The 1904 World's Fair Marathon Was a Disaster - Apparently.
The 1904 World's Fair Marathon in St. Louis, Missouri, was a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) run that took place on July 1, 1904. However, due to a series of mishaps, the actual distance covered by the runners was only 25 miles (40.2 km), and the event was plagued by extreme heat, dehydration, and exhaustion. Of the 32 starters, only 21 finished the "marathon", and one runner died shortly after finishing.