A Year Later in San Diego

Rain in SoCal (photo credit: Francisco Arcaut)

Yesterday, June 30, was my year anniversary of closing on my condo. I'd have to say my first year of condo ownership has been an exciting and tumultuous ride. There were highs and lows. I have learned a lot, especially since becoming the HOA Board President. Even though it is stressful to deal with repairs and owner concerns/attitudes/drama, I feel this is the best thing for me. I guess it's my way of keeping things in control. I am making sure that things are structurally sound. In the past year we have had repairs to our tile roof, the patio/door above my unit that was causing a leak and all four garden windows in the kitchens (including mine) have been re-flashed due to leaking. The rains were pretty heavy for San Diego standards this past Fall/Winter and we paid the price. Typically it doesn't rain as hard or as often, but for the past year (June 30-July 1, 2011) we received 12.65 inches of rain. I realize that doesn't sound like a lot, but for Southern California standards it is significant, but not excessive. Our average rainfall is 10.77 inches. Some years were as low as 4-6 inches since I have lived here. I remember 2004/2005 we had 20+ inches, which was extremely rare.

June 30 was also the day that I gave my notice at my previous job in Orange County. I was very unhappy living up there so I am so glad that everything happened the way it did. I started a contract job in mid-July, but received a full-time offer at the agency I work for now 2 days into my contract job. It was all meant to be. I am still standing after 1 year and hope to remain in this position for a very long time. It's time Anthony stays at a job for more than 1-2 years. It's time to really THRIVE at my career. So far, I am doing really well. My goal is to be promoted within the next 18 months. I do think it's possible. I tend to not stay around long enough to even be promoted. I enjoy my work now since I no longer have to be stuck in the tech B2B world. I get to work within health care marketing on the B2C side and also do some work within B2B in the construction industry. It's great that I am now expanding my experience within other industry verticals. For so long I was pigeon-holed within the B2B technology/software/hardware market.

Running-wise I am doing ok, but not great. I have been trying to do 4 runs a week with the longest runs around 8-9 miles. This past week I did 9.5 miles and maintained a 7:07 pace, which was decent. I have run faster runs though in training. At my peak in 2007 I was doing 15-20 mile runs around 6:55 pace. My hamstrings still ache and now my lower back is tight. I believe this is due to not sitting correctly at work and hunching over too much. I am trying to work on this and maintain proper posture. I have been able to maintain pace averages from as fast as 6:50-7:15 min/mile pace, which is typical for me. I still worry about how I would perform in a race. I am pondering doing a 5K race in a few weeks during San Diego Pride weekend. I also may do a half marathon in November. I am not ready to do a half marathon in August (America's Finest City Half Marathon). It has sold out so it makes the decision easier for me. In terms of a marathon, I may try to do the Carlsbad Marathon in January, or Long Beach Marathon in Oct. Not sure yet. My body is just not like it used to be. I'm not as resilient.

One last mention about the entire patio/door repair. Last Friday, June 24, we did a water test to make sure the door was installed correctly and that no water would get through. Well, after a few minutes of spraying at the threshold of the door, water leaked through! I couldn't fucking believe it. I was actually really sad. After 7 weeks, I thought this mess was over with. The contractor had no explanation since he wasn't here when his subcontractors installed it. Once again, showing why we should have NEVER hired this guy. He was not involved enough and on site enough to monitor the job and the careless people he hired to do it.

After about 20 min of pressure spraying we determined that the under the threshold of the door there was not enough polyurethane put in, therefore creating a gap where water could leak through. VERY BASIC STUFF! I was outraged that such a careless mistake could be made, especially knowing that was one of the EXACT SAME PROBLEM we had with the previous door. Of course there were other issues like the fact that the door was never installed correctly or flashed correctly to begin with. The other issue we determined with this door is that the area where the bottom of the door meets the threshold, water gets through. So the manufacturer had to be called and after 5 days has finally called us back and are going to come here on Tues, July 5 to fix it. I am also involving the contractor to make sure everything is done correctly. We have a 5 year warranty on the weatherproofing system.

I have already started to have the ceiling and walls repaired, finally, after 6 months of the walls and ceilings of being open. I was waiting for the patio to be complete before starting. I didn't anticipate the water test to go poorly so the work was already scheduled for the day after the test. It's ok since it doesn't rain here in the summers and I KNOW they will be plugging up the leak under the door next week. As you can see from the photo on the left, the drywall has been installed. Now the guy we hired just have to finish with the spray texture this weekend. Then I will prime and paint the area.

Physical Therapy and running tally ending Aug 16, 2009

Last Tuesday (Aug 11) I had my first physical therapy session for my injured lower calf. You can read more details here about my doctor's visit on July 31. It was hard to pinpoint exactly where the pain source was since I hadn't run in a few days. We eventually found it. My physical therapist did a deep tissue massage on that leg for about 15 min. It hurt like hell. She said my calf is extremely tight and as it gets looser the pain will not be as bad. Also, I will need to do sets of stretching exercises for my calf before I run. Each stretch I have to hold for 30 seconds and do it at least 2-3 times. I will have to really focus on stretching BEFORE and AFTER each run. I have to admit that previously I would stretch, but not to the extent that she wants me to do now.

Here is my run tally but I will not total it until I am consistently running. This is what I have not posted since the last chart that was posted on my July, 20, 2009 entry.

Date	Time	Mileage	Min/ Mile	Notes	HR Max	HR Ave
July 25, 2009	32:08	4.87	6:35	Not sure my pace was accurate as I have had calibration issues with my Nike +. I have to re-calibrate I think. Also the HR watch was off. I don't think I was at 177 bpm!	177 (95%)	164 (88%)
July 29, 2009	29:03	4.07	7:07	I ran slower today. I wasn't feeling it.	159 (85%)	149 (80%)
Aug 1, 2009	31:17	4.57	6:50	Doctor said to run slower so I did slow down a little. I ran mostly on grass.	174 (93%)	162 (87%)
Aug 4, 2009	30:28	4.35	7:00	I fixed the calibration issue and re-calibrated. I think this was more accurate now.	165 (86%)	156 (83%)
Aug 6, 2009	31:19	4.39	7:08	On doctor's orders he told me to run slower. So I did. It felt ok. Ran mostly on grass.	162 (87%)	151 (81%)
Aug 8, 2009	33:05	5.0	6:36	Ran too fast. I think the watch was off still.	177 (95%)	159 (85%)
Aug 9, 2009	26:46	3.87	6:55	Ran slower but wanted to be around 7:00 pace, a tad fast. HR was not working on watch so I estimated. It was reading 213 bpm, which is an error or I would not be typing this right now. I would be dead.	170 (91%)	160 (85%)
Aug 12, 2009	45:27	6.60	6:52	After stretching extensively for 3 min each calf (per my PT) and also doing my hamstrings I ran along the Back Bay in Newport up through UC Irvine and back along the river/back bay. It was mostly on dirt. My leg felt better after a mile. It was a rough run as I have not done over 5 in a while so I was fatigued. I iced the calf after and felt ok. I thought I would be slower. I need to consciously slow down for now on.	174 (94%)	161 (86%)
Aug 15, 2009	41:36	6.09	6:49	After 2 days off from running and one day from complete exercise I felt ok on this run. I was in San Diego so I ran down through Balboa Park and back up to Hillcrest. I felt ok and stretched a lot before and after. My HR got too high but it was a bit warm and I ran at 11AM instead of a lot earlier as I had planned.	176 (94%)	160 (86%)

I have determined I won't be able to get my mileage up to complete the full marathon at Long Beach Marathon, so I will most likely do the half (13.1 miles). Then I will train to do Carlsbad Marathon on January 24, 2010. Then hopefully I can run a time to get me into Boston Marathon for April 2010 since my qualification expired this year since I didn't use it. That's the plan. I hope my body can cooperate.

Too Much Too Soon - Running Injury Update

I haven't posted a training log for the week ending July 26 since I haven't done a lot of running since then. The issue I was having with my lower right calf has been identified. Basically I caused this injury from overuse and there is soft tissue damage. I did too much too soon too fast after not running for 3 weeks straight due to my appendectomy on June 9.

The sports medicine doctor who I saw yesterday (7/31) told me that I have a strain at the junction of the gastrocnemius soleus muscle tendon. I really need to study more leg anatomy so I can self-diagnose and save a doctor's trip. Kidding. Anyway, he said I can still run but I need to take it easy. He ordered physical therapy for 6-8 weeks going 1-3 times a week. My insurance will cover this at $20 per session. Each session is 1 hour 15 min. I'll probably just go once per week. He said they can massage it and do an ultrasound as well as iontophoresis. I didn't even know what it was so I checked Google.

In layman's terms iontophoresis is "a technique generally used in physical therapy to get drugs such as lidocaine and dexamethasone into one's body by using an electric current. The benefits of using this technique are that a smaller amount of the drug is used, but a higher concentration reaches the affected area. The main use of iontophoresis in physical therapy is to reduce inflammation in a musculoskeletal injury." Credit to the Associated Content site where I found the info. I'm not sure how this will all play out, but it can't hurt to try it and I am glad I have insurance that will cover a procedure like this. Although, the physical therapy center may or may not follow the doctor's recommendations.

I started out going very easy on my run today but felt this surge of energy. It was probably from the coffee I drank. Usually I drink decaf but I ran out, so caffeinated it was!. I ended up running 4.57 miles at a 6:50 pace. I should have gone slower but felt too good. My heart rate got too high at 174 bpm (93% of max) and I averaged 162 (87%). I ran mostly on grass sections of a park, but half the run was on concrete and streets. My elevated HR was due to running at mid-day in the sun. Higher body temps= higher HR while exercising. I should have ran earlier but was on the phone with a friend on the East coast so I had a later start than what I am typically used to.

I asked the doctor what my chances of doing the Long Beach Marathon on Oct 11 were, and he said to just take it day by day and see how I feel in a month. I do need to hold off on the miles now. I decided I will run every other day or so depending on how I feel. I may run again tomorrow since my leg feels fine and I iced immediately after. The ice therapy seems to work. I need to ice immediately after for 15 min for it to be effective. So far so good.

I definitely yearn to get back to my sub-3:00 times. I know I have it in me. I definitely think I am capable of a low 2:50 marathon. I haven't competed in a marathon since I ran 2:57:41 at the Rock n Roll Marathon on June 7, 2007. You can read more and see a finish photo on this post. I hope I can get back to this level of competition soon. I know I will, it's just going to take time to get my miles back up and remain uninjured. The good news is that running paces around 6:30-6:50 per mile are not difficult now so the chances of me finishing another sub-3 hour marathon are very good (in my opinion!). I've done it twice so far so hopefully 3 times a charm!

I recently changed running shoes. As of early June I have been running in the Mizuno Wave Inspire 5. Previously I was used the Mizuno Wave Nirvana 4, but the guy at Road Runner Sports told me that I needed a shoe not at the top of the stability scale. He said the Nivana is too much shoe for my gait and pronation. I had been wearing the Nirvana for over 4 years. It seemed to be working for me. Now my gait has been corrected. I was so pumped when I ran in the Inspire for the first time. I felt like I was running on clouds. I felt light on my feet. I guess the Nirvana is a lot heavier at 12.9 ounces compared to the Inspire's 11.3 ounces. It does make a big difference. I can feel it.

Weekly Running Tally - ending June 28, 2009

Each Sunday I will do an entry that will add up all my runs for the previous week and post my thoughts on my progress. My goal is to be in marathon shape by mid-October. I am contemplating doing the Long Beach Marathon on Oct 11 this year. Click here to see my training log from when I did the 2005 Long Beach Marathon. I believe I can do it if not other injuries surface between now and then. My current injuries seem to have subsided. I don't have a pain in my Achilles anymore and I don't have that stubborn pain in my hamstring that has haunted me since Dec 2007 and caused me to not run a marathon in all of 2008 and so far this year (missed Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon and Boston Marathon this year. I have my fingers crossed for a healthy recovery.

Date	Time	Mileage	Min per Mile	Observations
June 22, 2009	31:25	4.2	7:20	First Run post-appendectomy. It felt like my insides were gong to fall out of me. It was painful but I made it through. HR max=172 BPM (91% of max), HR ave=151 (81% of max).
June 22, 2009	32:44	4.8	6:47	What a difference a day makes. I was 30 seconds faster per mile on this run and I felt a lot better. Not much abdominal pain. My heart rate reached a very high level. Probably due to running so much faster just a day later. Maybe the watch was off too. HR max=179 BPM (96% of max), HR ave=159 (85% of max)
June 25, 2009	28:08	4.0	7:02	I ran in the morning today since I had something to go to after work. I had a pain in my right leg that felt like radiating nerve pain. It went away after about 8 minutes. HR max=175 BPM (94% of max), HR ave=158 (84% of max).
June 26, 2009	33:47	4.83	6:58	Longest run yet. I still had the pain in my right leg but it went away after about 6-7 min of running. I ran along Bayside and into some private seaside neighborhoods. HR max=187 BPM (100% of max), HR ave=149 (80% of max).
June 27, 2009	31:09	4.56	6:49	I ran in the mid-morning since it was Saturday. I got the nerve pain slightly, not as bad but it was still there. It went away after 5 min of running. HR max=178 BPM (95% of max), HR ave=159 (85% of max).
June 28, 2009	29:04	4.35	6:40	Fastest run yet. I felt good. I ran on a sunny, Sunday afternoon. I added a hill that was about .3 miles long. I felt strong. No abdominal pain and not much nerve pain. I stretched a lot before, that probably helped. HR max=171 BPM (91% of max), HR ave=158 (84% of max).
Week Ending June 28, 2009	---	26.74	---	Not bad for considering I had my appendix taken out on June 9!

In other non-running news, yesterday I had a great time hanging out with my friend Newell. We took the Balboa Island Ferry over to the peninsula and boggie boarded. The waves crash very close to shore so basically you drop 2-3 feet each time you catch a wave. The positive is that you can ride many waves. The negative is that you can get hurt and it's very voilent if you catch a wave the wrong way.

I got thrown down by a wave that crashed directly behind me (I was trying to avoid the wave) and bruised my arm and slammed by butt on the sand underwater. Water went up my nose and in my ear. It was ok though. I stopped boarding at that point. I noticed you have to use your abs a lot for paddling to catch waves so since I am still sore and my doctor said I cannot do any type of ab exercises I called it a day and laid out on the beach. I hope to board some more when J**** comes into town on Thursday for the holiday weekend.

San Diego weekend coming to a close

On Friday afternoon I drove down to San Diego since I needed to pack up and sell my bed and dresser. I also wanted to spend time with friends as I know no one in Newport Beach yet. I left Irvine at 2:45pm or so. The drive took almost 3 hours! I should have waited until 7pm, but my manager let me leave early. I should have left at noon or something. I just felt bad leaving so early during my first week.

It was a long drive but was happy to be back to San Diego and hang with friends for the weekend. On Friday night I went to Bourbon Street with Newell, Ryan and Justin. It was ok, kind of dead and many more lesbians than usual. Then on Saturday I organized stuff for a while and then went walking around Balboa Park with my friend Ryan. I am going to miss that park and all of the beautiful scenery, the flowers, greenery, etc, etc. Before I left for the walk, I posted my bed and dresser on Craigslist and within 20 min I was already getting calls so after our walk I rushed home to get rid of the bed ($45) and then later that night the dresser ($25). I should have priced them a little higher as I received at least 15 phone calls. That's the beauty of Craigslist. You can buy or get rid of something very easily. I thought it was going to be a stuggle to get rid of the bed. I was so wrong!

Yesterday I went to a BBQ with my ex-coworker Suzanne in South Park. It was great. The food was good as I really craved meat, so I got to eat some nice chicken. I also had this amazing Julian apple crumb pie and brownies! I did not run on Saturday due to my achilles (or a tendon around that area) still being sore from my Thursday night run in Newport (I did and out and back 7.2 mile run along the Pacific Coast Highway). I ran 5.3 miles yesterday (Sun) around my neighborhood here in University Heights. It was good as I did not feel too much pain and did 6:52 pace according to the Nike sensor. Oh, I need to replace the sensor soon since the battery is low (as displayed on the screen). I hope it is not $30 and I can just buy another sensor for less. Today I did not run but walked with Justin in Pacific Beach down the boardwalk. The sun finally peaked out at 3:30pm finally (typical May gray pattern in San Diego).

I still (5pm) have not packed up my car. I was able to put books in boxes and pack kitchen stuff and most of my clothes. I am coming back down next weekend to wrap it up. I still need to water plants next weekend as one of the last apartment manager duties. It was a good gig doing it as it didn't take too long to maintain the grounds, etc. I am going to miss San Diego a lot, but I am only a 90 min drive away (without traffic!).

I also found out that my friend Ivan and his ex-boyfriend Mahesh live in Irvine! Mahesh works in the same office park that I do! Thanks to Facebook I was able to find Mahesh and then I wrote Ivan, who I have not spoken to since 2006. It is great to have friends in the area. I missed them a lot.

On a random note: Mahesh took photos of me at the 2005 Long Beach Marathon (above is one). Ivan was living in Long Beach back then since he was going to UC Irvine at the time and has since graduated. Anyway, the photos were very good. He really captured the struggle and exhaustion he was going through at the finish line. I ran 3:09 that year (not the best time for me, but middle of the road). I have since run faster than that, but that year I had not trained to my utmost capacity. So I was happy to squeak in under 3:10.