Mariko Yugeta, the 63-year-old limbering up to run a sub-three-hour marathon

Japan's Mariko Yugeta competing in a marathon in Tokyo. In 2019, she became the first woman over 60 to complete a marathon in under three hours. Photograph: Mariko Yugeta

A niggling knee injury and just one full day to recover from a 13-hour flight across as many time zones are mere inconveniences for Mariko Yugeta as she prepares to compete in the Boston marathon, and beat her own world record again.

The Japanese runner will line up in Monday’s race alongside women half her age, and they will do well to keep up.