I think it is extremely important to communicate the sporting value of 'personal bests' when facing that commonly accepted mantra of 'winning is everything' and 'second best is just another loser'. It is so much more psychologically healthy. And I have to say that the Qur'an quote at the end is one of my favourites.

In the context of the gold frenzy of the Modern Olympics, it was nice to see Jenny Wood-Allen from Dundee, the oldest competitor running in the London Marathon. She went round the course rather slower than the racewinner, and was clearly not a contender for first at the line. But she held her own with the clowns and the pantomime horses, along with thousands of other people putting in the training and effort to struggle round that awesome twenty-six miles.

Sport is about competition, but the best in the world is something that few will achieve. For all the rest, doing your personal best is the most that you can hope for. And of course, your personal best possible is different at different times. Jenny may not be running as fast as she used to, but I guarantee she was doing her personal best.

Doing the best you can in your life, out of service for your Lord, is considered an aspect of worship in Islam - and that doesn’t just mean fasting and praying, it includes working and playing. Doing the best we can in whatever we do takes away boredom as we focus on striving to do better, but like Nintendo, that can be addictive and make us strain beyond our limits.

So we must remember to relax, and in Islam also we are told to take things easy on ourselves. It isn’t meant to be a hardship. We have many examples of the Prophet holding people back from excessive discipline. He said that in Fasting you have a duty to your body, and he spoke of Prayer as time for rest and relaxation, but all within the net of discipline that is the timing and form of the Prayer.

Islam is meant to be easy, but not self-indulgent. Discipline is a sign of strength. Doing what is hard because you know it makes you feel better, and feeling strong feels good. Like the work that you put in to build your muscles or your stamina, pushing yourself until it is difficult means that when you rest you build up additional strength. As with our muscles - so with our spiritual selves.

Qur’an says: “So truly with hardship comes ease, truly with hardship comes ease. So when you are empty, labour, and to your Lord turn your attention.”