Mark Olateju
Bio
Mark Olateju has been a cornerstone of the Dallas-Fort Worth running community for over two decades. Known affectionately as "Mark O" or "the Picture Guy," Mark began his running journey in 2004-2005 with an 8K race at Travis McKinney school, motivated by his principal's promise of a home-cooked breakfast for participating staff. What started as treadmill running evolved into a passion that would see Mark complete over 640 races throughout his career, averaging 50 races per year during his peak decade. A self-proclaimed "5K expert" in his early years, Mark made an unexpected leap to marathon distance, running his first 26.2-mile race in basketball shorts and a durag—finishing with an impressive 3:08:59 time that remains his personal best. Mark's dedication to training was legendary, waking up at 3 AM for years to run with training partners like Shaheen Satar and Susanna. His consistent 40-45 mile weeks kept him "half-marathon ready" year-round, leading to sub-1:30 half marathon times and Boston Qualifying performances at Houston and Huntington Beach marathons. Beyond road racing, Mark ventured into ultra-trail running, completing 50K and 50-mile distances at events like Rocky Raccoon and Possum Kingdom. He holds a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M Commerce, which he completed over eight years while balancing teaching and training. After a knee replacement ended his competitive running career two and a half years ago, Mark transitioned seamlessly into his role as the community's unofficial photographer and memory keeper. Armed with his camera and phone, he can be found at White Rock Lake, Bachman Lake, and races throughout DFW, capturing thousands of moments and helping document the journeys of countless runners. Today, Mark maintains his fitness through weight training five days a week and low-impact cardio, while continuing to serve as a positive force in the running community—proving that the end of one chapter simply opens the door to another way of contributing to the sport he loves.
