3 Simple Weeks, Perfectly Unremarkable

The way I like it.

Jan 06, 2025

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Moments (Dec 16-Jan 5)

Christmas in Marysville: Christmas day included a pitstop in Sacramento, Jero playing the guitar, and a fun game of white elephant. The feel-good moment? Watching my nephew’s joy when he saw his uncle—someone he rarely sees more than once a year.

Snow Play: To avoid the full two-hour drive home on Christmas night, we stayed in Elk Grove with my parents and brother’s family. The next morning, we made a quick trip to a random gas station in the Sierras to play in the snow. Feris got the wind knocked out of her on the first slide and wanted to leave, but stuck it out for a few good runs. Her takeaway? The fun outweighed the tough start. When our feet froze, it was time to go home.

Off the Screen: With two weeks at home, I tried to keep everyone active and engaged. That meant hikes, home-cooked meals, and board games: Ticket to Ride, Codenames, Do You Know Your Family, Splendor, and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza were the highlights. I love that no matter the score, everyone stays involved and has fun—you learn a lot about people that way.

Neighborhood Hikes: The weather wasn’t great, but I got everyone outside, even if it was just exploring local neighborhoods. I’d string together streets from my morning runs. “Daddy, are you sure you know where you’re going? How much further?”

Dungeness Crab: Crab was on sale at Ranch 99, so I grabbed two. After steaming them, we used spiced vinegar and lemon as dipping sauce. Feris impressed me—she ignored the mess and guts and went straight to cracking shells and digging out meat. Of course, we had rice.

Mission Peak Revisited: We hiked Mission Peak, an East Bay classic. It’s been six years since we last did it with the kids, and I’m not sure how they managed back then. I always underestimate this hike—it’s a grind.

Teaspoon Treat: Dropped by Teaspoon for their BOGO deal, and Feris lucked out with someone’s free second drink. “Best thing ever!” Everything really does taste better when it’s free.

Cousin Time: Hosted a final holiday celebration with cousins. With so many nieces and nephews close in age, it’s heartwarming to see them all playing together. I hope we can keep this tradition alive.

Courdet Trail: We capped the break with a 4-mile out-and-back hike on the shaded Courdet Trail in Pleasanton—a peaceful way to end the holiday.

Capturing Memories: Watching the kids go through Google Photos and hear them say, “Daddy, remember this?” brings me so much joy. Of course, I remember—I took the photos and videos! Jero created an awesome “Year in Review” on Instagram, Feris printed 59 photos for her wall, and Lea has over 100 photos saved in an album. It’s fascinating to see what they choose to preserve and what details they recall.

On the Move

Run With Me on Strava

53.95mi, 7,359ft | 55.35mi, 2,270ft | 69.72mi, 7,785ft

(2024 Totals: 3034 miles, 251,417 feet)

Woodside Ramble 50K, 1st in AG (See Strava for the Writeup)

Random Running Happenings over the last 3 weeks…

The day after the race, my legs dragged through 12-minute miles. By the end of the week, I could move normally again.
I hate avoidable mistakes—like twisting my ankle on a raised manhole cover. I wasn’t paying attention, and it cost me a half-mile walk to shake it off.
Ran in the rain with Danny for the first time in five years. Too long considering he lives just down the hill. Once you’re out there, the rain isn’t so bad.
Summited Mount Diablo with Dave. We started at St. Timothy’s and snaked our way to the top. The trail wasn’t obvious, but we eventually connected the right paths. Perfect weather, though it was chilly at the summit.

What’s Next?

• Signed up to pace back-to-back weekends in May: Yosemite Half Marathon and Colorado Marathon.

• Discovered Coastal Trail Runs. With road marathons costing around $200, their 50K trail runs in scenic Bay Area locations (Berkeley, Tiburon, Pacifica, Oakland, Woodside, Santa Cruz, etc.) for $85 feel like a steal. My first race is February 1 in the Marin Headlands.