"The Two Things That Still Hold True"
A Like The Wind Mag Story
A few months ago I approached my favorite running publication Like The Wind Magazine with the suggestion to write a story about the subcultural similarities of punk/hardcore and running. They really liked the idea and a wonderful story tilted "The Two Things That Still Hold True" came about. It is featured in LtW #28, which hits the streets while I write these words. Check out the Like The Wind website and order a copy or even better, sign up for an ongoing subscription, if you haven’t done so already. It is the unchallenged most beautiful running magazine on this planet. Period.
"The Two Things That Still Hold True" discovers the strikingly comparable up- and downsides of both, the running and the punk/hardcore communities. But most of all this is a story about the far-reaching life lessons deriving from both subcultures. Speaking for myself, discovering hardcore as a teenager and almost 20 years later running, both had a major impact on my life and deeply shaped who I am and how I want to interact with the world around me.
For the story I interviewed a whole bunch of wonderful runners with punk / hardcore roots. Some of them I already knew for decades. Others were complete strangers. And others again I reconnected with after years. But when reading their responses to my questions I felt a strong bond to all of them. It almost seemed to me that running is the perfect sport for everyone who grew up with loud music, meaningful lyrics, DIY spirit and a pronounced "think for yourself" attitude. So thank you for your time, Thomas Sacher, Neven Kamenski, Nick Jett, Jean-Paul Frijns, Roland 'Bigma’ Roller, Sheep, Ali Dean, Bryan Poerner, Emil Björkander, Aram Arslanian and Ann-Kathrin 'AK' Weitz. I will publish everyone’s full interviews here on www.toofargone.blog over the next couple of weeks.
A few last words words on Like The Wind Magazine. I discovered this wonderful running magazine in 2015, shortly after I started running, and was absolutely overwhelmed by the profundity and truthfulness of their stories. It felt like they were written by real runners sharing their real and very personal experiences, good and bad. Like The Wind was and still is refreshingly far off from the usual shoe reviews, nutrition advice, training tips and stilted photography you find in other running magazines. In short: It reminds me very much of the fanzine culture of the hardcore scene in the 90s. A world in which I found true inspiration and mutual understanding.
To come to an end: It was a great honor for me contributing "The Two Things That Still Hold True" to Like The Wind #28. I am thankful I got this chance and I really hope it reaches and touches some of the readers like a typical Like The Wind story usually does.