Great is the victory, but the friendship of all is greater. Emil Zatopek More Quotes by Emil Zatopek More Quotes From Emil Zatopek One day the factory sports coach, who was very strict, pointed at four boys, including me, and ordered us to run in a race. I protested that I was weak and not fit to run, but the coach sent me for a physical examination and the doctor said that I was perfectly well. So I had to run, and when I got started I felt I wanted to win. But I only came in second. That was the way it started. Emil Zatopek winning running sports When I was young, I was too slow. I thought I must learn to run fast by practicing to run fast, so I ran 100 meters fast 20 times. Then I came back, slow,slow,slow. People said, 'Emil, you are crazy. You are training like a sprinter.' Emil Zatopek crazy running people Everyone said, 'Emil, you are a fool!' Emil Zatopek fool genius firsts The athlete of today is not an athlete alone. He's the center of a team - doctors, scientists, coaches, agents and so on. Emil Zatopek doctors team athlete Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem. Emil Zatopek tired matter rain My running was very simple; it was out of myself. Emil Zatopek simple running We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. Emil Zatopek win you experience men I had started as an average athlete - a normal boy. It took me three years to win a race. I was glad that I endured those three years - that I did not give up. Emil Zatopek boy win me race I'm not interested in how long I can hold out, but in how fast I can reach the finishing line. Emil Zatopek reach not-interested i-can long A runner must run with dreams in his heart, not money in his pocket. Emil Zatopek dreams money fitness heart The childhood games ended for me when I was 14 and I finished school. I had to find a job, not an easy thing in those days. Emil Zatopek job me childhood school I didn't know much. It wasn't possible to buy a book about Nurmi, but I found out that in order to be faster over 10,000m, he ran 5,000m many times in training. And to be better at 5,000m, he ran 1,500m many times. And to be better at 1,500m, he ran four times 400m in training. Emil Zatopek better know training book You must be fast enough - you must have endurance. So you run fast for speed and repeat it many times for endurance. Emil Zatopek you endurance speed enough 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. Emil Zatopek start style perfect beauty If I run 100 meters 30 times, that is 3 kilometers and no longer a sprint. Emil Zatopek longer times run sprint Sometimes I feel that old desire. Then my body tells me it is 50 years old. I take the easy way instead. Emil Zatopek feel me sometimes way In my country, I am just a common man... a nobody. Emil Zatopek nobody i-am man country