We did a 12 mile run early this past Saturday morning along the trails of China Camp -- a park along the bay shore north of SF in San Rafael. Given my lack of training thus far, the run was tough. I tagged along with Dave and Kelsey Innis for part of the course. Dave was my mentor when I did this event in 1999 and has done quite a few marathons. His daughter Kelsey is a blood-cancer survivor and first-time marathoner. So this was her longest run ever. She got through it in fine form.

Afterwards we had a ceremony down by the water to commemorate those who have lost the struggle with cancer. I got up and said a few words about Dave. I explained that he had lived and died in San Rafael, and that he had loved hiking the trails of Marin County like those at China Camp. We tied the names of the dead to a group of balloons and sent them off -- up over the bay. I think Dave would have liked it.