Going around in circles

Yellow is Blessington greenway, red was my path approx.

I ran (barefoot) about 10 miles today. Towards Blessington then south along the greenway to Poulaphouca then back home. Only, for added interest, I veered off from the greenway into the woods and towards the lake along what seemed a well-worn path. But it degenerated into nothingness as such paths do, so then I tried heading back to the greenway but got lost. Regrettably I had no GPS with me. I passed this corrugated iron shelter and then found myself passing it again some while later. And getting tangled in brambles - bad enough, they would have been impassable later in the year. I didn't think I could be so dumb as to go round in a circle, but dumb I was. A lesson to one and all!

I seem to recall that the early Israelites could have got to their promised land in less than two weeks rather than the 40 years it actually took, and most of them died on the way so the 40 years becomes a bit irrelevant. Back when I lived in London I was part of a Christian youth group and I remember one sage among us announcing that he thought we were about to "move into the promised land" (figuratively speaking) - none of us knew what this meant but it had a good feel to it. But I recall thinking - what will change?

This set me thinking (I had plenty of thinking time among those brambles) about my own life. I often marvel at the robustness of my fellow Christians - how they can keep on believing that they will "get there" wherever "there" is, whilst never actually (yet) achieving it. I hope this is faith rather than wishful thinking. But what if the direct path to get "there" was actually quite short, and the reason for me (or anyone else for that matter) not seeming to get any nearer my goal was because I am going around in circles?

The highest treason

Sebastian MacMaine was the man who gave much more that his life to save the human race. The highest treason is a book that I found worth reading and very relevant.

The boy accused of blasphemy

Perhaps you saw this picture in the news.  I quote:

"Why should I feel any pain or trouble in cutting off the hand that was raised against the Holy Prophet?". Those are the words of 15-year-old Qaiser (not his real name) who chopped off his right hand just a few days ago believing he had committed blasphemy.

On 11 January, Qaiser was attending a celebration of the Prophet's birth at a mosque in his village in north-eastern Punjab. The cleric hosting it worked the crowd into a fervour and, a few hours into the celebration, called out: "Who among you is a follower of Muhammad?" Everyone raised their hands. He followed it with another question: "Who among you doesn't believe in the teachings of the Holy Prophet? Raise your hands!"

Qaiser, mishearing, inadvertently raised his hand. Witnessed by about 100 worshippers, the cleric immediately accused him of blasphemy and the boy returned home to prove his love for the Prophet - by cutting off his own hand.

"I came back home and went to the grass-cutting machine, but found the place dark so I took my uncle's phone to point some light at my hand. I placed it under the machine and chopped it off in a single swirl."  Qaiser picked his severed hand up from under the machine and, bleeding profusely, placed it on a tray and took it back to the mosque.

Villagers in this conservative part of Pakistan have supported and praised Qaiser's action. While Qaiser was having his wounds dressed in a poorly-equipped clinic, his father told us: "I hardly make ends meet."Breaking down, he added: "I don't even have money to pay the nurse. I also want a new hand for my son. My only solace is that he did for the Prophet."

This story makes me cry. We Christians tend to think those of other faiths are deceived. Whereas I laud him for his sincerity even if I am sad for him. I stand ashamed of my mediocrity. Didn't our Lord say "if your hand or thy foot offend you, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for you to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire"? A passage which is generally "spiritualised" to avoid embarrassment! And what a lesson to those of us who have any leadership role and thus might influence the young in our care.

But what devotion! Or maybe you say brainwashing...

Fourth run

It warmed up a bit, and it's Saturday, so I did the Kings River loop, just over 9 miles. I got back in one piece so I declare the jet-lag over. Almost. And I'll stop posting about ordinary runs you'll be pleased to hear.

Third run

I overslept which I put down to jet-lag. Besides, getting up at 6 a.m. for a run in this weather is not exactly pleasurable. So I ran at lunch time when the temperature had risen above freezing. But I have to say that I felt colder, and in particular my feet felt colder, than when I was running on compacted snow in Alaska.

Second run

Trying to overcome jet-lag, I managed to rise at a record 7 a.m. this morning, time enough for just two miles but, oh so hard on my feet - they have got so soft during the trip to AK. Therefore, O my barefoot running readers, do not let up for even a few weeks!

Back home first run

Just the 4.3 mile loop - and Meg came too. There is a smattering of snow and the temperature is just above freezing. And debris on the roads because of the recent heavy rainfall. Not nice running. The higher humidity makes the temperature here feel no better than in my Artic Run post and I would prefer running on compacted dry snow than freezing wet roads any day!

Arctic run

Actually the temperature here has been relatively warm for this time of the year (about -5 degC) so finally I braved the ice and snow.  Packed snow under bare feet all the three and a bit miles way.

The key is to get warmed up first on the treadmill - this gets the circulation going, especially important for the feet.

Two layers on top, usual shorts, scarf in case I needed it (I didn't) and gloves. No problem at all running in these conditions, although I grant my feet were cold on getting back and I did another 1/4 mile on the treadmill to warm up,