A Boston marathon runner was apparently caught pooping on a stranger's lawn in a deeply unfortunate

An unidentified Boston Marathon runner appears to have been caught pooping on a stranger's lawn during the race in a doorbell video dated April 17. In it, the runner squats down in the corner of the yard as runners race by on the street and bystanders cheer. At one point, a man walked into the

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  • An unidentified Boston marathon runner was caught pooping on a stranger's lawn in a doorbell video.
  • The grainy footage, initially posted to the Boston subreddit, made the rounds online. 
  • Some defended the runner's supposed desperation, and others — like the homeowner — were horrified.

An unidentified Boston Marathon runner appears to have been caught pooping on a stranger's lawn during the race in a doorbell video dated April 17.

In it, the runner squats down in the corner of the yard as runners race by on the street and bystanders cheer. At one point, a man walked into the yard mid-poop and appeared to have an awkward exchange with the squatting runner. After a time, the runner stands up, pulls up their shorts, and walks back through the trees to rejoin the race.

The video, originally posted to a Boston subreddit by someone who described themself as the home owner, has since been removed by moderators but was reuploaded to Twitter. It's since been viewed more than 275,700 times on the platform. 

—Babz (@BabzOnTheMic) April 17, 2023

Some commenters came to the runner's defense, saying "all the nerves and caffeine" and pre-workout drinks had probably kicked in: "He's human after all."

Others noted that with runner's diarrhea, a frequent and well-documented side-effect related to long-distance running, "there is no holding it til the next Porta Potty." 

The most generous commenters also noted that a "garden hose will make quick work" of the mess and awarded some bonus points for its ability to "fertilize your lawn at the same time." 

Dissenters felt more simplistically about the situation, writing: "Jail." 

The original poster, however, did not appear sympathetic in any online exchanges. "I have no idea how it can be defended lol," they wrote on the Boston subreddit. "I will be filing a report with the BAA," referring to the Boston Athletic Association. Insider has reached out to the Reddit user for further comment.

A drama subreddit began collecting the best exchanges in the debate over whether or not it is defensible to poop on a stranger's lawn during a race. There, a user who said they used to live along the marathon route in Natick, Massachusetts, had experienced similar horrors.

"We were basically the first house with tree cover and a backyard," the poster wrote. "So we had a lot of runners (and a couple non-runners) take the opportunity to shit in our yard."

In order to alleviate errant peeing and pooping, marathon organizers have added additional toilets along the race route, placing them at every water and medical station and sporadically along the course. Organizers have implored runners to use said bathrooms and to "respect the communities through which the Boston Marathon runs."

On April 17, more than 30,000 people ran the Boston Marathon — one of the most prestigious races in the world. This year, the fastest participants were Evan Chebet (2:05:54) and Hellen Obiri (2:21:38), both from Kenya. Chebet, who recently won the New York City marathon in November 2022, achieved the third-fastest time in the course's history.

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