Today We Die a Little!: The Inimitable Emil Zátopek, the Greatest Olympic Runner of All Time

“We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to enjoy something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.” —Emil Zátopek

For a decade after the Second World War, Emil Zátopek—“the Czech locomotive”—redefined the sport of distance running, pushing back the frontiers of what was considered possible. He won five Olympic medals, set eighteen world records, and went undefeated in the 10,000-metre race for six years. His dominance has never been equal…