The 1904 Olympic Marathon

The 1904 Olympic Marathon: A Race to Remember (or Forget) Ladies and gentlemen, gather ‘round as we embark on a journey back to the 1904 Olympic Marathon—a race so unforgettable, it’s a wonder it wasn’t sponsored by a circus tent and a side of popcorn. If you thought modern marathons were intense, buckle up, because the 1904 race was a chaotic masterpiece of historical hilarity, where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The Setting: St. Louis, 1904 Welcome to the St. Louis World’s Fair, where the 1904 Olympic Marathon was the main event, and by “main event,” we mean “a test of human endurance in the most bizarre conditions imaginable.” Picture this: a scorching hot day, a race route with more dust than a Victorian-era attic, and athletes who looked like they had stumbled into a carnival sideshow. The marathon course was an Olympic-sized mess. The route was a mere 24.85 miles of uneven terrain, including unpaved roads, steep hills, and a delightful stretch of dusty trails that would have made a desert look like a water park. The runners were probably thinking, “Did we sign up for a marathon or a survival challenge?” The Contenders:  Meet the athletes of the 1904 marathon, a colorful cast of characters who faced more obstacles than a reality TV contestant: Fred Lorz: Our man of the hour who thought a little nap and a ride in a car were just what he needed to win. After being disqualified for cheating, he later claimed he was just “testing out his endurance.” Thomas Hicks: The real winner, who managed to cross the finish line despite the odds. He received some “help” from a little brandy and strychnine, which made his victory a bit of a chemical cocktail. Fritz “The German” Riehle: A competitor who could have used a GPS and a water bottle but instead bravely battled through the marathon with all the grace of a fish on a bicycle. As if the marathon weren’t already a masterpiece of mayhem, let’s talk about the refreshments—or lack thereof. Athletes were greeted with the finest in 1904 hydration technology: a few sips of water and some questionable concoctions. While modern runners enjoy Gatorade and energy gels, these runners made do with whatever was left over from the fair’s concession stands. If that doesn’t scream “peak athlete preparation,” we don’t know what does. When the dust settled (literally and figuratively), the 1904 marathon became a legend, not for its athletic prowess, but for its sheer absurdity. It was a race that had everything: cheating scandals, dubious victories, and a whole lot of laughter from future generations. So there you have it—the 1904 Olympic Marathon, a race so uniquely chaotic that it’s earned a place in the annals of history as a glorious example of what happens when endurance sports meet early 20th-century lunacy. Join us on Lesser Known People as we revisit this marathon of madness and remember why, sometimes, history’s most memorable moments are the ones that make us laugh the hardest.