Jaiye Akpokodje, a participant in the 10 km race at the 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, shared her insights and experiences from her second time participating in the event in an interview with Sports247.
Reflecting on her marathon journey, Akpokodje expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting that she achieved her goal of running the race in under 60 minutes.
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This accomplishment marked an improvement from her previous time of 65 minutes, highlighting her determination to beat her personal best record.
“This is my second time coming for the Marathon. I have had an experience; I’ve done it before so this time I was just doing it for myself.
I have a target I was trying to run under 60 minutes”
“That was me trying to beat my personal best record because I run 10 kilometres on a normal day.
I achieved it. I did it for 59 minutes. Before that I’ve always done 65, so that’s something.”
With the marathon’s theme centred around “finding your feat,” Akpokodje humorously acknowledged that she had indeed found her footing in her pursuit of bettering her running times.
However, she expressed greater ambitions to further improve her performance, aspiring to eventually run faster with each passing year.
Despite acknowledging the considerable challenge of reaching the world record time for a 10 km race, currently held at 28 minutes, Akpokodje remained optimistic about her ability to progress over time.
As a fashion designer with a passion for athletics, she shared her daily routine of running, emphasizing her longstanding commitment to staying active and pursuing her athletic goals.
When asked about her motivations for running, Akpokodje attributed her passion for athletics to her innate athleticism, which she has maintained since her school days.
While she acknowledged the dominance of Kenyan athletes in long-distance running, she remained determined to continue striving for personal improvement without comparison or competition.
Jaiye Akpokodje’s journey at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon exemplifies the spirit of personal growth and determination, highlighting the rewards of perseverance and dedication in pursuing one’s athletic aspirations.
As she continues her marathon journey, Akpokodje’s commitment to self-improvement serves as an inspiration to aspiring runners everywhere.
