Raisa Kolesnikova will run her sixth major international marathon in London

The Dubbo acupuncturist will complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors on October 2 when she takes part in the London Marathon.

It will be a special feat for Kolesnikova as she will be the first person from Dubbo to complete all six major marathons including Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo, New York and now London.

"For this one I've been waiting for three years, I'm very excited for it," she said.

"I'm also anxious hoping they aren't going to cancel it again."

Since completing her last international marathon, Kolesnikova has been eagerly awaiting to travel overseas after COVID-19 to finish the big six and she is confident she may be the first in the region to do so.

"I don't think anyone in the area has got one, I only discovered it when I was in Boston when I saw people wearing this fairly large special medal," she said.

"I thought it looked very different to my own medal then I realised it's quite popular in Europe and I hadn't heard of it in Dubbo.

"I'm sure people in Sydney have done it, I've been waiting three years and was supposed to complete it in 2019.

"I'm quite looking forward to finishing this one, it is the dream and the last one on the list."

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Turning 64 years old on September 27, Kolesnikova is living proof age is no barrier for people who want to do a marathon.

Having done her first marathon in 2015, Kolesnikova has become a keen runner and recently ran in Sydney at the Blackmores Sydney Marathon.

"I started from shuffling and jogging then I did the Dubbo Stampede because I had a patient doing it," she said.

"I'm just kind of amazed that I can run 42kms, when I finished running I was sure it would be the first and last one.

"It was so hard but it didn't take very long for me to change my mind.

"I decided to join some friends running in Canberra I did quite well, everyone told me under four hours was great and quite fast.

"A few weeks late I got a letter telling me I was qualified to run in the Boston Marathon, it was a bit of a shock and I thought it was a joke."

Kolesnikova is one of approximately 40,000 people taking part in the marathon which is taking place just weeks after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Dubbo local and the other competitors will run through Westminster as well as over the Tower Bridge before passing the London Eye.

Having completed the 2019 Chicago Marathon in three hours and 37 minutes, Kolesnikova is hoping she can set a personal best after an almost three-year hiatus from a major international event.

"I think I'm fitter than ever, this year I've hit a lot of personal bests," she said.

"That's including the City2Surf recently where I took two minutes from my time.

"Same with the Gold Coast marathon were I took about eight minutes off my best time and got faster in Sydney too.

"I'm really proud to have my birthday soon but I'm not slowly down.

"Whenever people say 'I'm told old to do this or that' I just say 'age isn't a barrier, you just have to set up your mind and go for it'."

The London Marathon takes place on October 2 (BST).

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