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Compensating for loss: running on one tibialis anterior. Rupture of the tibialis anterior (TA) tendon is rare and may be either traumatic or spontaneous. TA is the main ankle dorsiflexor, providing 80% of the power, as well as contributing to inversion of the foot. We describe a case of an 84-year-old male who was incidentally diagnosed with absence of his left TA at age 46 while preparing for his first-ever marathon. There was no history of specific injury to this tendon. He subsequently went on to lead an active sporting life, completing over 20 marathons with a best time of 3 hours 12 min.