Cliff Trombley was among 23,000 competitors involved in the 2012 Honda Los Angeles Marathon. It brought him to LA for a marathon that had him wondering how he was going to do.

He ended up competing in it with his son, which as it turned out, was a pretty good idea especially near the end of the marathon.

Out of the 23,000 people that were entered into the LA Marathon, about 4,000 of them didn’t finish.

Trombley was not one of them.

“I finished,” he said.

“That was my goal. My goal was to finish.”

Finishing apparently is no easy task. Trombley said that it took him up to five-and-a-half hours in order to complete.

Trombley said he was amazed with how many people he was surrounded by, both on the actual marathon, and watching from behind the barriers set up along the route.

“It’s literally thousands and thousands of people. I didn’t know what to expect in a marathon.”

He recalls bands along the barriers playing live music while the runners make their way up and down the route.

There were quite a few people watching.

“The spectators…I have no idea how many spectators. It’s kind of a blur. I couldn’t wait to get running.”

Trombley is proud of himself for completing the challenge, reiterating that he wasn’t sure at all, how he was going to do.

“I remember the start of it…I couldn’t wait to get running….it’s something I never would have thought I could have done.”

Among the sights of LA were Dodger Stadium, Old Chinatown and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

To get ready for the marathon, Trombley said he was getting ready for it five times per week at home before leaving for the States.

“It was an awesome experience.”