Running the Race

Being a Christian and former professional sportsmen, Liddell has always been a hero of the faith to me. So, I thoroughly enjoyed this book – a wonderful account which shows the reader that athletics was simply an extension of who Liddell was as a man running hard after Christ. That his life was a race within a race. Men like Eric Liddell are a rare commodity. They should be studied, imitated and never forgotten. So it is with great enthusiasm that I recommend this beautifully written and quite moving sports biography by John Keddie – a man well qualified to speak on Eric Liddell and athletics.

There are many reasons to read this gripping biography. Eric Liddell was a man of immense ability and profound conviction – an example in his own time and a hero for our age. John W. Keddie is ideally positioned as a guide to this multi–faceted character whose life has been used to encourage so wide a range of people around the globe.

In a world increasingly fascinated by sports it is difficult to find an athlete worthy of deep admiration. John Keddie’s account of the great Eric Liddell presents all of the drama of his athletic accomplishment while also preserving the character and faith that fueled this remarkable life. More than the medals won, this book reveals the shining greatness of Liddell to be the humble, yet gutsy, spirit that drove him to ‘press toward the goal for the prize’ (Phil. 3:14) – whether in the classroom, on the track, or in the mission–field.

Former athlete and churchman John Keddie brings both sporting expertise and spiritual insight to this lucid and meticulous biography of the great Eric Liddell.

It is abundantly clear from these pages that the driving force in Liddell’s life was love for his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that he lived by the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 9:10: ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.’ This is an inspiring and challenging account of the life of a truly inter–continental hero and will be enjoyed by the sporting enthusiast and Christian alike.

Running the Race is the definitive biography of Eric Liddell and one can say with confidence that Liddell himself would have approved. Not only is John Keddie the foremost authority on Scottish athletics, but he is also a Presbyterian Minister uniquely placed to set Liddell's sporting achievements in the context of the bigger priority of his Christian faith and witness. This superbly researched book inspires on many levels.

Like many, I shall never forget the impact of my first viewing of Chariots of Fire, where a portion of the life–story of the Scottish Christian sportsman Eric Liddell was told. It was deeply inspiring and proved to be the foundation of an ongoing interest in Liddell’s life. So I am thrilled to recommend this fresh biographical study of Liddell by John Keddie: perfect to inspire a new generation, it is powerfully written and beautifully illustrated. A joy to read.