Today we are at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum...host of two Olympics, home of USC Football, and the start-finish line for this five mile race

Lori and Valerie outside of the Coliseum

Pete, Lori, and Valerie. Of the four of us, I am the only one who has ever run a race before because I was on our high school's cross country and track team. Strangely enough, it is Pete who really pushed us to come

The finish area is on the field just after the tunnel

Will 2007 be added to the list of USC Football's National Championships? The Associated Press has us ranked as the pre-season number 1!

Lori and Valerie on the field

A Bruin wearing red and yellow at the Coliseum? Inconceivable!

Close up of the finish gate

The Olympic Torch

Headless statues from the 1984 Olympics

Another shot of the headless statues

Valerie and Eric

Valerie, Cody, Rowena

I head to the starting area on my own because I am the only one in our group that actually cares about being timed

Nearly 11,000 participants have filled the starting area and look ready to run

I have lined up between the 8 and 9 minute per mile group...and find myself staring directly into the sun

The race is underway on Figueroa Street. I've never seen the building to the right before...the area has changed quite a bit since I attended USC

That said, some things should never change

I run past another familiar sight...St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church

The course doubles back on itself at the Staples Center...but it is not quite the halfway point

Two miles to go? I'm starting to feel the distance now