Due to the volcanic ash cloud restrictions, I can't get back to the UK from the US in time for the London Marathon.  In an attempt to make the training and fundraising complete, I'll run an improvised marathon in Albuquerque, New Mexico on the same day.

Pre-nap "race" report: I finished the Do-It-Yourself Albuquerque Marathon in 3:53:47.  I'm glad to have done it, but I wish it could have been more pleasant.  I had pain in my right knee from mile 16 onward.  No permanent damage, but a familiar pain which usually occurs when I'm increasing distance too quickly.  Today I think it was the long downhill grade that gave my knee fits.  At least the weather was very nice. 

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HEY!  Thanks for visiting my JustGiving page. 

About me and marathons:

While I enjoyed running at various times through my teenage years, my adult running career took off when I was a graduate student in Boulder, Colorado.  Each year in May the Bolder Boulder 10K race draws tens of thousands of entrants including elite runners.  I lived very close to the start and wanted to participate.  I looked forward to training for it as winter gave way to spring each year.  Eventually I kept running into the summer and autumn.

When I moved to Long Island, New York, running had become a habit.  I found time to run frequently, but never gave marathons much thought until the last year of my position there. Having grown up in New Jersey, to me the New York City Marathon was the epitome of a runner's achievements. I realized that I probably would not be living so close to New York City again so I decided to give it a shot.  In those days, they still admitted entries as they received them in the mail. (Now they have a lottery.)  Since there were far more people wanting to run the marathon than were permitted, they only accepted entry forms postmarked after a certain date.  At 11:30pm the night before I rode the subway to the main post office in NYC and joined the queue of avid runners waiting to have their entries hand-postmarked at midnight.  There were hundreds of us there.  Some time later I found out that I was in; I would have to train for and run the 1999 New York City Marathon.

I did it.  The marathon itself had its high and low points, the highest occurring at the end when I crossed the finish line.  Long since that exhilaration faded, what remains with me from that marathon is the feeling of achievement in the whole training process.  It was only because I knew I had to run a marathon that I was able to leave the warm, dry house for the cold, wet weather outside on so many occasions. 

Since the NYC marathon, I have run 17 other marathons, the last being the 2009 London Marathon.  I'm determined to run London again this year, in part because my father and his wife are flying over from the US to run it as well.  This is my first time trying to raise a substantial sum of money for a charity.  To be honest, I have always been rather uncomfortable "rattling the tin cup" as they say.  (I'm probably scarred from the humiliating experience of going door-to-door trying to sell questionable "Austrian leaded crystal" for my Boy Scout troop.) Nevertheless, this is for a good cause, so I hope you will sponsor me and support Age Concern and Help the Aged.

About running for Age Concern and Help the Aged:

Of course you can read more about Age Concern and Help the Aged (soon to be Age UK) on their website.  Why am I trying to raise money for this charity rather than another?  Well, for one thing, I just had a major birthday and feel like I may soon be a beneficiary of their services!  OK, bad joke, but one with a grain of truth.  Nobody likes the idea of getting older, especially when the number on the birthday card is so out-of-sync with one's spirit and self-image. 

Self-pity aside, the main reason to support this cause is to help provide assistance for those who, for whatever reason, are not able to support themselves as they once did.  My visits to the nursing home where my mother worked as a nurse reinforced the feeling that not enough is being done to provide for the elderly.  By running for this charity I hope to do a small part to improve things.

Here is a message from JustGiving:

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.

Thanks very much!  I'm going out for a run right now.  Care to join me?

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[Now in chronological order]

Saturday, 30 Jan 2010:

Crystal clear, blue sky, a few degrees above freezing.  Good run from home through Grantchester to Newnham, 8.8 miles.  My first long run this year.  The ankle feels fine.  I'll apply some ice as a preventative measure.

Monday, 1 Feb 2010:

Village and Fields, 4.3 miles.  One good thing about the freezing temperature is the muddy footpaths are solid.

Wednesday, 3 Feb 2010:

To Prime Meridian marker in the Eversdens and back, 6.2 miles.  Running shoes are built to be lightweight, so they do not offer much protection from the cold wind.  I'm wearing a double layer of socks so my toes don't get numb when I run into a headwind, as they did last week.  That's a strange feeling: you can tell there are still toes in your shoes, but they don't necessarily feel like your toes.

Saturday, 6 Feb 2010:

To & through Barrington and back, 5.4 miles.  It's nice to live near one of the few hills in Cambridgeshire.

Wednesday, 10 Feb 2010:

Two loops around the village, 3.6 miles.

Saturday, 13 Feb 2010:

Bigger + usual loops around the village, 4.4 miles.  Sleet turning to snow flurries.  Numb toes in spite of double layer of socks.  :-(

Sunday, 14 Feb 2010:

To Kingston and back, 10.0 miles.  Ran at sunset/dusk/dark.  I love the road between Great Eversden and Kingston.  The rolling hills provide a challenging workout and expansive views of the countryside.  It is always quiet and solitary.

Tuesday, 16 Feb 2010:

Two loops around the village, 3.7 miles.  Squish squish squish squish squish squish squish squish.  Nothing says, "G'morning, mate!" quite like a shoeful of cold mud.

Thursday, 18 Feb 2010:

Village and fields, 5.3 miles.

Saturday, 20 Feb 2010:

7 Villages Loop, Counter-/Anti-clockwise, 12.3 miles.  It is mostly sunny today and despite the cold temperature the air is still, so I decided to do my long run today instead of on a Sunday. 

Monday, 22 Feb 2010:

To and through Harlton and back, 3.6 miles. Snowy this morning.

Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010:

To Prime Meridian marker (from school) and back home, 5.8 miles.

Saturday, 27 Feb 2010:

To & through Barrington and back, 5.4 miles.  The ankle is back to full strength.  I can tell because I twisted it on today's run felt only an initial twinge of pain.  It seems fine now.  That's a relief!

Sunday, 28 Feb 2010:

Through Kingston, back, and around the village a couple times, 13.4 miles.  I had planned to run the 9 Villages Loop for 14.1 miles, but the road between Kingston and Toft was flooded.  I did a couple extra loops in the village, but didn't quite make up the distance.  Wet and windy out, but thankfully the rain was light.

Tuesday, 2 March 2010:

A couple loops around the village, 4.4 miles.  Pretty clear sky just after sunrise.

Friday, 5 March 2010:

To Prime Meridian marker and back, 6.2 miles.

Sunday, 7 March 2010:

First half of the Cambridge Boundary Run, 13.1 miles, approx 1 hour, 44 min.  Very cold, but clear today.  I have to retract what I wrote about living near one of the few hills in Cambridgeshire.  The course today was quite hilly.

Tuesday, 9 March 2010:

Village loop + fields loop, 5.0 miles.  The footpaths are drying nicely, now that the days are getting longer and the wet weather has abated.  Good pace today despite being a little sore yesterday from Sunday's race.

Thursday, 11 March 2010:

Big Barrington loop, 5.9 miles.  I got a new watch so now I can figure out how to pace myself during the marathon.  Unfortunately I forgot to press 'STOP' after today's run.

Sunday, 14 March 2010:

Through Grantchester to the Backs and the Cam to the RR bridge, 16.1 miles, 2:13:50.  It is always fun to run alongside the river, although my favorite part is just beginning where I turned around.  Next week I'll try to go further.

Tuesday, 16 March 2010:

Two loops around village, 4.4 miles, 31:41.

Saturday, 20 March 2010:

Loops around fields and village, 4.7 miles, 35:54.

Sunday, 21 March 2010:

Haslingfield to Horningsea and back, 20.0 miles, 2:56:49.  Perfect weather for a run: sunny, calm, and cool.  The last 5 miles were difficult, with a cramp in my left calf for a couple miles then general achiness for the last 3.

Wednesday, 24 March 2010:
U District to Fremont and back, 5.4 miles, 42:49.  Good to be running in Seattle again!  My body clock wants to be back in England more than it wants 8 hours of sleep, so I had to wait more than 3.5 hours for the sun to rise after I awoke.

Saturday, 27 March 2010:
U District to Green Lake, around, and back, 6.4 miles, 50:40.  Lots of people are out enjoying Green Lake in the warm weather.

Sunday, 28 March 2010:
U District to Lake Forest Park along Burke-Gilman trail, 22.0 miles, 3:10:23.  It brings back good memories being out on the BG trail with lots of other runners, walkers, and cyclists.  The clouds and light rain kept things comfortably cool and strengthened the spring smells of new blossoms.

Tuesday, 30 March 2010:
Hello legs.  Yes, we really are running this morning.  Loop around UW and through Ravenna Park, 4.3 miles, 34:57.

Thurs, 1 April 2010:
U District to Fremont and back, 5.4 miles, 43:53.

Sun, 4 April 2010:
7 villages loop, 12.3 miles, 1:40:06.

Tues, 6 April 2010:
Let the high altitude training begin!  On Tramway Blvd from Tramway Ln to Academy Rd and back, 5.0 miles, 39:00.

Thurs, 8 April 2010:
Loop in northern Tucson, 4.2 miles, 31:17.

Sat, 10 April 2010:
Tramway Blvd from Tramway Ln to near I-40 and back, 16.0 miles, 2:11:59.  The path goes through a few prairie dog colonies.

Mon, 12 April 2010:
Up to trailhead and along trail #365 in Sandia foothills, 6.6 miles, 59:41. I ♥ mountains!

Thurs, 15 April 2010:
Long distance effects: A volcano erupts in Iceland.  Consequently, I get to run 7.9 miles in the Sandia foothills, 1:08:01.

Sun, 18 April 2010:
To Spain and back, just 6 miles, 48:40.  I hope our flight is not cancelled tomorrow, otherwise I worry about making it to the London Marathon. 

Mon, 19 April 2010:
My flight back to the UK was cancelled today.  The earliest I can return is next week.  No chance of getting back in time for the London Marathon.  Total bummer.  :-(  I'll have to improvise a marathon here next Sunday.

Thu, 22 April 2010:
5.9 mile out-and-back in Citrus County, Florida, 47:28.  At least the extra vacation time gives me a chance to visit more family.

Sat, 24 April 2010:
4.0 mile out-and-back, 32:15.  Beautiful sunrise.