"Think Blue!" Valerie and I arrive at Chávez Ravine, site of Dodger Stadium...

...and the starting area for the 25th Los Angeles Marathon!

Signs line the starting area encouraging runners to queue appropriately based on their expected pace. I will be in the sub-4 corral, just a hair closer to the start than this particular sign

Valerie waits for me just beyond the starting line. Tomorrow, she will be waiting for me near the finish

The Expo and the start line are just steps from Dodger Stadium

Entrance to the Expo

There are a LOT of people here today...with 25,000 signed up for the marathon, I am not surprised. And this site hosted a 5K this morning, so some of its participants are still hanging around.

Too bad the course does not take us through Dodger Stadium. Disneyland's Half Marathon sometimes uses "The Big A" (just not during the year I ran it)

Honda is once again the title sponsor for the event...and a Hybrid Insight EX with navigation is included with the $20,000 cash prize for the top male and female elite runner (plus a $100,000 bonus to the Challenge winner)

I have passed the point of no return

Tunes help me maintain my sanity on long runs, but my ear buds died a few weeks ago (second pair since my running rebirth). Having tried (and liked) SnuggBuds at the Long Beach Marathon's Expo, I was glad to see them for sale at the Expo today!

Time to carbo-load!

RACE DAY - 1 minute after the gun fires I am still quite a bit back from the starting line, but it could have been WAY worse. I had to run from the 110-101 interchange to make it to the entrance of the Sub-4 Hour Corral before the gun!

I pass Grauman's Chinese Theater between Mile 11 and 12 (photo by MarathonFoto)

I reach the halfway point of the marathon on Sunset Boulevard in just under 1 hour and 45 minutes (photo by MarathonFoto)

Between Mile 16 and 17, the course turns on to Rodeo Drive. Shortly after crossing Brighton Way (and without even knowing it at the time) I pass Brian, a former coworker and a much more serious marathoner...what are the chances I would get a photo of that?!?!? (photo by MarathonFoto)

Here I run through the crosswalk in front of Prada (photo by MarathonFoto)

I pass TOD'S and Omega (photo by MarathonFoto)

Through the intersection of Rodeo Drive and Dayton Way (photo by MarathonFoto)

I pass Tiffany & Co and turn on Santa Monica Boulevard (photo by MarathonFoto)

I hit the wall after Mile 20 near the West L.A. VA Hospital, but manage to continue running through Mile 21 (photo by MarathonFoto)