Paula Radcliffe says the experience of going through the perimenopause made completing the Tokyo Marathon even “sweeter”.

The 51-year-old finished in less than three hours on Sunday, her first marathon since retiring in 2015 aged 40.

The perimenopause typically starts a few years before the menopause, external and can cause symptoms such as hot flushes, heavy bleeding and heart palpitations.

Asked about the differences compared to running during her competitive career, Radcliffe told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s very different. Not only the effects of perimenopause and managing the fatigue and fluctuations that come with that, energy and muscle recovery wise.

“When the children were smaller it was a little bit easier. There are lots of things to juggle now and it’s no longer my career, now it’s a hobby like lots of people.

“I really take my hat off to everyone who juggles the training with a career, and family life around that, because it’s a different way – but it makes the achievement when you cross that finish line a little bit sweeter.”

The menopause, which signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years, typically occurs around the age of 51 but for some it can happen earlier.

The age at which the menopause occurs can be impacted by a number of factors, including treatment for other conditions.

Hormone levels change during the menopause – most significantly oestrogen, which controls the menstrual cycle and contributes to a number of other bodily processes.

Radcliffe, who gave birth to her first child in 2007 and her second in 2010, is aiming to complete the six major marathons by running in Boston next month.

She ran London, New York, Chicago and Berlin during her career, before competing in Tokyo last week.