The Marathon Race That Took Over 54 Years

 

Have you heard of Shizo Kanakuri?  Before this summer's Olympic Games I hadn't either.  I read he is known as the father of Japanese marathon running. 

He was a native of Kumamoto Prefecture, and in November 1911 was selected as one of the only two athletes that Japan could afford to send to the 1912 Stockholm Olympics the next summer. Kanakuri had a difficult 18 day trip, by ship and train, to Stockholm. The race was held in Sollentuna Municipality in Sweden.  Unexpectedly it was 25C (77F) that day and many of the runners suffered from hyperthermia. Kanakuri who was still weak from his long trip from Japan and having problems with the local food and the heat the day of the race, lost consciousness in the middle of the race.  A local farming family took care of him.  Because he was embarrassed at not finishing, he returned to Japan without telling anyone!  

The Swedish authorities considered him missing for 50 years, when finally they found out he was living in Japan and had even competed in other Olympic marathons. In 1967, Swedish Television contacted him and asked him to return to Sweden to complete his race, which he did.  He completed the marathon race in 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds. After his finish, he said, "It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and ten grandchildren." 

Kanakuri was chosen to run in the 1916 Olympics, which were later cancelled due to World War I. He did compete in the marathon in the 1920 Olympics in Belgium where he finished 16th with a time of two hours, 48 minutes, and 45.4 seconds. He also participated in the 1924 Olympics but was not able to finish the race. 

In Japan he is known for his role in starting the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon in 1920.  Starting in 2004, the top prize in this race was named after him. He died on November 13, 1983, at the age of 92 in his hometown of Tamana in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.