Following a sign for "race parking", I find my way down a side street to a parking lot near the Marine Mammal Care Center...nearly 3/4 of a mile from the starting line for today's race. As I walk down the street towards Point Fermin, I see the entrance for Fort MacArthur Military Museum. I had no idea there was something like this on the Palos Verdes Peninsula

Continuing my walk, I am drawn towards the Asian looking structure overlooking Point Fermin (something I first saw when I drove the marathon course yesterday). This is not something I would have expected to find on the peninsula

I take a detour through Angels Gate Park to investigate the structure. It houses the Korean Friendship Bell

I guess I am not yet THAT familiar with the peninsula that I live on

Realizing that I cannot reach Point Fermin Park before the full marathon gets underway, I find a trail down from the Korean Friendship Bell that gives me a great vantage point of the start/finish line. The marathon begins shortly after 7am...my race is now only a half-an-hour away

The first mile of the course along Paseo del Mar is slightly downhill before it takes a sharp turn up Western to 25th Street. This should help me get up to pace quickly

Bunkers are another unexpected sight. It makes sense that the military would want to fortify the hills overlooking Los Angeles Harbor, though it does not look like these have been used in years

After waiting in line for the port-a-potties, I barely have time to find a good spot for the start of the race. Fortunately, the half marathon begins five minutes late

I think I remember this official photo to have been taken during the first two miles. Note how much I am sweating

The pain...the PAIN!