"Ran to Sober Up, Ended Up Changing His Life"... Brazilian Homeless Man Runs 8km in Slippers

After Going Viral on Social Media, Follower Count Surpasses 200,000
"I Will Quit Drinking and Prepare for a New Life"

"Completing the marathon changed my life, and I want to change it even more."

A homeless man in Brazil, who entered a marathon while intoxicated, experienced an unexpected turnaround in his life.

"To sober up"... Brazilian homeless man completes marathon in slippers while drunk

Isac Pineau running at the front of the marathon race wearing only slippers. Photo by Daily Mail

According to the UK Daily Mail on August 6, Isac Pineau, a 31-year-old who was homeless, happened to witness a marathon being held in his village on July 27. At the time, he was drunk and wearing slippers instead of sneakers. However, he stood at the starting line simply because he "wanted to sober up."

Video footage from the race shows Pineau, wearing slippers, briefly running among the leaders as he overtakes other runners. Although he was not officially registered for the event and thus did not receive an official record, he completed the entire 8-kilometer course and was awarded a commemorative medal by the organizers.

According to local media, Pineau was born into a poor family and did not finish middle school. In recent years, he struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and lived on the streets. There were times when he searched for food in trash bins because he could not bear the hunger. He reportedly had never run before the day of the race.

"The marathon changed my life... I will never give up"

The video of Pineau's race and his story quickly spread across local online communities and social networking services (SNS), making him famous overnight. He opened an Instagram account immediately after completing the race, and within just a few days, his follower count surpassed 200,000. Amid encouragement and support from netizens, Pineau declared that he would quit drinking and start a new life. He said, "The reason I quit drinking is because I participated in that race."

The local community also responded. Residents who heard Pineau's story raised funds to provide him with temporary housing, and there are plans to help him find a job. Pineau's past, marked by alcoholism and homelessness, has entered a new phase thanks to this event. He stated, "My life has changed, and I want to change it even more," adding, "I will never give up and I want to continue exercising."