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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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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.

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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