Oconomowoc man's marathon TikToks go viral; encourages others to have fun

An Oconomowoc man is running what he calls "Wisconsin marathons." But there's a key part of his motivation he had not shared until now.

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - An Oconomowoc man says he’s getting stopped in the street as people are recognizing him from his viral TikToks.

He’s running what he calls "Wisconsin marathons." But there's a key part of his motivation he had not shared until now.

Wisconsin-themed run

What we know:

When he joined TikTok three weeks ago, runner Clayton Ljungberg’s goal was to have people take ultramarathon running less seriously.

Clayton Ljungberg

"I loved the absurdity – it was just a personal challenge," Ljungberg said.

He started with a grueling 31-mile run around an Oconomowoc roundabout.

More than a quarter of a million views later, Ljungberg had another idea.

There’s a nearly 27-mile run between five different Culver’s, and another between Lake County Kwik Trips.

The theme evolved into all things Wisconsin.

Clayton Ljungberg

"I’m definitely leaning into my Midwest tendencies here, yeah," he said. "It’s on brand that I’d be doing a challenge in the rain."

Dig deeper:

Ljungberg knows more than most that, just like Wisconsin weather, life can change in unexpected ways.

"I did suffer two major injuries and health scares that kind of make me thankful for my ability to run," he said.

What he hasn’t shared in his videos is that he once couldn’t even walk.

Clayton Ljungberg

In 2018, Ljungberg spent a month in a wheelchair and six months in physical therapy after dehydration led to a brainstem injury.

"Every new movement was a milestone at the time. I just kinda latched onto that," he said.

Then, in 2024, severe pain led doctors to discover Ljungberg would eventually need a hip replacement.

"There will be a full collapse anywhere in the next 10 years," Ljungberg said.

Behind the laughs of a brew and brat run is a man hoping to inspire others to not look back. That is, after all, the state motto: Forward.

"Don’t beat yourself up," he said. "Don’t take yourself too seriously along the way, just have fun with it."

What you can do:

He plans to run a new marathon every week.

You can follow Ljungberg on TikTok at @Fffwisco – it stands for "far-fetched fitness."

The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.