EDITOR’S LETTER

MOST OF US KNOW the broader details of Jesse Owens’ historic achievements in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin – a Black man winning an unprecedented four gold medals was a powerful rebuttal of Hitler’s racist ideology of Aryan superiority. But what’s perhaps less well known are the struggles with discrimination the African-American endured in his still-segregated homeland after the Games – even having to use a service lift to attend a reception held in his honour in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Our feature on Owens on page 58 is a fascinating portrait of a man who made things look easy on the track, but experienced more hardships off it.

On page 21, there’s the story of a more unusual running hero, about when The Clash frontman Joe Strummer ran the London Marathon in 1983. He looks every inch the rocker with his mohican, DIY Clash vest, what look like Adidas Gazelles on his feet and...gasp – no watch! It does seem suitably punk not to worry about your pace or finishing time.

However, if time is an issue for you, we’ve got workouts you can fit into anything from 10 minutes to two hours (page 72). On page 48, meanwhile, there’s an expert cross-training plan that promises to make you fitter and faster in 30 days – enough time to have you feeling like a rock star. Tatty band vest optional.