DAY 0 - Valerie and I stop at Ngu Binh in Little Saigon so I can get some fuel for my half marathon. Yes, Asian noodle soups, even spicy ones, have replaced traditional pastas when I carboload.

We arrive in Huntington Beach (a.k.a. Surf City)

The marathon expo started yesterday, but there is no way I would have been able to come down here on a workday.

Valerie poses on the steps to the bridge for the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. I figure we can take the bridge as a shortcut to get back to our car...which is parked along Beach Blvd.

The bridge spans a busy Pacific Coast Highway. We will avoid driving on PCH this weekend...especially because the course uses a several mile long stretch of the highway.

The Hyatt

Since we are not guests, we cannot cut through the hotel and there are no stairs down to the highway from here.

Crossing back across the bridge.

I will see these signs again tomorrow

My bib

RACE DAY - Valerie drives me south on the 405

Best shuttle service EVAR!

Thanks for the lift! (Now she is off to practice yoga)

The start line. The marathon started at 6:30am, so there's no chance I will bump into my former boss until after the race.

First order of business is to snap a quick pic of the rising sun...and to hit the restrooms. The line is just long enough that I *may* not have time to go. Did I mention that I am in the first wave?

15+ minutes later and I am back on the beach...looking towards the pier. Sadly, the race starts in 15 minutes, so I really do not have time to look for any of my friends and colleagues who are also running today.

A lot more people run the half than the full. Over 20,000 runners are registered for this race!

I'm in the first corral, ready to go!

I guess they expect me to finish this one under 1:45. Can I do it?