On this episode of Our American Stories, the 1904 Summer Olympics marathon in St. Louis looked nothing like the race we know today. Runners competed through brutal heat on dusty roads while cars drove alongside them, kicking dirt into the air. Water stations were scarce because many officials believed drinking water during a race was dangerous. One runner hitched a ride in a car. Another survived on raw eggs, brandy, and rat poison used as a stimulant. Susan Brownell, author of The Anthropology of Sport, shares the story of the disastrous and bizarre 1904 Olympic marathon.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)