Never graduated to full marathon distance...used to run half marathon distances between Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch at one time but not competitively. Nevertheless I understand how good a time of 2.52 is.. Llongyfarchiadau

Nice video, Ceri. I have to brag about running the Chicago Marathon with Steve Jones in 1985. I couldn't keep up with him (I did a 2:52) , but I did see him. Just went and dug up my medal, and here it is:

Or as R.S. Thomas famously put it when making HIS choice:-

"I think of a Welsh hill

That is without fencing, and the men,

Bosworth blind, who left the heather

And the high pastures of the heart, I fumble

In the pocket's emptiness; my ticket

Was in two pieces. I kept half."

The above quote is from "A Welshman in St James' Park" and R.S. uses the torn halves of his rail ticket as a metaphor for his decision to adopt and embrace his Welsh rather than his (UK) British identity.

That's an interesting link Swansea. I like a topic that has amorphous borders, is very complicated and can have no definitive answers. It leaves scope for creative identity-formation, something I encourage. Identity is found mostly at the borders of things. The border between he-is-this and he-is-not-this. Why am I on a Welsh social network website? My nearest ancestor born in Wales came to New England 260 years ago. I am truly an American mutt. A New Englander born in NYC, with Puerto Rican and Irish and Russian among my grandparents. My Puerto Rican grandmother had French and North African parents. My Russian grandmother had Polish and German parents. The Irish side was always just Irish. Until my grandfather married the Puerto Rican girl. And the Welsh? It's where my name came from. To me that's very important. I know 13 generations of male Lewis's leading up to me, bequeathing me this name. Born in NYC and raised in New England I've chosen to be a New Englander. Born a mutt, I've chosen Wales as my ancestral point of pride, rather than other worthy places and cultures. And this simply because it felt right since childhood, despite no interest within my family. In identity we tell the world who we are and the world says no. At that yes-no border a push and pull takes place, and our insistence on what we feel is us helps create an identity. A fascinating process rife with opportunities for people to tell you you're not Welsh or Puerto Rican or Russian (German, Polish Spanish French whatever!!!) Why not simply American? Because America by definition is not an ethnicity, even though it is my culture. But it does not contain my myths, which are Irish and Welsh. Legal processes have to set limits which can be arbitrary but necessary (how much Mohegan heritage is necessary to be part of the Mohegan Sun Casino). Groups can deny you entrance (1/32 Cherokee may not be acceptable to the tribal council). But if my 12 great-grandfather was Welsh, why not his son? And his son? And his son? In my case there's nothing at stake but me. For Indian tribes there is livelihood, money, dying cultures and languages at stake. I like to think that by embracing my Welsh heritage I do something to maintain the longstanding connection between Wales and America, and that is good for all concerned.

Yes, Swansea, post that link, I'd like to read that -

I think this goes back to a discussion of what makes you Welsh. Is it living in Wales? Is it speaking Welsh? Is it being born in Wales? Is it having Welsh ancestors? Or is it deciding that you're Welsh? There'll probably be differing opinions on this.

Ceri and I talk about this sometimes and it may be hard for me to really understand what this means as an American. I'm a native Oregonian and I've lived other places in the US but in my mind, I'm always an Oregonian and that's my home, the place I always mean to go back to, the environment and people and culture that made me "me". A friend of mine moved here from Southern California many years ago, married a woman from here, bought a house and all that and last spring he went way into debt to buy the strip of property next to his so it wouldn't get developed and no one would cut down the stand of 50' Sitka spruces on it and when he told me, I told him "You're an Oregonian now," and he blushed and laughed and I was teasing, but I also sort of meant it, that he'd changed his values over the years, that he was invested in this as his "homeland" and willing to work for it. if that makes sense.

Two beautiful rainbows today over Blaenfforest, and now a fantastic sunset. We put our clocks back 1 hour next week, so it'll be dark at 5.30pm. Then, we'll look forward to Christmas, deep in the West Wales countryside, with beamed ceilings and log fires - can you join us? You'd be very welcome. Have a look at our Facebook page http://fwd4.me/0fgF

Keep in touch! All the best, Sally