Toronto woman overcomes MS to train for her first marathon

When Toronto’s Tata Shifrin toes the line at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 19, she’ll be running for far more than just a finisher’s medal. For the 42-year-old single mother, the race marks a major milestone in a decade-long fight after being told she might never run again.

In 2014, just three months after giving birth to her youngest son, Shifrin began experiencing abnormal symptoms while driving between work meetings. “My feet were constantly numb,” she recalls.

What she thought was a rough patch in postpartum recovery turned out to be something far more serious: multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease affecting the brain and spinal cord. 

She remembers the prognosis being grim. “The doctor told me I’d need a cane or a wheelchair within five years,” says Shifrin. “I remember so many thoughts hitting me at once. But somehow, I’ve managed to break all the odds.”

This October, she’ll fulfill a long-standing promise she made with her late grandmother: to run a marathon at 42. “My mom is keeping me accountable and is coming from Russia to cheer me on,” Shifrin says.

She’ll be running as part of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s women’s training program, which supports more than 2,400 female runners of all levels. The program is designed to make running more inclusive and accessible, offering women tools to train with confidence and purpose. “As a single parent, I needed structure,” says Shifrin. “This program allows me to map out my weeks and actually see the path to the start line.”

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Even though she knows it’s cliché, she credits running with saving her life. “It gave me my health back, helped me see what wasn’t working, and made me a stronger role model for my kids,” says Shifrin. “Even my mom has started taking better care of herself after watching me fight and reverse the effects of MS.”

Shifrin ran her first half-marathon in Toronto in 2022, an experience that made her feel a sense of belonging in the sport. “I remember how crossing that finish line felt so real—I was proud of myself, and the community welcomed me and showed me what accountability and support really mean.”

She says her training hasn’t been a solitary effort. Her local running group, Run The Beaches, has kept her motivated. “I know there will be a moment in the race where I question why I’m doing this, but I’m planning to put my family on Queen Street East,” she says. “Just seeing them will give me strength when I need it most.”

As race day approaches, Shifrin knows there will be overwhelming emotions that may come with it. “Running brought me back to myself,” she says. “And I can’t express how grateful I am to get a second chance.”