Car accident and changing my marathon plans
Today I got into a car accident on Balboa Island just a few blocks down from my apt. The island is made up of very narrow streets and alleys (kind of like some European streets). I was driving around 8:15am on the main street Park Ave. I was only going about 20 mph and an older gentleman in an SUV came barreling out of a side alley on my right-hand side. He clearly didn't look to his left as he would have seen me. It's hard to see though if you don't inch your way out enough to see past the cars parked on Park.
After he sped out of the alley I immediately saw him and I reacted quickly, swerving to my left and over the median. I definitely prevented a much larger accident as I only braised his left front bumper. If I had tried to stop I would have gone right into the driver's side of the car, potentially hurting him or even worse. I was lucky since there were no palm trees on that particular stretch of the median strip. My front left tire didn't fare as well. The wheel was bent from driving over the curb and the tire was ripped to shreds in certain spots. I called AAA since I have the AAA Premier membership. I get free towing up to 200 miles per incident and a free rental for 24 hours! It only cost $102 a year and IT IS WORTH EVERY DIME!
They came out within 30 min and changed my tire to my spare instead of towing it. Then I drove to the Firestone in Costa Mesa. I got picked up and brought to the Enterprise and selected my car and drove to work by 10:30am. What a morning! I pick up my car tomorrow at Firestone. The repairs came to over $400 since I had to replace both front tires, the wheel, get an alignment and a new hubcap. He said he would pay for everything. I am lucky as I needed new front tires anyway. Sometimes these situations work out.
Running Update
In my previous post I said I would try to do the Carlsbad Marathon on Jan 24, 2010 in order to re-qualify for Boston Marathon, which is on April 19, 2010.
I found out about the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach only a few weeks later on Feb 7, 2010 (SuperBowl Sunday). That is only 15 min north and much more convenient. I was at physical therapy last night and was chatting with my therapist about my plans to do Carlsbad. Then this other patient there said the Surf City Marathon was a lot faster and flatter than Carlsbad. I definitely agree.
I must re-qualify for Boston Marathon at this race by running a 3:10:59 or faster. If I am healthy it shouldn't be a problem considering I have run under 3:10 at 6 of the 10 marathons I have run so far, with two of them under 3:00. I just need to stay healthy and LISTEN TO MY BODY!
I feel confident that my PT sessions are helping me. I am doing all the right things by running every other day. I am stretching and I am icing. Everything I should be doing. In a few more weeks I may be able to add another day to my training so I will be up to 4 days of running per week... hopefully.
After he sped out of the alley I immediately saw him and I reacted quickly, swerving to my left and over the median. I definitely prevented a much larger accident as I only braised his left front bumper. If I had tried to stop I would have gone right into the driver's side of the car, potentially hurting him or even worse. I was lucky since there were no palm trees on that particular stretch of the median strip. My front left tire didn't fare as well. The wheel was bent from driving over the curb and the tire was ripped to shreds in certain spots. I called AAA since I have the AAA Premier membership. I get free towing up to 200 miles per incident and a free rental for 24 hours! It only cost $102 a year and IT IS WORTH EVERY DIME!
They came out within 30 min and changed my tire to my spare instead of towing it. Then I drove to the Firestone in Costa Mesa. I got picked up and brought to the Enterprise and selected my car and drove to work by 10:30am. What a morning! I pick up my car tomorrow at Firestone. The repairs came to over $400 since I had to replace both front tires, the wheel, get an alignment and a new hubcap. He said he would pay for everything. I am lucky as I needed new front tires anyway. Sometimes these situations work out.
Running Update
In my previous post I said I would try to do the Carlsbad Marathon on Jan 24, 2010 in order to re-qualify for Boston Marathon, which is on April 19, 2010.
I found out about the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach only a few weeks later on Feb 7, 2010 (SuperBowl Sunday). That is only 15 min north and much more convenient. I was at physical therapy last night and was chatting with my therapist about my plans to do Carlsbad. Then this other patient there said the Surf City Marathon was a lot faster and flatter than Carlsbad. I definitely agree.I must re-qualify for Boston Marathon at this race by running a 3:10:59 or faster. If I am healthy it shouldn't be a problem considering I have run under 3:10 at 6 of the 10 marathons I have run so far, with two of them under 3:00. I just need to stay healthy and LISTEN TO MY BODY!
I feel confident that my PT sessions are helping me. I am doing all the right things by running every other day. I am stretching and I am icing. Everything I should be doing. In a few more weeks I may be able to add another day to my training so I will be up to 4 days of running per week... hopefully.
Labels: AAA, Balboa Island, Boston Marathon, car accident, Carlsbad Marathon, Enterprise, Firestone, Surf City Marathon
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