Alberto Salazar won the first marathon he entered. He was twenty-two. In 1980, he won the New York City Marathon and went on to win it again in 1981, finishing with a time of 2:08:13 and setting a new course record. The following spring, at the Boston Marathon, he outsprinted Dick Beardsley by two seconds in one of the most exciting distance races in American history — the “duel in the sun.”

Under glaring sun and 70-degree temperatures, the two men were neck and neck for the entire 26.2 miles. Despite the heat, Salazar never drank water, fearing the extra weight would slow him down. After crossing the finish line, he collapsed. Salazar would never race the same again[…]

Source: Research shows we’re stronger than we think, especially as we age – ScienceBlog.com