An extreme runner known as the ‘Polish Forrest Gump’ said he felt like he’d been hit by a tank after running the equivalent of 125 marathons across the U.S. in just 139 days.
Tomasz Sobania completed his incredible 5,250 km feat after setting off from New York’s Central Park on September 15, passing through major cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago before tackling the entire length of Route 66.
He crossed the finish line in San Diego late Sunday night (CET).
Exhausted but elated, the 25-year-old told the Polish Press Agency: “I feel like a tank ran over my body and mind.
“I am an example of someone who, coming from a small town with virtually no opportunities at the start but with big dreams, was able to achieve what seemed impossible. (...) I want my run to inspire others to act.”
He added that the challenge had pushed him to his physical and mental limits, admitting: “I was also helped by the feeling that I had no other choice and that if I went home now, I would always regret having given up on the run.
“I ran to inspire people, showing them that everyone can do more than they expect.”
During the journey, Sobania took part in several charity events, including fundraising for a Polish family that lost their home in January’s devastating Los Angeles fires.
Throughout the entire experience, Sobania slept between 9–10 hours per night, having only about 12 hours to recover between daily marathon-length runs.
He crossed the finish line in San Diego late Sunday night (CET).
Exhausted but elated, the 25-year-old told the Polish Press Agency: “I feel like a tank ran over my body and mind.
“I am an example of someone who, coming from a small town with virtually no opportunities at the start but with big dreams, was able to achieve what seemed impossible. (...) I want my run to inspire others to act.”
He added that the challenge had pushed him to his physical and mental limits, admitting: “I was also helped by the feeling that I had no other choice and that if I went home now, I would always regret having given up on the run.
“I ran to inspire people, showing them that everyone can do more than they expect.”
During the journey, Sobania took part in several charity events, including fundraising for a Polish family that lost their home in January’s devastating Los Angeles fires.
Throughout the entire experience, Sobania slept between 9–10 hours per night, having only about 12 hours to recover between daily marathon-length runs.
He went through 30 pairs of running shoes and took just one full rest day in Chicago after completing 36 consecutive marathons.
This latest achievement adds to Sobania’s already impressive history of ultra-distance running challenges.
In June 2023, he completed a 3,600 km run from Chorzów, Poland, to the Greek town of Marathon and back, covering a marathon daily across seven countries.
In November 2022, he ran for 60 days from Poland’s Piast Gliwice football stadium to Barcelona’s Camp Nou, where he met with Polish football star Robert Lewandowski.
A year earlier, he ran from Poland to Rome, raising 50,000 złoty for a young girl battling cancer and even meeting the Pope at the Vatican.
A history of extreme running
This latest achievement adds to Sobania’s already impressive history of ultra-distance running challenges.
In June 2023, he completed a 3,600 km run from Chorzów, Poland, to the Greek town of Marathon and back, covering a marathon daily across seven countries.
In November 2022, he ran for 60 days from Poland’s Piast Gliwice football stadium to Barcelona’s Camp Nou, where he met with Polish football star Robert Lewandowski.
A year earlier, he ran from Poland to Rome, raising 50,000 złoty for a young girl battling cancer and even meeting the Pope at the Vatican.
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