Tamara Torlakson, a California mom, is being hailed online for her determination after setting a personal record in a marathon despite facing an unusual obstacle. Tamara, only 13 months postpartum, ran through the finish line at the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon in 2018—without stopping—even though she pooped herself mid-race.
How far would you go to achieve your goals? For Tamara, the answer was clear: keep running, no matter what. The marathon, which starts in Ojai and ends on the Ventura Coast, was her chance to beat her previous record. When she felt the need for a bathroom break, Tamara realized stopping would ruin her pace and decided to push through.
“I thought, ‘I don’t know if it’s possible to poop while running, but I’ll try,’” she explained. “I didn’t want one poop to mess it all up.”
With this determination, Tamara managed to keep running despite the discomfort, carrying on for 13 more miles. Her hard work paid off as she completed the marathon in 3 hours and 7 minutes, beating her personal best by 1 minute and 20 seconds.
After crossing the finish line, Tamara quickly grabbed baby wipes from the medical tent and cleaned up in a porta-potty. Reflecting on her achievement, she made it clear that the incident wasn’t as dramatic as it sounded.
“The headline makes it sound like it was a log. It was not!” she clarified in her original post. She added, “This was the first and only time this happened. Let’s keep it that way!”
Tamara’s story quickly went viral, inspiring many with her resilience and dedication. She continues to run and is currently training for a half-marathon.
Despite the unusual circumstances, Tamara’s determination serves as a reminder that pushing through challenges—no matter how unexpected—can lead to incredible results. Her story shows that even under the toughest conditions, persistence can help you reach your goals.
