a degree from Oxford University in politics, philosophy and economics, speaks fluent Japanese, having lived in Japan for many years, and worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for 10 years before making her mark on the roads. The life member of Harrow AC has always lived a rich and varied life, so has had little trouble keeping herself occupied in her retirement, filling what many ex-athletes perceive as a void in their life with coaching, blogging for Run England, motivational speaking, commentating and running to keep herself in form.
“Running has had such a beneficial impact on my life over many years. I love it, and want to stay connected with the running world,” says 42-year-old Yamauchi, whose career accolades included a bronze medal in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games 10,000m, a win in the 2008 Osaka Ladies’ Marathon and a sixth place finish at the Olympics, which is the best ever by a British woman.
Mara Yamauchi: runner-up in the 2009 London Marathon to Irina Mikitenko of Germany