In the small Brazilian town of Garrafão do Norte, a man woke up with a hangover and decided to treat it with an 8 km run. Not just any man—31-year-old Isaque dos Santos Pinho, who was living on the streets and happened to be wearing flip-flops.
It was July 27. The town’s race was about to start, and Isaque hadn’t registered, trained, or even planned to be there. When the starting gun fired, he blended into the runners, not really caring about anything other than clearing his head.
Drone footage captured him pushing forward, his cheap sandals slapping the pavement, his pace fueled not so much by preparation as by pure stubbornness and the urge to sweat out the toxins.
“I had been drinking, and when I saw that crowd, I thought: I’m going to run to get over my hangover,” he told reporters.
Homeless Flip-Flop-Wearing Man Runs 8 km Race to Cure His Hangover
Against every expectation, he stumbled across the finish line, sandals barely hanging on. The medal might have been meant for someone else, but he left with it anyway—plus the bragging rights that would carry farther than any official race results.
Within days, the video went viral, earning him the nickname “Isaque the Runner” and catching the attention of news outlets across Brazil.
Isaque’s backstory only made the moment even more touching. Born in Capitão Poço and raised by a single mother, he grew up in poverty and fell into alcoholism. Eventually, he became homeless in Garrafão do Norte. But his unplanned race changed his life entirely.
Locals donated running shoes, sports glasses, and training clothes. Professional runners invited him to join them. The municipal government offered him entry to future events. Activists found him housing and began raising funds to build him a permanent home.
“I stopped drinking because I ran that race. I changed my life, and I want to change it even more. I’m getting a lot of advice, and I’ll never give up,” he said.
Now, residents spot him training regularly, no longer in flip-flops but in proper running shoes. One impulsive decision, made with a pounding head, has given him not just a medal but a second chance. And while most hangovers fade by nightfall, his cure might last a lifetime.
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