Why run from running?!

‘We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable.’  Roger Bannister (The first man to run a mile in under four minutes.)

On 12^th June 2011, I will be running in the St. Albans Half Marathon for Amnesty International, an organisation that looks to provide justice for those that do not have it throughout the world. With me will be my trusty companion Connor Lattimer, and over the last six months we have both been training for this event. I’ve got my shoes, my water bottle and other running essentials that will help me through the 13.1 miles; and yet if you asked me two years ago if I would have considered doing this event, a slightly chubby boy would have laughed and ran away in the search for a pepsi!

The Colmer family has never been a particularly sporting family; throughout my years at St. Paul’s I tried my hardest to bunk off P.E - I even turned down the half-course GCSE module. There is one thing that we are though. Committed. When we get the bug for something, we can’t stop. For Dad it was his bassoon playing, for my brother it has, and most probably always will be economics, and for me it is now running. For some reason running, in the sun or the rain, has become a major part of my life. And I think I understand why.

When I run, I get time to think. Like Bannister says, we run because we need to find time in our days to break free from the constraints of our hectic lives. Usually, I find that my mind is clogged with things that I need to do, that thoughts become jumbled. There is no time to stop and decipher what is going on in my head. When I run, these streams of thought become unclogged. There is something about running that allows me to unravel my thoughts and get to the centre, away from the distractions of work and any other things that I may be doing. Running unlocks something within us.

Running also challenges us. Whilst it is not competitive as such in terms of winners and losers, it challenges us to push our boundaries. By finishing a run which is longer than usual or completing it faster, we are our own winners. It doesn’t matter what distance you run, as long as you get to that finishing point then you can be proud of what you’ve done. I am hoping to finish the St. Albans Half Marathon in under two hours, however if I don’t, I can take joy in knowing that I’ve been able to reach my goal of completing it!

To finish, some tips at how to start, and indeed continue, running:

1)      Start off with small distances. There is nothing worse than pushing yourself and not reaching your target for that day

2)      Get a decent pair of shoes to run in! I still manage to get blisters, but like the running proverb says ‘Take care of your feet and they’ll take care of you!’

3)      Find a running partner. There is nothing more helpful than having someone to encourage you when you start getting low on energy or motivation

4)      Set yourself a target! For me it was helpful knowing that I would be running a half-marathon in June. It keeps you going!

5)      Change your route often. There is nothing more stale than running the same route over and over again. There is such a beautiful world out there, go and explore it!

If you would like to sponsor me in the half marathon, here is the link to my justgiving page.

http://www.justgiving.com/andrew-colmer/

A Question of Life... after Death?

I am a great fan of reading. Throughout my childhood, summers would be spent engaging with a variety of literature from the likes of Agatha Christie and J.R.R Tolkein, and numerous trips to the library were required. Since starting university, I have found that reading for pleasure is no longer as easy as it once was. Other issues of importance get in the way, as they always tend to do! However, on the train down to Bristol last week, I had the golden opportunity to spend a few hours reading... an opportunity that I would not miss.

Now, many of you will know that I am a Christian, yet it is often unusual for me to read any literature of a theological manner. However, Friday was different. After hearing about C.S. Lewis’ ‘Screwtape Letters’ from my Dad, I pursued his office for a copy, but instead was directed to ‘The Great Divorce’ – a novel that fights with an issue that many find uneasy. Is there life after death? Is there a heaven and a hell? Are we bound to one or the other, and if so, is there an opportunity to ‘change course’? I myself have been asked these questions on several occasions, and have always found it very difficult to answer. After all, nobody knows for sure! At the same time, what I found on the all-too-fast train journey to the West Country, was an inspiring exploration into these questions; albeit one that has left me pondering on the issue even more! Lewis’ refreshing take on the relationship between Heaven and Hell is one that is accessible for anybody, be they of faith or not, and the ground that is covered within the novel is simple and easy to manage. Perhaps an ironic concept for such a challenging issue!

Without revealing too much of the novel with you, a particularly enchanting moment of the text is when two men are reunited after having died: One, a member of heaven, and the other, a ‘ghost’ who had managed to reach an area of decision making. The conversation that follows truly made an impact on my understanding of life after death – The member of heaven had previously murdered somebody, whilst the ‘ghost’ had not. Consequently a debate over rights and charity takes place. The ‘ghost’ objects to being allowed into heaven through charity, declaring that it is his right as he always tried to live a ‘good life’. This underlines for me the entire issue of Grace. By our rights we are not deemed fit for heaven, it is through charity that we are saved. In a way, our arrogance in rights throughout our everyday lives is the thing that stops us from truly accessing God’s love. We may have the right to do this or to do that, but at the end of the day it is important to be given the option of charity and act in a charitable way as well.

This book provided me with a few hours of entertaining thought processes and a few more questions to think through on my journey with God, but it has also given me some answers to questions too. I leave you with a recommendation to read ‘The Great Divorce’, and also with this quote from the book to ponder on. Maybe it will also provide some answers for you too:

'But what of the poor Ghosts who never get into the omnibus at all?'

'Everyone who wishes it does. Never fear. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell choose it. ... No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock, it is opened.'