VAIL VALLEY, Colorado — It's one thing to run the New York Marathon when you're Vail firefighter Ryan Sutter, a firefighter in his 30s, but longtime local attorney John Dunn is attempting the feat at age 70.

Dunn returns to the state of his alma mater to run the New York Marathon this weekend, less than one month after his 70th birthday.

An Illinois native, Dunn graduated from New York University School of Law and served as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals in New England for a year before coming to Colorado. He has twin sons and two grandsons. His son, Will, and Will's wife, Jenn, are running the marathon with him.

This will be Dunn's second marathon. His first was the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington in 2004, which he ran with his other son, Thom.

Dunn was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1964. He moved to Leadville in 1966 after spending a year in Denver.

Dunn moved his office to the Vail Valley in 1980 and began calling Eagle County home in 1981. He and his law partner at the time were the first town of Vail attorneys. He has been a lawyer locally for 43 years, focusing on real estate and land use. Since 1980, he has worked with his wife, Karen, a certified paralegal specialist. They live in Eagle-Vail.

As an added incentive to finish the 26.2-mile course, Dunn is soliciting contributions to benefit the Eagle Valley Land Trust, a local nonprofit in which he serves as a board member.

“I have seen the wonderful things the Land Trust has done to preserve open space in Eagle County,” Dunn said. “By pledging a contribution to the Land Trust tied to the miles I complete, which I fully expect will be 26.2, your contribution will sustain the activities of the Land Trust and will sustain me in the completion of the marathon.”

Contributions are tax deductible. For more on the Land Trust, visit www.evlt.org.

To donate to Dunn and the Eagle Valley Land Trust, contact New New Wallace at 970-748-7654, or newnew@evlt.org.