Matthew Akpan: From Leeds Parkrun to breaking world records
John Cena’s famous catchphrase is, ‘You can’t see me,’ but many have seen Matthew Akpan cross the line dressed as the wrestler to break Guinness World Records.
After his autism diagnosis in 2013, Matthew has been inspiring others with his running success. He chose to chase the records of fastest marathon and half-marathon times dressed as a wrestler after his father passed away in 2021.
The two shared a love for the sport, which was Matthew’s inspiration for his success. And he is still searching for more, as he aims for faster running times and seeks a career in journalism.
But let’s take this feature back to 2002, when Matthew began his running journey at an athletics club in Leeds.
“Running was a way of my mum and dad trying to get me involved in sport in later life, and into good habits,” he said. “Getting into a routine of where exercise could complement me when I’m at work, as well as stop things that have been in my family before, like diabetes and high blood pressure.
“I was at the club for about two years between the ages of 13 and 15, and it felt like it was a bit easy to run at that stage. I didn’t feel pushed, so I had about a year or two break, and when I was 17 or 18, I started getting back into exercise again.
“Since 2009, when I was at university in Crewe and joined a running club, I have held the same regime of training – I’ve trained myself to live like an elite athlete, like an Olympian.
“I didn’t want to aim for the Olympics because I felt too prone to injury, but I felt like I could go on a different pathway to get to my level of success.
“I wasn’t diagnosed until 2013 and I was running way before then, but I did feel like there was still a way forward, and Parkrun helped to emphasise that before having my diagnosis.”
Reflecting on autism, Matthew feels the statistics and rhythms of running complement the way his brain operates.
And the World Records took his running journey to another level; dressing as a well-known wrestler certainly helped grow his profile and fame alongside his impressive running speed.
“The story is that my dad and I watched WWE for 20 years, and because of a tribute to John Cena, who did a lot of charity work, and my dad, who was a big fan of wrestling in general, I decided to do my first Guinness World Record dressed as him.
“It really spiralled with one interview after the York Marathon, and I thought, “Why are they interviewing me?”
“I didn’t feel like I was doing anything extra special, as other people had also done World Records, but I eventually just saw it as the norm.
“One thing led to another, whether it be a Metro interview or being at Europe’s largest wrestling convention, where I got on stage and I was the only non-wrestler to speak about my journey.
“All these big things have been surreal, and whether it’s in my workplace or at Parkrun, people make me feel like I’m a celebrity.”
There are over 10 million registered people signed up to Parkrun in 2025, and this weekly platform has been one of the key elements to Matthew’s running success.
As he aims to complete his 400th this year, he feels Parkrun is a crucial part of his life.
“I’d say the biggest thing for me, when I started in 2008, was just getting a free timed run. It allowed me to see how hard I’d trained throughout the week and how I could balance that to get quicker every week.
“It gave me a measuring stick because I wasn’t with a club, so I didn’t know where to start.
“Initially, it was about the open space and the limited number of runners to see how quick I was, and having the weekly routine of running at a particular venue and time, and I improved very much over the first three to four years.
“I want to say thank you to Parkrun and all of the runners.”
Alongside continuing to run, Matthew is now pursuing a career in journalism and believes that both doing sport and talking about it were important for him to get out of his comfort zone.
He started researching other sports like American football and wanted to become comfortable with something he knew nothing about.
“As I am pursuing a career, it was about getting the knowledge of a sport that I didn’t know of and getting into an environment where I’m uncomfortable.
“I could now go into an environment and have a good 15–20-minute chat about the NFL, which, if you’d have asked me about four weeks ago, I would’ve gone quiet within one to two minutes.
“I would say to anyone with autism to just try and get out there and go and do something you are uncomfortable with, because once you’ve passed that hurdle, you’ll find other hurdles easier and thrive in a better way.
“Since my dad passed away, I’ve decided this is what I want to do, and it’s all come together now. I’m the first one in my family to have gone into media, so it’s unknown territory, but anything is possible.”
Matthew is currently doing journalism part-time and has recently been at the national Flag Football Championships, continuing the American football theme but on home soil in the UK.
He believes that having the part-time work helps him, as those with autism can become isolated without a routine. But any workplace can come with challenges such as building friendships, relationships, and boundaries – which have made him appreciate sport even more.
“In the interviews I’ve done, nobody really asks about what it’s like maintaining friendships for an autistic person. It goes under the carpet, and I’ve learned a lot from being at work.
“Especially people with autism, we are known for being quite literal with things. If you ask something, there doesn’t need to be a double meaning to it, and it can be a straight question in its purest sense.
“It’s been the key thing that I’ve struggled with because of other people’s interpretations. But in sport, everyone goes into it with the same mindset, so it’s easier for people on the spectrum to feel comfortable.
“I can be my authentic self at a Parkrun, or at a big event, or at my running club, because it is easier to get along with people as we’re all there for the same reasons.”
