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Today We Die A Little
The definitive biography of one of the greatest, most extraordinary runners and Olympic heroes of all time, from the author of running classic Feet in the Clouds.
On the track, his running made him a legend; off it, his charisma and humanity made him a hero. No runner has generated myth like Emil Zátopek, the Czechoslovakian soldier who revolutionised distance running after World War II. The minutiae of his victories and training methods, the poignant details of his generosity and downfall – all have been endlessly repeated and reinvented, but the full truth never told.
Zátopek won five Olympic medals, set 18 world records, and went undefeated over 10,000 metres for six years. He redefined the boundaries of endurance, training in Army boots, in snow, in sand, in darkness. But his toughness was matched by a spirit of friendship and a joie de vivre that transcended the darkest days of the Cold War.
His triumphs put his country on the map, yet when Soviet tanks moved in to crush Czechoslovakia’s new freedoms in 1968, Zátopek paid a heavy price for his brave stance as a champion of ‘socialism with a human face’. Expelled from the Army, he was condemned to years of degrading manual labour, far from his home and his adored wife. Rehabilitated two decades later, he was a shadow of the man he had been – and the world had all but forgotten him.
Based on extensive research in the Czech Republic and with unparalleled access to Zátopek's family and friends, particularly his widow, fellow Olympian Dana Zátopková, Today We Die A Little evokes not just an extraordinary man but a glorious age of athletics and a dramatic period in European history. It strips away the myths to tell the complex and deeply moving story of the most inspiring Olympic hero of them all.
On the track, his running made him a legend; off it, his charisma and humanity made him a hero. No runner has generated myth like Emil Zátopek, the Czechoslovakian soldier who revolutionised distance running after World War II. The minutiae of his victories and training methods, the poignant details of his generosity and downfall – all have been endlessly repeated and reinvented, but the full truth never told.
Zátopek won five Olympic medals, set 18 world records, and went undefeated over 10,000 metres for six years. He redefined the boundaries of endurance, training in Army boots, in snow, in sand, in darkness. But his toughness was matched by a spirit of friendship and a joie de vivre that transcended the darkest days of the Cold War.
His triumphs put his country on the map, yet when Soviet tanks moved in to crush Czechoslovakia’s new freedoms in 1968, Zátopek paid a heavy price for his brave stance as a champion of ‘socialism with a human face’. Expelled from the Army, he was condemned to years of degrading manual labour, far from his home and his adored wife. Rehabilitated two decades later, he was a shadow of the man he had been – and the world had all but forgotten him.
Based on extensive research in the Czech Republic and with unparalleled access to Zátopek's family and friends, particularly his widow, fellow Olympian Dana Zátopková, Today We Die A Little evokes not just an extraordinary man but a glorious age of athletics and a dramatic period in European history. It strips away the myths to tell the complex and deeply moving story of the most inspiring Olympic hero of them all.
480 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2017
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August 7, 2017
As a runner myself, I often look for sources of inspiration. Training is rewarding, but every so often a day comes along when I question whether it is all worth it or not. Zatopek proves that is, indeed, all worth it. He put copious amounts of effort into his training, and the number of races he won over his career as a professional athlete clearly shows the results of it.
His training regimen is insanely intense by today's standards, and by the standards of his own era it was even more so. He essentially devised his own form of interval training, increasing its intensity until the level reached awe-inspiring amounts of exertion. What Askwith captures here, with his biography of the legendary runner, is the sheer level of determination and single-mindedness Zatopek possessed. Illness got in the way of his preparation on several occasions, but he never gave up; he did some astonishing things to ensure he got fitter, and fitter.
For example, when he couldn't go outside to run due to bad weather he would simply run on the spot for extended periods of time. He would even do it whilst on guard duty during his time in the military. He was driven by a desire for self-improvement. However, he was also an excellent sportsman. The biography also considers his attitude to other competitors, the respect and encouragement he always gave to them. Despite all his accomplishments, Zatopek never stooped to arrogance. He was calm and he was focused; he was a legendary joker and was renowned for being able to find fun in any situation. He captivated the world when he ran in the Olympics, and his legacy still lingers on today.
Such things, though, are widely known about Zatopek. The true success of Akswith's writing is his ability to get really close to the man. He travelled to the locations where the runner trained, jogged and belted his heart out on the track. The writing brings these sessions to life. The races as told here were energetic and intense even when I knew the endings. They are the words of a runner admiring an extraordinary athlete in the sport. He retells how Zatopek met his wife Dana, and considers how Zatopek's gold medal glory pushed her to reach for the same. His passion for Zatopek and running gives the book an added edge.
The biography goes beyond Zatopek's glory days; the days when he was at his peak, winning three gold medals in one set of Olympic Games, and considers the trials he went through in order to succeed. Indeed, Askwith considers how he got there and what he had to deal with at the time. His life was a constant struggle, but his spirit never faltered even when he was disgraced from his post in the military over political disagreement. He had a lot of pressure on him from his nation of Czechoslovakia; he was their poster boy: their inspiration. He did his utmost best never to let them down. But as Askwith noted, the main person he ran for was himself. He always wanted to do better.
-I received an advanced reading copy of this book from The Bookbag in exchange for an honest review, originally posted here.
His training regimen is insanely intense by today's standards, and by the standards of his own era it was even more so. He essentially devised his own form of interval training, increasing its intensity until the level reached awe-inspiring amounts of exertion. What Askwith captures here, with his biography of the legendary runner, is the sheer level of determination and single-mindedness Zatopek possessed. Illness got in the way of his preparation on several occasions, but he never gave up; he did some astonishing things to ensure he got fitter, and fitter.
For example, when he couldn't go outside to run due to bad weather he would simply run on the spot for extended periods of time. He would even do it whilst on guard duty during his time in the military. He was driven by a desire for self-improvement. However, he was also an excellent sportsman. The biography also considers his attitude to other competitors, the respect and encouragement he always gave to them. Despite all his accomplishments, Zatopek never stooped to arrogance. He was calm and he was focused; he was a legendary joker and was renowned for being able to find fun in any situation. He captivated the world when he ran in the Olympics, and his legacy still lingers on today.
Such things, though, are widely known about Zatopek. The true success of Akswith's writing is his ability to get really close to the man. He travelled to the locations where the runner trained, jogged and belted his heart out on the track. The writing brings these sessions to life. The races as told here were energetic and intense even when I knew the endings. They are the words of a runner admiring an extraordinary athlete in the sport. He retells how Zatopek met his wife Dana, and considers how Zatopek's gold medal glory pushed her to reach for the same. His passion for Zatopek and running gives the book an added edge.
The biography goes beyond Zatopek's glory days; the days when he was at his peak, winning three gold medals in one set of Olympic Games, and considers the trials he went through in order to succeed. Indeed, Askwith considers how he got there and what he had to deal with at the time. His life was a constant struggle, but his spirit never faltered even when he was disgraced from his post in the military over political disagreement. He had a lot of pressure on him from his nation of Czechoslovakia; he was their poster boy: their inspiration. He did his utmost best never to let them down. But as Askwith noted, the main person he ran for was himself. He always wanted to do better.
-I received an advanced reading copy of this book from The Bookbag in exchange for an honest review, originally posted here.
December 7, 2025
Днес почти никой от света извън леката атлетика не помни и не знае, кой е бил Емил Затопек.
За първи път аз научих за него от разказа на ненадминатото ни спортно перо Иво Иванов, долетял до нас от далечен Канзас:
https://offnews.bg/nashite-avtori/zas...
Когато издателство "Вакон" издаде биографията му на български, вече знаех че ще заеме мястото си в библиотеката ми.
В нея се описва животът на един обикновен човек, призван от магията на спорта да извърши чутовни подвизи.
Книгата е увлекателно и подробно написана, без да спестява нищо - великият атлет и другар на световните спортисти преживява освен славата и своята житейска голгота, от осанна до разпни го! И само хората, непознали уродливостта на комунизма биха се подвели да го съдят.
Авторът дотолкова добре описва важните състезания в кариерата на Емил, че и аз мисленно се пренасях там. И получих частичка от усещането, какво е 70 000 човека изправени на крака да скандират името ти преди финала на надпреварата!
За-то-пек! За-то-пек! За-то-пек!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqozV...
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May 28, 2024On the whole, I’m not really a fan of sporting biographies. The modern ones tend to be quite dry and what these ‘heroes’ have achieved doesn’t always add up to much. But then you’ve got someone like Zátopek. In the 1952 Olympics, he won both the 5000 and 10000 metre races in Olympic record times, then – just in case we weren’t convinced – he asked if he could run in the marathon. It was the first marathon he’d ever run in his life. And he won it. In Olympic record time! He wasn’t much to look at and, when he ran, he had the gait of a clobbering, old carthorse but, my god, he was the best.
For more of my reviews please visit My Unputdownable Articles
For more of my reviews please visit My Unputdownable Articles
August 30, 2021
Vylíčit Emila jako zloducha v tragickém osudu Československa znamená špatně chápat jak jeho, tak i ten tragický osud. Byl obětí: ne bez viny, ale přesto obětí.
Pokud se vydáte po stopách Zátopka, tak máte problém. Je toho přehršel; u nás i ve světě. Jenže většina se dá rozdělit do tří kategorií. Jednak na oslavné, kde je Zátopek nespornou legendou světového olympijského sportu, průkopník drilu a spojující most mezi národy. Takové jsou nejčastější a vlastně i nejvděčnější. Pak je tu svět Zátopka "lidového vypravěče" se všemi těmi (polo)pravdami, mýty a historkami. Snad o žádném jiném sportovci (minimálně našem) neexistuje tolik slovutných a všem známých historek; od darovaných olympijských medailí přes eskapády s manželkou Danou až po "hele, Zátopek". Jsou toho kvanta a jak tomu tak bývá, některé jsou přikrášlené a jiné ne, některé mají reálný základ, ale jiné okolnosti. No a ty nejneuvěřitelnější jsou, světe div se, pravdivé. Pak je tu ještě třetí, ryze "čecháčkovská", kategorie Zátopka udavače, armádního důstojníka, komunisty a aktivního spolupracovníka StB.
Ovšem asi to prostě chtělo až pohled zvenčí, ovšem zároveň pohled, který "nám Čechům" a normalizaci rozumí, pohled někoho, kdo Zátopka obdivuje, ale nezavírá oči před chybami, aby se výše tři uvedené kategorie spojily v knize, která je hlavně a především o člověku. Nikoli piedestalovém Zátopkovi či zavrženíhodném komunistickém udavači, ale prostě o Emilu "Ťopkovi" Zátopkovi. A je to kniha, která není ani o píď méně zajímavá než byl Zátopkův život. Tolik kontroverzních momentů, tolik zápisů do dějin sportu, takové inspirování lidí napříč světadíly, tolik vzletů z nuzných poměrů a o to těžších pádů do zapomnění... To je tak neskonale vděčné, že by byl kumšt to promrhat. A Askwith nepromrhává ani stránku.
Pokud vás tedy zajímá TEN Zátopek či "protože sami běháte, tak proč si nepřečíst o nejlepším běžci své doby", tak možná najdete i lepší zdroje. Pokud váš však zajímá investigativní pohled na Ťopkovy osudy, tak pak jen stěží.
Pokud se vydáte po stopách Zátopka, tak máte problém. Je toho přehršel; u nás i ve světě. Jenže většina se dá rozdělit do tří kategorií. Jednak na oslavné, kde je Zátopek nespornou legendou světového olympijského sportu, průkopník drilu a spojující most mezi národy. Takové jsou nejčastější a vlastně i nejvděčnější. Pak je tu svět Zátopka "lidového vypravěče" se všemi těmi (polo)pravdami, mýty a historkami. Snad o žádném jiném sportovci (minimálně našem) neexistuje tolik slovutných a všem známých historek; od darovaných olympijských medailí přes eskapády s manželkou Danou až po "hele, Zátopek". Jsou toho kvanta a jak tomu tak bývá, některé jsou přikrášlené a jiné ne, některé mají reálný základ, ale jiné okolnosti. No a ty nejneuvěřitelnější jsou, světe div se, pravdivé. Pak je tu ještě třetí, ryze "čecháčkovská", kategorie Zátopka udavače, armádního důstojníka, komunisty a aktivního spolupracovníka StB.
Ovšem asi to prostě chtělo až pohled zvenčí, ovšem zároveň pohled, který "nám Čechům" a normalizaci rozumí, pohled někoho, kdo Zátopka obdivuje, ale nezavírá oči před chybami, aby se výše tři uvedené kategorie spojily v knize, která je hlavně a především o člověku. Nikoli piedestalovém Zátopkovi či zavrženíhodném komunistickém udavači, ale prostě o Emilu "Ťopkovi" Zátopkovi. A je to kniha, která není ani o píď méně zajímavá než byl Zátopkův život. Tolik kontroverzních momentů, tolik zápisů do dějin sportu, takové inspirování lidí napříč světadíly, tolik vzletů z nuzných poměrů a o to těžších pádů do zapomnění... To je tak neskonale vděčné, že by byl kumšt to promrhat. A Askwith nepromrhává ani stránku.
Pokud vás tedy zajímá TEN Zátopek či "protože sami běháte, tak proč si nepřečíst o nejlepším běžci své doby", tak možná najdete i lepší zdroje. Pokud váš však zajímá investigativní pohled na Ťopkovy osudy, tak pak jen stěží.
November 1, 2016
At the October Book Café we were presented with a list of contenders for the William Hill prize for sports writing. Well, yawn, I thought... and then we decided on 'an unfamiliar genre' as our next theme, so I thought maybe a sports biography, the sort of thing people get for Christmas to give men who are difficult to buy for. And there was Zatopek, a name from the past that I remembered as significant (and the book would not be all about running, surely, given the politics of Czechoslovakia). Indeed there were two biographies of him on the shortlist.
I went with Askwith and then remembered that I have read a book about running by him which I very much enjoyed, so I anticipated being in for a decent quality of writing. And I was. It is clear from the book that there are 'positions' on Zatopek, but he sold me effortlessly on his. My lips trembled and my eyes watered on several occasions whilst reading... and not because of slushy sentimental writing. There are very, very few places where that does occur and those do not have the same impact.
I run now but I am really not terribly interested in the business of shaving seconds off times, yet I found myself breathlessly gripped by the race element of the book. I appreciated too the way in which the very complex issue of the political climate and Zapotek's part in it was handled, and that the later years of physical and cognitive decline were not rushed through. I don't know whether there was a whole chunk of story swept under the carpet or unresearched out of sensitivity to Dana, his widow... and because of Askwith's presentation of this as very much a love story about a romantic character. Askwith puts just enough of himself into the book - I thought, feared, that he might say too much about his own running, but he does not. He is clearly inspired by a very human hero, and inspires us too, whether we run or not.
I went with Askwith and then remembered that I have read a book about running by him which I very much enjoyed, so I anticipated being in for a decent quality of writing. And I was. It is clear from the book that there are 'positions' on Zatopek, but he sold me effortlessly on his. My lips trembled and my eyes watered on several occasions whilst reading... and not because of slushy sentimental writing. There are very, very few places where that does occur and those do not have the same impact.
I run now but I am really not terribly interested in the business of shaving seconds off times, yet I found myself breathlessly gripped by the race element of the book. I appreciated too the way in which the very complex issue of the political climate and Zapotek's part in it was handled, and that the later years of physical and cognitive decline were not rushed through. I don't know whether there was a whole chunk of story swept under the carpet or unresearched out of sensitivity to Dana, his widow... and because of Askwith's presentation of this as very much a love story about a romantic character. Askwith puts just enough of himself into the book - I thought, feared, that he might say too much about his own running, but he does not. He is clearly inspired by a very human hero, and inspires us too, whether we run or not.
December 16, 2016
Thank you Richard Askwith! I read the book in two days. Finns chanted him 'Satu Peka' (i.e. Pekka, my first name) transl. Fairy-tale Pete. "His defining characteristic was that 'he tried everything differently'." His was criticized for his running style. "Emil shrugged off such jibes. 'I will run with perfect style when they start judging races for their beauty, like figure-skating'... 'For now, I just want to run as fast as possible'." He was very clever, spoke eight languages, Finnish among others. He liked to talk and make people laugh. He showed moral greatness, just like Muhammad Ali when he "refused to be inducted into the US armed forces". He risked attending Helsinki 1952 olympics defending his teammate Stanislaw Jungwirth. The Party decided that Jungwirth could not travel because his father was a political prisoner. Emil said if Stanislaw is not going, I am not either. Their departure was delayed for three days. When the Warsaw Pact countries started invading Czechoslovakia twenty minutes before midnight on August 20, 1968, Emil joined the protestors and denouched the invasion. He had to pay a heavy prize for that. Emil and his wife Dana were both born on September 19, 1922. They also got married on September 19. Emil won 5000 meters in Helsinki. An hour later Dana won the javelin. Emil had many life long friends in his sport, Alain Mimoun and Ron Clarke among others. Zátopek died on November 22, 2000. "It would have been too much to hope to die on the same day as well." No more spoilers. Read the book!
I met and talked to Zátopek on July 26, 1981. He was invited to give prizes at the awards ceremony for the first Helsinki City Marathon. What a memorable day!
I met and talked to Zátopek on July 26, 1981. He was invited to give prizes at the awards ceremony for the first Helsinki City Marathon. What a memorable day!
February 18, 2021
This biopic has everything: an athlete competing at Olympian level (1948, 1952 and 1956); the backdrop of an emerging bipolar world; the threat and deception of an intrusive state; unadulterated joy. Zatopek’s legend is raised to mythical standards.
Zatopek was a Czechoslovak hero and world-famous athlete in the 1950s. He later became a cult-hero, albeit with wildly varying levels of public appreciation.
Askwith delves deep into the historical context of his era, unveiling the cultural and political significance of his races. The framing of sporting glory within the historical narrative is what makes it so special. I love running, but a book that focused on leg cadence certainly wouldn’t grab my attention.
To be fair, runners who author books provide surprising variety in their writing styles; Murakami contemplative and methodical; Parker Jr. dark and elitist; McNuff joyful and haphazard; McDougall pure breathless enthusiasm. I think Askwith’s Zatopek might just pip them all at the finish line.
One reason it is so life-affirming is the extremely high esteem in which the author holds his subject. Askwith admits that Zatopek is his hero. He travels the world to pick up the pieces of the story, even running a half marathon in Zatopek’s hometown, with the great runner’s thoughts racing through his own head:
There are certainly deep moral questions to be asked of Zatopek. The perfect embodiment of the worker spirit, who’d stop at nothing to triumph for his country; he was showcased worldwide as the communist ideal.
He was a committed socialist in theory, but Askwith reveals the nuances and inconsistencies of the ideology in practice. Zatopek was vehemently anti-Soviet during the Prague Spring in 1968 yet had previously put his name to the shaming of prominent liberals in major newspapers.
Socialism demanded that Zatopek run two races simultaneously: one on the international stage, to the acclaim of the global community, and one through the psyche of the people’s republic, to please the overseers in the mines of Jáchymov.
From a runner’s perspective, the guy was a nutcase. 32km training days of 400m sprint repeats. Day after day after day.
From a human perspective, he had a magnetic personality that allowed him to capture hearts and minds in every corner of the globe.
A remarkable man, and a remarkable book.
Zatopek was a Czechoslovak hero and world-famous athlete in the 1950s. He later became a cult-hero, albeit with wildly varying levels of public appreciation.
Askwith delves deep into the historical context of his era, unveiling the cultural and political significance of his races. The framing of sporting glory within the historical narrative is what makes it so special. I love running, but a book that focused on leg cadence certainly wouldn’t grab my attention.
To be fair, runners who author books provide surprising variety in their writing styles; Murakami contemplative and methodical; Parker Jr. dark and elitist; McNuff joyful and haphazard; McDougall pure breathless enthusiasm. I think Askwith’s Zatopek might just pip them all at the finish line.
One reason it is so life-affirming is the extremely high esteem in which the author holds his subject. Askwith admits that Zatopek is his hero. He travels the world to pick up the pieces of the story, even running a half marathon in Zatopek’s hometown, with the great runner’s thoughts racing through his own head:
‘Pain is merciful’I’ve rarely seen such an exhaustive examination of a person’s morality. As if bent by a desire to reveal Zatopek’s innermost thoughts, Askwith queries Zatopek’s major life decisions with a Sherlockian lens, desperate to ascertain whether he acted in good faith.
‘Am I tired? That doesn’t matter’
‘When you can’t keep going, go faster’
There are certainly deep moral questions to be asked of Zatopek. The perfect embodiment of the worker spirit, who’d stop at nothing to triumph for his country; he was showcased worldwide as the communist ideal.
He was a committed socialist in theory, but Askwith reveals the nuances and inconsistencies of the ideology in practice. Zatopek was vehemently anti-Soviet during the Prague Spring in 1968 yet had previously put his name to the shaming of prominent liberals in major newspapers.
Socialism demanded that Zatopek run two races simultaneously: one on the international stage, to the acclaim of the global community, and one through the psyche of the people’s republic, to please the overseers in the mines of Jáchymov.
From a runner’s perspective, the guy was a nutcase. 32km training days of 400m sprint repeats. Day after day after day.
From a human perspective, he had a magnetic personality that allowed him to capture hearts and minds in every corner of the globe.
A remarkable man, and a remarkable book.
August 29, 2016
What was it like to be a world class world record holder and be manipulated by your Government. A Government that controlled every day of your life and your very existence. What happens when you fall out of favor and exiled within your own Country. This is a great read about the Man Zatopek and the history of Czechoslovakia.
January 1, 2018
Когато нямаш сили да продължиш, увеличи скоростта: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
В спорта Емил оставя ярка диря, която Ричард Аскуит проследява подробно - от ранните му години, когато малко случайно започва да тича, през убийствените му тренировки, и състезание след състезание, победа след победа. Чехът прави феноменални неща и губи крайно рядко, а на олимпиадата в Хелзинки през 1952 г. извършва немислимото – печели златни медали на 5000, 10 000 м и в маратона… в който досега не се е състезавал. Четири години по-рано, в Лондон, печели златото на 10 000 метра и среброто на 5000, а в този период и по-рано печели общо десетки състезания на дълги дистанции. Просто никой не може да го победи.
Издателство Вакон
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
В спорта Емил оставя ярка диря, която Ричард Аскуит проследява подробно - от ранните му години, когато малко случайно започва да тича, през убийствените му тренировки, и състезание след състезание, победа след победа. Чехът прави феноменални неща и губи крайно рядко, а на олимпиадата в Хелзинки през 1952 г. извършва немислимото – печели златни медали на 5000, 10 000 м и в маратона… в който досега не се е състезавал. Четири години по-рано, в Лондон, печели златото на 10 000 метра и среброто на 5000, а в този период и по-рано печели общо десетки състезания на дълги дистанции. Просто никой не може да го победи.
Издателство Вакон
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
October 20, 2018
Една от най-вълнуващите биографии, които са ми попадали. Истински вдъхновяващ разказ.
August 17, 2024
Meu herói. Gigantesco. Uma vida extraordinária que merece filme, série, TUDO.
January 23, 2025
I was expecting more adrenalin. It's a problem of my expectations rather than the book itself. Still, the way it faded away in the end was kind of sad, albeit human. The glory years of Emil Zatopek are already behind us, all his records (as everyone else's) shattered except for the 3 Olympic gold medals in a row (kuddos to Sifan Hassan for being close on that record). I wish the book climaxed with this peak record. Don't get me wrong, the post athletic years and cold war involvement were as challenging as his youth, if not more. I would've began with that. The book is well documented, my childhood spent under a communist regime can confirm that the cold war details, environment and author's understanding are very clear.
"When you can't run anymore, that's when you have to start."
"When you can't run anymore, that's when you have to start."
August 11, 2025
Great book, perfect combination of running motivation and an interesting, yet controversial story. It was also new for me to read a book about my country and a famous Czech person written by a foreigner - but it worked. It was really well written, I realized I didn’t know much about Zátopek before, and it explains nicely all the controversy around him that is still somewhat felt today. In the end, it is a bit sad that such book had to come not from a Czech author, but at the same time this fact also kinda fits well with the rest of the story…?
January 25, 2018
За много книги може да се каже, че са "вдъховяващи", но за малко това важи толкова еднозначно. Освен чисто спортната история на Затопек, авторът, въпреки че е англичанин, предава по много достъпен, популярен, но и достоверен и исторически адекватен начин проблемите с политическия режим в Чехословакия.
Задължителна книга и за спортисти, и за спортни фенове, и за любители на историята
Задължителна книга и за спортисти, и за спортни фенове, и за любители на историята
January 23, 2020
Не съм от хората, увлечени от бягането като спорт. Със спорта като цяло сме на Вие. И биографиите понякога са ми доста доскучаващи.
Но...
Винаги има едно но.
ЗА първи път чух (прочетох) името на Затопек от статията на Иво Иванов. Една от най-любимите ми негови истории по принцип, и една от двете истории, които ми насълзяват очите още преди да започна да си го препрочитам. Личността на този голям бегач, но и голям човек е просто вдъхновение. Няма как човек да не го обикне.
"Днес всички ще умрем по малко" е от книгите, които още с първите изречения привличат вниманието и те карат да зарежеш всичко друго. Написана по някакъв топъл начин, усещаш уважението и възхитата на автора, който желае да ни разкрие Човека Затопек, за да може да го опознаем.
И ако разделим биографията на две части, първата отразява успехите на Емил, който от бедно дете израства в безспорен шампион. Но шампион, на когото всички се възхищават и обичат заради добротата и откритостта му към хората. Толкова вдъхновяваща е, че в един момент аха да се за питаш дали да не излезеш да потичаш.
Втората част е Емил, който изведнъж се е превърнал в ненужен на властта (която до скоро не се е свенила да използва успехите му в своята пропаганда). Години на изолация, на отчуждение и забрава. Емил, когото цял свят уважава и приветства, е отритнат от своите. Емил, който преди това е търсен от всеки, сега е отбягва от всеки (с изключение на най-близките му останали приятели)
Накрая затворих книгата с леко насълзени очи, но и с много голямо уважение към великия Затопек.
И както хората на трибуните в Хелзинки в онзи знаменит ден и на мен ми се идса от вътре
"За-То-Пек, За-То-Пет, Сату Пека"
Но...
Винаги има едно но.
ЗА първи път чух (прочетох) името на Затопек от статията на Иво Иванов. Една от най-любимите ми негови истории по принцип, и една от двете истории, които ми насълзяват очите още преди да започна да си го препрочитам. Личността на този голям бегач, но и голям човек е просто вдъхновение. Няма как човек да не го обикне.
"Днес всички ще умрем по малко" е от книгите, които още с първите изречения привличат вниманието и те карат да зарежеш всичко друго. Написана по някакъв топъл начин, усещаш уважението и възхитата на автора, който желае да ни разкрие Човека Затопек, за да може да го опознаем.
И ако разделим биографията на две части, първата отразява успехите на Емил, който от бедно дете израства в безспорен шампион. Но шампион, на когото всички се възхищават и обичат заради добротата и откритостта му към хората. Толкова вдъхновяваща е, че в един момент аха да се за питаш дали да не излезеш да потичаш.
Втората част е Емил, който изведнъж се е превърнал в ненужен на властта (която до скоро не се е свенила да използва успехите му в своята пропаганда). Години на изолация, на отчуждение и забрава. Емил, когото цял свят уважава и приветства, е отритнат от своите. Емил, който преди това е търсен от всеки, сега е отбягва от всеки (с изключение на най-близките му останали приятели)
Накрая затворих книгата с леко насълзени очи, но и с много голямо уважение към великия Затопек.
И както хората на трибуните в Хелзинки в онзи знаменит ден и на мен ми се идса от вътре
"За-То-Пек, За-То-Пет, Сату Пека"
September 11, 2018
A decent enough biography of the great Emil Zátopek who won the gold medals at 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and the marathon at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952. It's a well researched volume and the author has travelled to get some key interviews but I could have probably done with a bit less of the commie bashing - one almost expected Askwith to start ranting about 'pinkos' such is the facile way he describes the admittedly pretty venal Czechoslovak regime. How so far Zátopek collaborated with or resisted totalitarianism is interesting but the author debates back and forth on this ad nauseam when a few pages of the evidence for and against would have sufficed. It's good on the running of course - Zátopek pioneered the use of interval training and has to be pound for pound one of the greatest athletes of all time at any distance - but I felt the writing was prosaic bordering on the simplistic - as if the publisher had told the author to avoid making the text too authoritative.
June 22, 2016
“Every running enthusiast over a certain age knows something about Zátopek — or thinks they do. But much of it is no more than hearsay: legends and half-truths endlessly recycled and re-embroidered. Many of the most famous tales are simply false. Even those of us who idolize him — who see him, as I do, as a kind of patron saint of running — are liable to find, on closer inspection, that we know far less about him than we think…It is the human side of Zátopek’s story that is still capable of brightening and energizing lives, six decades after his prime and a decade and a half after his death. That is the story that matters.”
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/05/b...
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/05/b...
November 10, 2023
Not to be dramatic but this book transformed my life. If you love running or if you hate running but love the power of the human spirit, you must read. His running career is crazy inspiring and so is his character. Since reading, I sometimes ask myself “What would Emil do?” whilst running or in my interactions with other people. I love him. I also love his wife, Dana. What a power couple.
August 31, 2021
What a story, what a champ.
Should come with a health warning though ... far too motivational and fooled me into thinking I could do way more running than I'm able to ;)
"If you cannot run any more ... run faster"
Should come with a health warning though ... far too motivational and fooled me into thinking I could do way more running than I'm able to ;)
"If you cannot run any more ... run faster"
August 26, 2016
Life is the most precious thing we have, and even though it just treated us badly, we live on; and we can find a corner where we will feel comfortable even in a table drawer.
December 3, 2017
"Емил беше жива легенда. А една легенда никога не умира."
Пет звезди са малка оценка за този история.
Пет звезди са малка оценка за този история.
May 17, 2023
I too dabble in a little bit of running, a non-competitive 10k here and there every so often, but I came across Zatopek in some compilation of motivational quotes ["When you can't keep going, Go Faster"]. Once I started reading up on this "running hobby" I had picked up in the pandemic, I saw him being attributed as the greatest of all times. Further inquiry led me to this lone English biography of a sporting legend relatively unknown for all his achievements. He remains, to this day the only athlete to win the 5,000m, 10,000m and the Marathon in the same Olympics (Hannes Kolehmainen of Finland remains the only other athlete to win all three medals, but it took him more than one Olympics to do so.)
Given such towering achievement one would assume the book would crescendo up this event before petering out with Zatopek running into the inevitable sunset. But, with the life that this man lived, we reach this high point by a third of the book itself! For all who have heard of him (again, the number is not as many as it should be) know that his life is intertwined with a post-WWII Czechoslovakia. Prague Spring and its demise, followed by another brutal regime affected his life. He was at once both a global celebrity and a practical nobody. A list of achievements such as his would surely invoke hubris in the best of us. If not that, the rapid spiral into obscurity would certainly cause ruination. But not for Zatopek. In this, as the author who is certainly an ardent fan notes, Zatopek truly emerges through.
When he ran at the highest levels of the sport, audiences would clamor to see him, they claimed him as one of their own. His humble beginnings and a strained running style made him a people's champion. Much later when he dealt with exigencies of living in an oppressive regime, he displayed another self that most of us, albeit reluctantly, relate to- "looking-the-other-way".
It panged his conscious, like it does for all conscientious men who live through such hard times. Sitting in the cozy armchairs of conformity, we would do well in according this champion a benefit of doubt. Of course, in matters such as these, I concede my opinions to those close to him - his friends, the victims of the regime and his countrymen.
But for me and several others as this British biographer points out he continues to represent something greater.
I once read an article by a sports journalist (I am almost certain, such flair must have been Suresh Menon's pen) about Virat Kohli. Kohli, deservingly is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all times. Kohli, if he appears any shorter in stature, seems so because succeeds two towering figures of Indian Cricket- MS Dhoni and Tendulkar- who still capture the public imagination. Menon (?) writes about an anecdote where a Pakistani Fan (or was it an analyst? I can't seem to find the article) accuses him and us Indians, of not "valuing Kohli enough". "Had he been in Pakistan", the accusation continues, "we would have never hated him for his batting slump."
Menon(?) concludes, making his point- "Heroes are loved more by their away-fans, than by those back home"
This most certainly held true during a large part of Zatopek's life and having read this truly intimate biography one is also bound to feel a certain proximity to this 'everyman champion', who despite his failings, truly grew to fit the title and eventually in his tiring negotiations with the clock, the track, life, politics and eventually time expanded the definition of the word.
Given such towering achievement one would assume the book would crescendo up this event before petering out with Zatopek running into the inevitable sunset. But, with the life that this man lived, we reach this high point by a third of the book itself! For all who have heard of him (again, the number is not as many as it should be) know that his life is intertwined with a post-WWII Czechoslovakia. Prague Spring and its demise, followed by another brutal regime affected his life. He was at once both a global celebrity and a practical nobody. A list of achievements such as his would surely invoke hubris in the best of us. If not that, the rapid spiral into obscurity would certainly cause ruination. But not for Zatopek. In this, as the author who is certainly an ardent fan notes, Zatopek truly emerges through.
When he ran at the highest levels of the sport, audiences would clamor to see him, they claimed him as one of their own. His humble beginnings and a strained running style made him a people's champion. Much later when he dealt with exigencies of living in an oppressive regime, he displayed another self that most of us, albeit reluctantly, relate to- "looking-the-other-way".
It panged his conscious, like it does for all conscientious men who live through such hard times. Sitting in the cozy armchairs of conformity, we would do well in according this champion a benefit of doubt. Of course, in matters such as these, I concede my opinions to those close to him - his friends, the victims of the regime and his countrymen.
But for me and several others as this British biographer points out he continues to represent something greater.
I once read an article by a sports journalist (I am almost certain, such flair must have been Suresh Menon's pen) about Virat Kohli. Kohli, deservingly is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all times. Kohli, if he appears any shorter in stature, seems so because succeeds two towering figures of Indian Cricket- MS Dhoni and Tendulkar- who still capture the public imagination. Menon (?) writes about an anecdote where a Pakistani Fan (or was it an analyst? I can't seem to find the article) accuses him and us Indians, of not "valuing Kohli enough". "Had he been in Pakistan", the accusation continues, "we would have never hated him for his batting slump."
Menon(?) concludes, making his point- "Heroes are loved more by their away-fans, than by those back home"
This most certainly held true during a large part of Zatopek's life and having read this truly intimate biography one is also bound to feel a certain proximity to this 'everyman champion', who despite his failings, truly grew to fit the title and eventually in his tiring negotiations with the clock, the track, life, politics and eventually time expanded the definition of the word.
October 15, 2018
"That was the thing about Emil. He was a romantic: the most romantic of all runners. He looked for romance not just in love, but in friendship; and not just in friendship, but in sport. He took something mundane - "putting one foot in front of the other, as fast as possible, for as long as possible"(...) and made it into a thrilling adventure, a daring exploration, in which all were welcome to join him, of just how far a human being could reach. He could have just been a runner who won races. Instead, he was a runner who loved life."
*
Личи си, че е книга, писана от човек, който с години е приемал Затопек като свой личен герой.
Да я прочета, ме привлече красивото, съдбовното, извънмерното в историята на прочутия бегач - трите златни медала от Олимпиадата в Хелзинки, случили се в разстояние от няколко дни (докато на същата Олимпиада съпругата му Дана също печели златен медал). Любовната история с Дана (родени на един и същи ден, в една и съща година - а аз все си умирам за такива случайности). Жестовете на обич към съперниците в бягането; приятелствата; бохемската жилка, чувството за хумор.
Но животът на Затопек е и съмненията дали е бил агент на комунистическите служби, участието в Пражката пролет и публичните отричания впоследствия, малките или по-големите възможни предателства, собственото му изгнание в провинцията, далеч от Дана, далеч от спорта.
Ричард Аскуит разказва с много разбиране.
*
Личи си, че е книга, писана от човек, който с години е приемал Затопек като свой личен герой.
Да я прочета, ме привлече красивото, съдбовното, извънмерното в историята на прочутия бегач - трите златни медала от Олимпиадата в Хелзинки, случили се в разстояние от няколко дни (докато на същата Олимпиада съпругата му Дана също печели златен медал). Любовната история с Дана (родени на един и същи ден, в една и съща година - а аз все си умирам за такива случайности). Жестовете на обич към съперниците в бягането; приятелствата; бохемската жилка, чувството за хумор.
Но животът на Затопек е и съмненията дали е бил агент на комунистическите служби, участието в Пражката пролет и публичните отричания впоследствия, малките или по-големите възможни предателства, собственото му изгнание в провинцията, далеч от Дана, далеч от спорта.
Ричард Аскуит разказва с много разбиране.
December 9, 2018
Emil was far from perfect, but he had a good crack at it. Beautifully written, a great insight into a great man. Inspirational, moving, wonderful... I laughed, I cried. Also, he's right about the beer.
February 2, 2022
A very interesting look into the life of the Zatopek. The book does a great job of digging into who he really was and the challenges that were unique to his worldwide popularity as a runner and his role in a communist regime.
September 16, 2024
What a wonderful read. I really loved learning about who Emil Zátopek was as a person and not just an athlete, and about how the bleak history of his country changed him. Emil seemed to be the embodiment of inspiration, of what running can mean, of what a good person looks like, of what war can do to a man.
I will treasure the experience of reading this book always, as I was equal parts emboldened to be a better runner and mournful of the loss of such an incredible person. Today we die a little—what a mantra. Thank you, Emil Zátopek.
I will treasure the experience of reading this book always, as I was equal parts emboldened to be a better runner and mournful of the loss of such an incredible person. Today we die a little—what a mantra. Thank you, Emil Zátopek.
September 20, 2019
This is a beautiful telling of an incredible story.
June 9, 2025
Very inspiring
April 16, 2021
Wasn’t too sure if I’d enjoy this one but ending up loving it. Thanks for sending me this, mother x
October 11, 2025
Absolutely loved it. The mix of running and Cold War History was always going to tick my boxes but I really appreciated how Askwith doesn't shy away from the controversies around Zatopek whilst being honest about his own take on his legacy.
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