Marathon, running about community for Osueke; Fastest Revere runner in 126th Boston Marathon

  Anayo Osueke is the fastest man in Revere, or at least he was on Marathon Monday.

  Osueke, 40, posted the fastest time of all Revere residents taking part in the 126^th Boston Marathon, finishing the 26.2-mile course in just over three hours.

  While the time was down from Osueke’s time of around 2 hours and 50 minutes in the 2021 race, he said running the Boston Marathon is more about being part of the community than it is setting personal records.

  “There is a big social and community aspect to the Boston Marathon; it is the honor and the tradition that drives me to it,” said Osueke. “I’m a 40-something year old guy, so I’m not looking to go to the Olympics. There are a lot of people there talking about the history and the culture of the race, and there are a lot of charity runners. My interest in running is reflective of that community bond.”

  Osueke said he first got involved in distance running when he moved to the Boston area about five years ago.

  “There was a running community here that really encouraged me and welcomed me,” he said. Osueke said that to this day he remains involved with a number of running groups, such as the Pioneers and the Trailblazers that have social outreach and community engagement components.

  “All of these running groups share one goal, which is using running as a vehicle and mechanism for uplifting people,” he said.

  It’s those bonds and community feeling that make marathon running something special for Osueke.

  This year’s race wasn’t without its struggles for the Revere runner, who ran the race alongside his friend, Kristopher Tong.

  Looking to approach his time from last year, Osueke noted that it is harder to train for a marathon in the winter months compared to last year, when the marathon was held in the fall and he was able to ramp up training in the summer.

  “I didn’t run as well as last year, and by mile 20, I had some trouble at Heartbreak Hill and my pace fell off significantly,” Osueke said. He added that the last miles of the race can often seem as long, if not longer, than the first 20.

  Osueke said he was helped across the finish line. And while there were no personal records for this race, he said he still cherishes the race because of the support from the community and the greater meaning of what the Boston Marathon represents for the city and the state.

  Osueke has an impressive resume outside of his marathon accomplishments, and currently works as a quantitative analyst and AVP at State Street in Boston.

  A graduate of Morehouse College and Johns Hopkins University, Osueke has also worked for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C.

  Closer to home, Osueke, who bought a home in Revere in 2020, was one of the initial appointments to serve on Revere’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board of Trustees, with Mayor Brian Arrigo praising his wealth of expertise and experience in financial modeling and macroeconomic policy.

  “I really enjoy this whole community thing and I try to get involved in as many community causes as I can,” said Osueke.

  Next up on the marathon list for Osueke is the New York City Marathon in November.