James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens grew up in a poor, small town in Alabama in the early 1900s, where he faced racial discrimination and health issues. Despite these challenges, Owens' Christian family believed in a better future. When he was nine, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, seeking better opportunities. In Cleveland, Owens excelled in school sports, setting national high school records in track events. He later attended Ohio State University, where he continued to shine as an athlete.

In 1935, despite an injury, Owens achieved remarkable success, setting multiple world records. His athletic prowess earned him a place in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, held under the Nazi regime. Owens' stunning performances at the Olympics, winning four gold medals, defied Nazi propaganda and made him a global icon.

While in Berlin, Owens formed an unlikely friendship with German athlete Luz Long, who offered him crucial advice during the long jump competition, helping Owens secure the gold medal. This act of sportsmanship transcended racial and political barriers, highlighting the human spirit's capacity for connection and compassion.

Join us on this fascinating journey as we unravel the life of one of the best-selling authors in history, John Bunyan, the man responsible for penning "Pilgrim's Progress," a literary masterpiece that has sold more copies than almost any other book in publishing history, second only to the Bible itself. Bunyan's early years were far from the conventional path to fame from a poor, unknown family, mending pots by day and getting into trouble with local gangs by night. But his destiny took an unexpected turn when he found himself behind bars, not for his hooliganism, but for something far more profound.

The Tour De France has been revered as one of the most significant feats of human endurance for over one hundred years. A gruelling multiple-week race, with long distances and enormous elevation gains and losses, brings nothing but the highest quality athletes together to compete. Inspired by this world-class journey, a group of 24 cyclists will also embark on a charity bike ride from London to Paris in time to welcome home the Tour De France athletes. Whether we realise it or not, we are all in the race of life and like the cycling team, we will need endurance, perseverance, and resilience to keep on going.