From battling in the Death Valley to finishing second at the Ultraman World Championship, David Goggins is the epitome of ultramarathoning, but even Goggins once failed to keep up with a Japanese woman marathoner.

At the 2005 24-hour ultramarathon in San Diego, Goggins looked strong, but not strong enough to match 5’1” Japanese ultramarathoner Sumie Inagaki's vitality. She dominated the race, running 137 miles and outdistancing the former Navy SEAL by 36 miles, as Goggins finished with 101.

Inagaki finished in 4th place in the marathon, while Goggins was outside the top 10, finishing 37th. After the race, the 51-year-old also appreciated Inagaki’s mental resilience.

Goggins qualified for the event after finishing fifth at the Badwater Ultramarathon, covering 135 miles in 24 hours and 56 minutes. The San Diego race was only the second ultramarathon of his life.

Well, Inagaki's triumph over Goggins wasn't a fluke in any way. Her running resume speaks nothing but excellence.

More About the Woman Who Defeated David Goggins

Besides outrunning Goggins, Ingaki has put up several stellar performances in noted marathons around the world. Back in 2011, she set the women’s indoor world record for the 24-hour run with 149.521 miles (240.631 km) in Espoo, Finland.

Two years later, she set another record at the 48-hour track with an amazing 246.748 miles (397.103 km) in Surgères, France. But that’s not all. Here are some of her other noteworthy victories:

• Two-time IAU 24-Hour Run World Champion (2004, 2006)
• Two-time Spartathlon winner (2006, 2009)
• Back-to-back Badwater Ultramarathon champion (2011, 2012)

However, Ingaki is 59 now and has long stopped marathoning. She currently works as a yoga teacher in her native land.

So, what lesson are you going to take from this story, now that you know that even Goggins has endured a defeat in the field where he looks unbeatable?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Souvik Roy