Mara Yamauchi
British marathon runner, Mara Yamauchi, 35, only started running seriously while at university, but finished an impressive sixth in the women’s marathon at the Beijing Olympics. 1 used to be a diplomat. It was a fantastic job, but I gave it up to become a professional athlete. I do miss working with colleagues and even the crazy juggle of work, training and family life/ M don’t run to music. It’s a safety thing -1 worry about the traffic. But also, marathon running is very much about mental concentration and focus, and music can be a distraction.’
‘I now live in Japan and sometimes I wish I still lived in the UK. I’d love to be part of the sports scene and the amazing buzz leading up to London 2012. But living in Japan means that I can concentrate more on my training without any distractions. I still love representing Great Britain, however, and the next Olympics offers a unique opportunity for me. I can’t wait!1 ’1 enjoy being in the kitchen. Every morning we make fresh vegetable juice at home in the blender, sometimes with ginger. We mostly eat Japanese food, things like miso soup and simple sushi. My favourite is tempura, but it’s definitely an occasional treat as it’s so high in fat!’
WOMAN OF THE MONTH
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