Britain’s fittest 64-year-old Mark Kleanthous credits one fruit extract with aiding his success after delivering a standout performance at the Newport Marathon in Wales, finishing in 3:21:30 — in his warm-up for the London Marathon this weekend.
Mark is now preparing for his 10th London Marathon on April 27 — his second marathon in a single month — setting his sights on a sub-3:30 finish. That time would place him just 30 minutes behind his personal best set in his 20s, and 44 years later, he has only slowed by an average of 25 seconds per year.
Mark credits his performance and rapid recovery to powerful blackcurrant extract, which he says plays a key role in reducing muscle soreness, enhancing recovery time and boosting his endurance.
Mark said: "I’m running like I did 15–20 years ago. My wife Clare has watched me compete for 40 years — and she said she was amazed by how strong I looked out there today.”
Mark was among the original participants of the first London Marathon in 1981 and is now part of a rare group of long-time runners—mostly now in their 80s—still toeing the start line each year.
As a veteran of 123 marathons, Mark recently boosted his pre-race dose of blackcurrant extract to four capsules.
The multi-sport endurance athlete and coach has accumulated more than 283,000 miles across his lifetime, the equivalent of swimming, cycling, and running around the world 11 times.
Mark was an early adopter of CurraNZ to fuel his body and support his training. Known for its high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols, blackcurrant extract has been proven in over 60 studies to enhance performance by reducing fatigue and improving recovery times.
Mark said: “As someone who has competed in over 1,350 events since 1980, and having coached thousands of athletes, I know what works. I've tested CurraNZ extensively in both training and competition, and there’s no question that it helps reduce fatigue and speeds up recovery. I can race harder, recover quicker, and keep pushing my limits.
“I’ve really hit a purple patch these past six weeks – my running has been absolutely outstanding in numerous events. I've just run my fastest half-marathon at the Cambridge Half in 15 years and finished in the top 10% of 13,569 runners.
“My goal this year is to run a sub-3 hour, 30 minute marathon. I’ll run the Newport Marathon on April 13 and then London just two weeks later. I am confident CurraNZ will allow my 64-year-old body to run fast in both marathons, just 14 days apart.”
Mark’s experimentation with double doses in recent weeks has helped him achieve even greater results. “I’ve been running faster, feeling fitter, and staying well throughout my training. I’ve even noticed how much quicker I recover after intense sessions,” he says.
Mark said: “These berries are rich in bioactive compounds that are proven to aid performance, and they’re used by some of the world’s top athletes and ultra-runners."
With over 14,000 miles of swimming, 201,000 miles of cycling, and 65,000 miles of running under his belt, Mark said: “I’ve covered more than the distance to the moon in my training and racing, and while CurraNZ hasn’t powered all those miles, it’s certainly made things easier as an older athlete and I have no plans on stopping now.”
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