Nigerian marathon runner and sports tourism promoter, Dayo Akinbode, has shared how a routine medical check-up transformed her from a career-focused engineer into an internationally recognised marathon athlete with two Guinness World Records.
Akinbode said she grew up in a family that placed a strong emphasis on academic excellence, leaving little room for sports or other extracurricular activities.
She gained admission into the university at the age of 15, studied Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, graduated at 20, and built a successful career with the Nigerian Air Force, Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Shell before retiring.
Reflecting on her corporate career, she said she learned that intelligence alone is not enough to succeed, noting that attitude, visibility and interpersonal skills also play a crucial role in career advancement.
Her journey into marathon running began after doctors advised her to adopt a healthier lifestyle following a diagnosis of high cholesterol during a routine medical examination.
The turning point came when Shell introduced the Global Corporate Challenge, encouraging employees to walk at least 10,000 steps daily. Determined to improve her health, she began walking more, using staircases instead of elevators and gradually developed a passion for long-distance running.
She completed her first half marathon in Accra in 2012 before progressing to full marathons in 2014.
Since then, Akinbode has participated in marathons in more than 105 countries and serves as the African ambassador of the Marathon Globetrotters Club.
Despite her achievements, she said travelling with a Nigerian passport has often come with challenges, including prolonged immigration checks and visa denials in some countries.
According to her, Nigerians should focus on improving the country’s image rather than only complaining about how they are treated abroad.
Through her organisation, FogAdventures, Akinbode has promoted marathon tourism across several African countries, including the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
She revealed that she previously organised the Ile-Ife Heritage Marathon in Nigeria but discontinued the event after facing administrative and financial challenges.
Akinbode also disclosed that she holds two Guinness World Records—one for participating in the world’s highest-altitude road marathon in Pakistan and another for completing a Guinness World Records-recognised remote road marathon challenge.
