The Olympic marathon of 1904 is an incredible story filled with wacky characters, cheating, heat and humidity, dust and dirt, and oh yeah, a few actual qualified athletes.
# Stuff You Should Know: The 1904 Olympic Marathon
Join Josh and Chuck as they dive into what's widely considered the most brutal marathon in history—the 1904 Olympic race in St. Louis—and it wasn't even the correct distance! Organized by the controversial James E. Sullivan, this race was a perfect storm of terrible decisions including a scorching afternoon start time in August, a dusty dirt road course, strict dehydration policies, seven massive hills, and only one water station. You'll meet an eclectic cast of runners including Felix Carvajal from Cuba, who napped in an orchard during the race, and Thomas Hicks, a professional clown who won by consuming strychnine, egg whites, and brandy while barely able to see straight. With only 14 of 32 runners finishing—a DNF rate never matched in Olympic history—this episode combines fascinating sports history with the absurdity of early Olympics incompetence.
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