61-Year-Old Shatters Marathon Record After 2-Year Injury

Mohammed El Yamani stood at the Seville Marathon start line in February wondering if he'd made a terrible mistake. At 61 years old, after two full years sidelined by injuries including vertebral fractures and tendonitis, could his body even handle 26.2 miles?

Two hours and 28 minutes later, he had his answer. El Yamani crossed the finish line in 2:28:28, shattering the men's 60-64 age group world record by over 90 seconds.

The French runner didn't even start running until age 31, inspired by a newspaper story about a 62-year-old who never missed his local race. Three days after reading that article in 1995, El Yamani signed up for his first half marathon. He finished in 1:19, launching a three-decade journey that would rewrite record books.

But the path wasn't smooth. El Yamani spent the past two years battling gluteal tendonitis, two vertebral fractures, and severe back problems that kept him completely off the road. His last race was the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, where he ran 2:31:21.

During his recovery, doubt crept in. "Some said I was old, others that I was finished," he shared on Instagram after his Seville triumph. Depression hit at times, but he refused to abandon his dream.

El Yamani balances his running with a full life as a production manager for a classical music company, husband, and father. He trains with Team Lenglen in Paris, logging up to 111 miles per week when healthy. He holds multiple French age group records across distances from 3,000 meters to the marathon.

Why This Inspires

El Yamani's story demolishes every excuse about age and setbacks. He didn't start running until his 30s and hit his current peak performance in his 60s, proving that conventional timelines don't define what's possible.

His journey resonates because it's real. He faced genuine obstacles, spent years recovering, questioned himself, and pushed through anyway. The previous record holder, Irish Olympian Tommy Hughes, set his mark in 2020 at 2:30:02. El Yamani beat it by 94 seconds after not racing for three years.

When race day arrived, he nearly backed out. "Was it reasonable to impose such a challenge on myself after two years without running?" he wondered. But he showed up anyway, placing 145th overall in a competitive field.

His post-race reflection captured the heart of his achievement: "I am a seed; every time I am buried, I am reborn. More than ever, growing old can wait."