The Strangest Olympic Marathon: St. Louis, 1904

Strange History · September 29, 2026

The marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis is often called one of the strangest races in Olympic history. Nearly everything that could go wrong did.

The setup

The course ran about 24.85 miles (40 km) on dusty roads in temperatures around 90°F. There was almost no water. Runners were allowed one stop, a well at about mile 12. Thirty-two men started the race, and only fourteen finished.

The car ride

Fred Lorz, an American runner, cramped up around mile nine. He hopped in a car and rode for roughly eleven miles, waving at spectators. When the car broke down, he started running again and entered the stadium first. The crowd cheered.

Then people found out. Lorz said it was a joke. He was banned for life, though the ban was lifted, and he won the Boston Marathon the next year.

The nap

Félix Carvajal, of Cuba, ran in street shoes and street clothes. Sources differ on the details, but he ate some apples along the way, felt sick, and lay down for a nap. He still finished fourth.

The winner

Thomas Hicks of the United States was the first to finish legitimately, in about 3 hours and 29 minutes. In the late stages his trainers gave him doses of strychnine mixed with egg whites, and brandy. Strychnine is a strong poison, used mainly to kill rats. In small doses it was widely used as a stimulant at the time. It was not safe then and it is not safe now, and Hicks needed help to get across the line.

Why it matters

The 1904 race is remembered as a reminder of how little was known then about heat and hydration. Please do not try any of this at home.

Sources