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XXI Medio maratón ciudad de Almería 4th February 2018
This year I was worried because one week before the race I felt some pain in my left calf while I was training with Felipe. I put on some foam (Algesal) in my stiff muscles every day.I had tried to get a massage but it was all booked because of the race on Sunday. On Thursday before the race, I went for a short slow run to check how I was and I still felt a little pain. The day before the race I went with Felipe for another short run feeling better.
The race day arrived and I went to the race with the only aim to be able to get to the finish without suffering as much as last year. So, I didn't make the same mistake and I started slower trying to enjoy the race. I went with David S. to the start line but we got to the place where the 9 K runners were. I realised because Fátima, a friend who works as a nurse at the hospital I sometimes go to teach ill students, greeted me and I asked her if she was going to do the half as well. So, we went ahead with the half marathon runners where we saw OATR. In kilometre one I met Alberto, from Alicante, who usually wears a hat with the Spanish flag.I also met Jose A., a colleague. We went together two kilometres talking and met Ron, from Steve's group at the beginning of the hill in kilometre 3. I told José A. to go faster since I preferred to keep my strength for the last kilometres. At kilometre 4 I met Antonio G., who is going to be my relay mate at the Moyleman, and Rosa and Lely. After kilometre 5 I met Kim, who is from Scotland, but lives in Aguadulce, near Almería. She had a terrible pain in one of her legs and had to leave the race. I stopped to help her and went on to reach Louise and another mate from Steve's group. We went together a few kilometres but I and her friend couldn't keep Louise's pace. I reached Rosa, who was then running alone, and we went at the same pace all the course. On the way to Pescadería, near Nicolás Salmerón park, I greeted a few runners who were on their way back such as David, OATR, Brian, Naomi, Camilla, Jennifer, other runners from Steve's group with their blue T-shirts, friends from Almería ... At avenida Cabo de Gata, near where we live, my wife cheered me and took a few snaps and near the first stadium my brother also cheered and took a few pics.There, I also saw Juanjo, a friend of mine, who was helping as a volunteer. After going out of the first stadium and getting to avenida Cabo de Gata again, I knew that I had only five kilometres left and I felt fine. Rosa and I went at a pace that allowed us to talk and even pass a few runners who were more tired or with problems. We cheered them saying that the finish was very close. It was wonderful to reach the stadium feeling well. My real time was 2 hours 20 minutes 13 seconds, one minute 42 seconds less than last year but feeling fine. In the sports pavillion I met Felipe, who got a third prize in his category, Santi who had done the 9 k with his wife, Jose R, my nephew Luis who did the 9 k with Sweder's race number, because when he decided to take part to keep company to a friend who had had cancer the entries weren't allowed, Isabel and his husband Alberto who had done the half marathon ...
I am really happy to have been able to finish my sixteenth consecutive half marathon in my hometown and share so many moments with the big group that came here this year. It’s been an amazing weekend which I’d love to be able to share with as many people as possible but I must learn to run more wisely from less to more and I shouldn’t be obsessed with getting a PB but enjoy the race as much as possible.
Saludos desde Almería
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XXI Medio maratón ciudad de Almería 4th February 2018
