Shizo Kanakuri

Japanese marathon runner who is called the 'father of the marathon' in Japan.
He holds the guiness book of world records for the slowest ever marathon at an astounding 54 years 8 months 6 days 5 hours 32 minutes 20.3 seconds.

He qualified for the marathon in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, the first Japanese athlete to qualify for an Olympics.
He travelled by ship and then train for 18-days to Stockholm, and was weak from the long journey and couldn't sleep due to the nighttime sun.
The race was held amidst a heat wave, and many dropped out including one runner who subsequently died. After 16 miles he desperately stumbled into a nearby garden party where he drank juice for an hour.
He was so embarassed by his failure that he returned to Japan without notifying anyone.
His name was added to the missing persons list in Sweden and remained there for 50 years.
Kanakuri in the meantime ran in the 1920 Olympics, finishing 16th.
A Swedish journalist found him in 1967 and he was invited to complete the marathon. He arrived in Sweden in 1967 and proceeded to warm up immediately after jumping off the plane, and completed his marathon with his official time of 54 years 8 months 6 days 5 hours 32 minutes 20.3 seconds.
He commented, "It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren."
He also retuned to the garden house where he had gulped juice and met the son of his original hosts, drinking more juice. Bengt Petre said that one his families most treasured heirlooms was the scroll with japanese writing that Kanakuri gave them in thanks, though it turned out to be just a customs form.