1904 Olympic marathoners were given brandy and strychnine as fuel. One runner nearly died from consuming rat poison. Another was chased by wild dogs for 2 miles. The winner had hitchhiked half the race in a car.
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Dark HistoryFeb 04, 2026
During the 1904 Olympics, marathon runners were given brandy and strychnine as performance enhancers, and one athlete nearly died from rat poison.
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