Oldest runner at New York City Marathon says his life started after retirement

The World

In many ways, Koichi Kitabatake is just like any other runner preparing for Sunday’s New York City Marathon produced by New York Road Runners. He’s nervous for the big race but plans to draw energy from crowds of spectators to keep pace. At 91 years old, though, the Japanese runner is the oldest of all 55,000 runners registered for this year’s race. The World’s Bianca Hillier has his story.

Will you support The World?

Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.

Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.