Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'll be doing my first ever "real" run this October in the Aviemore Highland Half-Marathon. In the last 4 years, while working toward my PhD, I have also slowly (and somewhat painfully) become a runner. This run, occurring right around the time I hope to submit my thesis, will in many ways be the physical culmination of 4 years of hard (mental) work.

Personally, this run will be in honor of my dad who, despite a long illness, always worked to stay fit and who dearly loved the outdoors and passed that love on to his kids. The run is scheduled almost exactly a year from the day he finally lost his battle with his illness. I know he would be incredibly proud of me for attempting this.

Pragmatically, I am raising funds to help people with disabilities have a chance to enjoy the outdoors. As the website states, "All proceeds from this event will go to the Speyside Trust, a small; independent registered Scottish Charity, providing respite care and outdoor activity holidays for children and adults with special needs." I would dearly love to leave the £50 minimum in the dust!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.