Ore Oduba’s Emotional Marathon Tribute: Why He’ll Run London Only Once

Ore Oduba will run the TCS London Marathon on Sunday, April 26 (ET) as a one-off tribute to his late sister. He is 40 and frames the 26.2-mile challenge as a personal act of remembrance.

Motivation and family loss

Oduba’s sister, Lola, died last April after finding running during lockdown. Her death turned an “impossible” challenge into a mission he accepted.

An item she sent for his children prompted his commitment. He said, “I’m gonna have to run the bloody marathon for you, aren’t I?” He wept in interviews and added, “Oh, my sister’s so proud of me.”

Training and charity

He undertook months of gruelling training and a full lifestyle overhaul to prepare. The work was deliberate and sustained.

He will run among thousands of participants in the TCS London Marathon. He is raising funds for Smartphone Free Childhood, a campaign opposing big tech’s influence on young lives.

Why this is a one-off

Oduba has said clearly he will not turn the marathon into an annual pursuit. He describes the run as a finite, meaningful act of remembrance.

The high-profile effort focuses media attention on both the charity and his family’s story. It may convert awareness into donations and offer a form of emotional closure.

He approaches the start line on Sunday, April 26 (ET). The focus is less on finish times and more on meaning. This emotional marathon tribute aims to honour Lola and to run London only once.