Why Do We Like Running in Mountains? A Christian Perspective

I often enjoy listening to the Tea and Trails podcast. The podcast works so well because the hosts, Eddie Sutton and Gary Thwaites, generously invite us into their own lives, sharing the highs and lows of their own running experiences. They also have fantastic guests who offer genuinely helpful and entertaining insights into the world of trail and ultra marathon running.

This week's episode featured Lawrence Basham, a vicar from the Lake District who is also a keen runner. Lawrence did a fantastic job of communicating his love for the running community and how his faith journey has been inextricably linked to his passion for running. It's well worth a listen:

The podcast highlighted the fact that many people - especially those who are "not religious, but"- describe their running experiences in spiritual or religious terms. "The hills are my church" or "running is my religion" or "I feel connected to something more". I think all trail runners have had the experience of encountering something transcendent or spiritual when running through the mountains. We feel somehow connected to something beyond ourselves.

What's happening here?

Imagine that your daughter, Grace, is a talented painter. People flock to her gallery to enjoy her works, marvelling at the beauty of her design. Each work evokes different, but very real, emotions in the viewer. Some people smile, some are brought to tears, some are simply in awe at the technical skill and consider how such beauty could be fashioned. What's more, each painting offers a small window into character and personality of the painter. In some sense, as you enjoy Grace's artwork, you are being introduced to Grace the artist.

Creation points to its creator.

However, as a proud* father or mother, you know that no matter how amazing the artwork, it doesn't even begin to compare to the brilliance of the person. You stand chatting to punters in the gallery saying, "you think the pictures are good, wait until you meet Grace, she's incredible".

What if a similar thing is taking place when we run to the hills? As we marvel at the beauty of the landscape and enjoy the capacity of our body to traverse the terrain, perhaps we are glimpsing a window into the heart of the God who made it all? Our love for the creation is pointing us to the creator. That's why those moments can feel spiritual, transcendent, or religious even.

It's good to find joy in creation, I mean, look at it! It's amazing! But wait until you meet the creator, He's something else.

That's why as Christians, we don't have malicious intent to want to "convert people". We have a relationship with the amazing God who made all of this beauty possible, and we love to introduce people to Him because we think He's great.

Mountains have been a meeting place with God since the beginning of time. My prayer for all of us, as we lace up our shoes for our next adventure, is that the beauty of God's creation might open our eyes to the wonder and awe of the God who made it.

*As an aside, Gary addressed the idea of pride in his daughter's achievement being sin. We have a language issue here that we often use the word pride in a different way to the biblical understanding. Pride in the biblical sense is about thinking of ourselves more highly than God or taking the glory that is owed to God for ourselves. Pride is self-serving. Celebrating and delighing in the success of others is a wonderful thing that should do confidently. Philippians 2:3 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves". You can, and should, be proud of others' successes.