A logo for survivor marquesas, with an island and tiki mask.

Survivor Marquesas: Season IV

Always the competitor, Tamara is constantly pushing her body and mind. Whether in sports, a board game or Survivor.

Athletics have always been a part of her life. She grew up with a skateboard at her feet and a basketball in her hands. But it was soccer that won her over at a young age. She also spent years competing at track meets and on the tennis court. She was never the best athlete on the team. But she knew how to find her opponent’s weakness and adapt.

To her, sports has always been as much mental as physical.

And Survivor had both mental and physical aspects to it. That’s what was so appealing to Tamara. When she was cast on the fourth season of the reality show – this one set in the Marquesas – she knew that her athleticism would be her secret weapon.

Her physical strength helped her to win three individual immunity challenges in a row. And the ability to read her fellow contestants and adapt, kept her in the game for 30 days.

A woman in black top and silver shorts.
A woman standing on top of a wooden pole.
A man and woman standing next to each other.

Shortly after Survivor, Tamara’s brother Bill encouraged her to take up triathlons – and after placing in her age group in that first race (on a mountain bike) she was hooked.

It became a family affair. Tamara and Bill’s parents competed in their first triathlon at the ages of 64 and 66. The family traveled to races together to support each other, while Tamara raced for Power Bar Team Elite.

For Tamara, it was always about pushing her body and mind harder and farther. That’s why she tackled Ironman.

An IRONMAN is a single-day race covering a total of 140.6 miles. It starts with a 2.4-mile swim, then a 112-mile bike ride, and finally you run a full a marathon (26.2 miles). The entire race is about adapting – both to how your body and mind feels at any certain moment.

Tamara crossed the finish line of IRONMAN Arizona with her brother Bill.