The 1904 Olympic Marathon Was A Complete and Total Disaster
One of the most disastrous athletic events in history was the 1904 Olympic Marathon in St. Louis, Missouri. It was terrible in every way possible. Runners were forced to travel over several hills, on dusty dirt roads, and through crowded traffic. It was also 90 degrees outside, and yet the race organizers insisted that the runners were not allowed to drink water.
Several of the runners collapsed with medical issues. One man was chased by a dog for an entire mile. And one man cheated by getting a ride to the finish line in a car. The man who won the race drank eggs and rat poison before running, because it was considered to be a performance-enhancing tonic.
