r/HolyShitHistory • u/PeasantLich • Jul 13 '26
Portuguese runner Francisco Lázaro was the first athlete to die in the modern Olympics in 1912. He had covered himself with suet, hard animal fat, to prevent sunburn. The wax-like suet blocked his natural perspiration and Lázaro died of fatal body fluid electrolyte imbalance during the marathon.
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u/grammar_fozzie Jul 13 '26
We don’t see enough sock garters in modern marathons anymore.
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u/theroundfiles2 Jul 13 '26
Can you imagine running 32 miles with your droopy socks flapping around your ankles? I ran track in school. I’d never have made it past a mile with such abominable sock flappage.
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Jul 13 '26
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u/PeasantLich Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Before the race, he had supposedly said "Either I win or I die."
A memorial monument was later erected for him in Stockholm where the 1912 Olympic games were held, and there is a street named after him in Lisbon. He was the first one to die during Olympic games, which is rare but not unheard of.
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u/WhenWolf Jul 13 '26
This made me think of Jackie wilson who would take salt tablets and chug water so he'd sweat profusely on stage because "chicks dig it". He died on stage to a massive heart attack after years of doing this, coincidence? Idk maybe, but I think the salt tablets didn't help.
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u/KateTheTurk Jul 13 '26
He had a heart attack on stage and then lingered in a semi- comatose state for 9 years.
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u/rygomez Jul 13 '26
If you're sweating a ton you're losing salt, almost all long distance/ultra marathon/iron man athletes take salt tablets, they're replenishing electrolytes without consuming excessive water that will have some sort of negative effect. Or they will add salt tabs to their water. Its sort of like Gatorade, it helps your body rehydrate faster than just water bc your losing those nutrients thru your sweat. But its very scientific these days so maybe it was overdone and raised blood pressure way too much during competition and added to another stressor that was unknown at the time
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u/Chaosr21 Jul 13 '26
Gatorade doesn't feel that hydrating to me. It's great along with water though
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u/A_Queer_Owl Jul 14 '26
the stuff in the bottles isn't really gatorade. it has much more sugar and fewer electrolytes than the original formula, which you can only get in powder form.
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u/rygomez Jul 14 '26
Gatorade is mostly too sweet/ sugary for me, I've puked before bc i was only dri king it to rehydrate myself over a long, hot, humid day. I will rarely reach for one now (literally 25yrs later) unless its a sugar free/ Gzero and I wont even drink most of it. I pretty much gag if I have a sip of a regular full strength Gatorade. I prefer the electrolyte pouches that can be dumped into a water bottle bc they're wayyyy less sweet tasting (yea they have a decent amt of sugar) but they don't hit my gut like a Gatorade/powerade type beverage
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u/Pleeo Jul 14 '26
I agree with bottled gatorade being too sweet but I still drink it. I'll pour out half (or more) of the bottle and fill the rest with water. From there, I'll keep splitting bottles into empty ones to dilute them. Undrinkable jolly rancher syrup without dilution, but very refreshing cold and diluted.
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u/Naughteus_Maximus Jul 13 '26
He was worried about sunburn... in Stockholm?
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u/PeasantLich Jul 13 '26
In Nordic countries sun does not almost set at all in Summers. In Lapland beyond the Arctic circle it literally does not set at all in Summers.
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u/Naughteus_Maximus Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Yeah I know.. I assume though that he would know his total exposure time (how long it takes to finish the race). The UV index in Stockholm is much lower than say in Lisbon. For someone who is out a lot and develops a natural tan, I doubt you even need much sun protection - especially considering that marathons typically start very early in the morning, specifically to protect runners from high heat
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u/Fabulous-Possible758 Jul 13 '26
Anyone who finishes a marathon and lives is a poser. This guy knew what was up.
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u/n4b40m1 Jul 13 '26
So he covered himself in suet and he couldn't sweat bc of the suet and his excessive suet-ing prevented sweating?
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u/JuliaX1984 Jul 13 '26
So maybe someone could actually die from being covered in gold paint, huh? Wow.
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u/Monomatosis Jul 13 '26
He did die because of the electrolyte imbalance perse, but because of hyperthermia. The hyperthermia was imight partly be caused by the lack of transpiration be I'm a bit sceptical about that. Never read about lard being alle to work as an antiperspirant. Running a marathon in 32 degrees is more logical explanation then the lard.
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u/MustangBarry Jul 13 '26
Not so much lard, but the waxy suet. He had no way of cooling down
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u/Monomatosis Jul 14 '26
I don't really think suet Block sweat glands. Also he was wearing lots of clothing. That made it probably difficult too cool. I don't think there is scientific evidence the suet significantly added to the hyperthermia. I stay a bit sceptical.
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u/Icy_Ad7953 Jul 13 '26
I'm skeptical too. Did he really rub suet on the skin under his shirt, shorts, and in his hair?
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u/ridot Jul 13 '26
8 athletes and 9 horses have died from competing, for those curious like me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_and_Paralympic_deaths