Almeria Half 2008 - last weekend in January

[Sweder]

I'd be very happy back at race HQ.
I'm sure there's a few good alternatives but unless someone (Antonio) is convinced there's a much better deal I'd vote for the Trypp.
I like the idea of walking to the race start too.

Probably best to book via the official site - I think Niguel (or was it Suzie) did that last time and saved a few sheckles.

[El Gordo]

Ok, motion carried. The Tryp Indalo it is then.

Personally I'll probably not book through the race site as it seemed a bit bureaucratic (surely not!) according to Antonio. It's cheap enough booking direct.

At this site Solmelia prices are currently 53 euros without breakfast and 64 with. So £35 to £45-ish a night.

[Sweder]

Confirmed - booked in for B&B.

Will fire an e-mail off to some of the JSJers (Rog, Moyleman et al) plus SP to see if anyone fancies joining the party. For those who've not been before the end of Jan may seem a long way off - but in terms of cheap flights we're already well into countdown mode . . .

[Antonio247]

At the Tryp hotel, there´s a special anniversary offer now. You can have a double room for free at the weekend. You have to spend 80 euros in catering each day. I don´t know if it is worth it.

If you´re interested, I can check it out. Sweder, if you like the offer, you could cancel the booking and change it for this.

See you soon

Antonio

[Sweder]

Does the offer still apply if one spends the 80 euros in Molly Malones?
If so, I'm up for it. If not, best the leave the booking as it stands. cheers

[Sweder]

A good friend of mine, Mr SAE, has just signed up for the trip from Gatwick. Not sure if he's doing the 10k or the half yet but hopefully he'll join up and let us know.

[Antonio247]

It will be a pleasure to meet your friend, Sweder. I hope he will also have a good time here.

Best of luck

[Sweder]

My mate Mr SAE dropped me a line today to advise that the 2008 site is now up and running. There's an on-line entry in Spanish, and on the old site in English - links below:

Main Race site with 2008 online entry (Spanish)
Main page with on line entry link (English) - 2007 version

It's not clear if you can use the online form in English from the 2007 web page for the 2008 race, but the forms appear to be identical. I'll give it a whirl and report back.

[Sweder]

OK, a bit of trial and error - but I appear to be IN!
I went for the Spanish language option in the end as it was all pretty straight forward - and there was no English language option on the 2008 site. Acceptance e-mail just received

http://www.mediomaratonalmeria.com/

As in previous years there are some anomolies on the registration form for overseas (UK) participants.

1) A couple of boxes require answers in local (Spanish) format. These are the postcode box - Codigal Postal - (which does not accept letters) and the Lic. federativa No. box. In both cases I used a made-up number - 71177. This worked. To be sure that anything posted gets to me I included my UK post code with my county (in the Provincia box).

2) Telephone numbers can only be 9 characters long. This procludes use of UK numbers but you do need to put a number in, so I lopped off a couple of digits to make the numbers fit.

If paying by credit card select the Tajeta Crédito - ON LINE option in the last drop-down box. This takes you to a fairly simple online payment page.

NB: If you don't have your own championchip a final screen pops up warning you that you are responsible for the chip if you lose it and that you should return it to the authorities after the race. There was a chip collection point in the tented area after the finish this year.

[Antonio247]

You must be the first to enter, Sw. Thanks for helping with the translation. I´ll try to get in touch with the organisation to translate it into English with Nigel´s help. Although this year it would be easier since there will be only changes in the dates and similar things.


Greetings from Almería


Antonio

[Antonio247]

As the day is getting near, I think we could arrange some things.

I´ll pick you up at the airport on Saturday. As this year I won´t be able to take you all in my car, I´ve asked Encarna, who took part in the 10 km race last year and this year is going to take part in the half marathon, to come with her car as well. After picking you up, we could go to the café by the sea where we went last year and have breakfast there. Afterwards, we could go somewhere in the nature for a stroll. Later, we can take you to your hotel. If you feel like having lunch or tapas in the city centre, we could go. Otherwise, we can meet in the afternoon to collect our race numbers, chips, goodie bags and the pasta dinner vouchers. We all could have dinner in the first shift, since you must be tired and then take you to your hotel.

On Sunday, we could meet to go to the stadium together. After the race, we could go to a restaurant to have lunch. I suggest going to Club de Mar, the one we went in 2005 and 2006, since this year the party is bigger and there some fellow runners such as Encarna, Guillermo and his wife or my wife coming as well and I think we´ll feel more comfortable there. I don´t know if Ana, her boyfriend and her boyfriend´s brother will be able to come too. Besides, at last year´s restaurant there are some works in the building and there is scaffolding outside.

I think we could preorder paella for half the people going so that each one has a small plate of paella in order not to get full and we could order some salad and some "raciones" of "fritura" (fried fish), prawns, pisto ( vegetables ) so that we all could try a little of everything. If you prefer something different, please tell me.

On Monday, shall we go to Baños de Sierra Alhamilla to run down to Pechina?


If you have any suggestions, I´d appreciate that you tell me.


Saludos desde Almería

[Sweder]

Thanks for kicking this off, Antonio.
Here's my thoughts:

Arrival - it is very good of you and Encarna to collect us from the airport. Since I know you will insist I won't try to talk you out of it! For numbers I think I have this correct:

Andy RC + M, Sweder + Mrs S, Moyleman + T, Steve - that's 7 people with luggage from the UK if I've not left anyone out. Steve is on the Stanstead flight but I think it arrives at a similar time to ours.

I'm sure we'd all like some breakfast!!! Mrs S is very interested in the Natural Park. There again, those of us running on Sunday won't want to walk too much. Moyleman and I were going to go for a 'leg-loosener' - a small, gentle jog - at some point; perhaps we will run to El Stadio for registration and the meal.

Pre-race evening meal - should we somehow let the people know we will have extra people coming to the pre-race meal at the stadium, or is it OK to buy extra tickets on the day? There will be three additonal people from the UK not running who will probably come along, plus Anna's boyfriend and brother.

Race Day - it would be great to have a meal together again after the race. It's a shame that last years' venue is not available - I think we all felt this was the perfect place. Our last visit to Club del Mar (in 2006) was not as good as the first one (in 2005); perhaps that was because of our experience with the wine, but I also felt we were not really welcome. It's only my opinion and I don't want to make extra work for anyone in finding another place, but I can't help feeling there must be somewhere we would feel a little more comfortable.

I propose a visit to visit Molly's on Sunday evening for a beer or two.

Monday - I really enjoyed our day last year - a late stroll to the beach front, eating racciones and drinking coffee. I really want to do the run to Pechina in the afternoon provided we're fit and well after the race - perhaps one or two people will join us. There is not a lot to do in Pechina unless you like to sit in the bar! so people who don't want to tumble down the desert mountain might like some 'free time' in Almería. We can meet up again in the evening, perhaps at Molly's. I'd really like to go to the Bull Fighters' Bar too.

[El Gordo]

First things first -- well done to Almeria, currently 10th out of 20 in La Liga.

Thanks for the offer of a lift from the airport, Antonio.

Breakfast is never a bad idea, whatever the time of day. I didn't mind the place we went last year, but if you can think of a good alternative, I'd be happy for a change.

As for the afternoon, it would be good to go somewhere "in the nature". We are all keen naturists. Alternatively, I know that M is keen to re-explore the shopping possibilities so I need to let her get on with it either Sat afternoon, or Monday, or both. Perhaps we can play that by ear.

After that, speaking personally, I wouldn't mind just getting back to the hotel and having a nap as I'll have been up since around 3 a.m., and will be knackered. More to the point, I need to finish my online tax return or I may get arrested and sent to prison when I arrive back at Gatwick.

The others may want to do something more active.

Agree with El Swedo that we need to be sure we can get our better halves into the pre-race meal.

I'm still unsure about the race. I've not been able to do any long runs in recent weeks, so the half may be a foolish idea. We'll see. I may have to settle for the 10K.

After the race, it's on to the main purpose of the weekend. A communal post-race meal is essential. I did enjoy the Club de Mar, particularly the first year, but to be honest, I enjoyed the restaurant last year rather more. If that's closed this year, can we find somewhere else that can accommodate us? I don't care too much about the cost, but it would be good to eat some decent food as we tend to snack a lot in Almeria.

Then the traditional evening of beer and football, with Mallorca v Atletico Madrid at 18:00. and Real Madrid v Villarreal at 20:00. That'll do.

Next day? Better play it by ear. I may have to be on hand to carry M's shopping round town. But in the evening? Sorry Antonio, it's your least favourite occasion of the year -- watching half a dozen drunken Brits crawl around the tapas bars of your fine town.

Needless to say, the Bullfighters' Bar and Molly's must receive appropriate homage.

Knee is buggered, but I can't wait.

Yours,

El Gordo

[Ana]

Everything sounds great!
For us there is a change in the plans. We will arrive by train, arrival at 14:55. If you are eating (sweder, in Spain we eat late), perhaps we can join you at the restaurant. Just, tell me the place and we will try to go there! I hope the restaurant will be near the train station. Otherwise, we can meet later, at the hotel.
Unfortunately we should work on monday and our train will depart at 16:00 on sunday our rehydratation-program will be urgently fast and fast, if we don't want to loose the train

[El Gordo]

Hey Ana, too bad that you can't stay for the main event. The "rehydratation program" is the highlight of the weekend -- and you were going to be the guest of honour this year.

We always have the pre-race meal at the stadium which happens at around 9pm on Saturday night. We must get you tickets if you haven't got them. Can Antonio help? Antonio -- are you able to reserve tickets in advance for Ana's party + the British womenfolk?

[Ana]

Hey Ana, too bad that you can't stay for the main event. The "rehydratation program" is the highlight of the weekend -- and you were going to be the guest of honour this year.

We always have the pre-race meal at the stadium which happens at around 9pm on Saturday night. We must get you tickets if you haven't got them. Can Antonio help? Antonio -- are you able to reserve tickets in advance for Ana's party + the British womenfolk?

Dear Andy!
I believe that we already have the tickets, because we have entered the HM! even if we will run the 10k, we are in the list of HM "Atletas",
Perhaps you also run with us the 10K! Great! I am still not sure that I will be able....well, let's see
.. and, yes...it is a pity that we can not stay more...

[Antonio247]

Well, I´m glad you all look so excited.

There´s no problem to have pasta dinner on Saturday evening for the non-runners. The tickets can be purchased when we get the race numbers and the goodie bags. Anyway, for 12 € which was the same fee for dinner for the non-runners last year, they could enter as if they were going to take part at the race and get the ticket and the T-shirt, bag of tomatoes and other things. They wouldn´t have to take part at the race. We´d tell them that they are injured or they could even do the 10 km walking if they felt like it. Nevertheless, I may get some free dinner tickets.

As Stevie´s plane arrives one hour late, we could go to the village near the airport and have some chocolate and churros or whatever you like for breakfast.

Ana, I don´t know if we´ll go to have some tapas or lunch on Saturday but I could meet you three at the train station and take you to the hotel or the place where we all are. However, I don´t know if I´ll recognise you but it can´t be difficult. Anyway, you probably know me from some photos.

As far as the restaurant on Sunday, I´ll try to work it out soon.


Best of luck

[Sweder]

I'm sure Ana will recognise you Antonio - your countenance will be familiar to anyone who has seen photographs of you It all sounds excellent to me, however the small details come out in the wash. The biggest hurdle will be collecting Moyleman and T from Brighton at . . . 4 am

[El Gordo]

Inspector Antonio on the case -- we're in safe hands, people.

El Gordo

[El Gordo]

I'm sure Ana will recognise you Antonio - your countenance will be familiar to anyone who has seen photographs of you It all sounds excellent to me, however the small details come out in the wash. The biggest hurdle will be collecting Moyleman and T from Brighton at . . . 4 am

I take it you're going straight to Gatwick and parking there? We'll be stopping over at the outlaws in Crawley again, and plan to get a taxi this time.

Re the pasta dinner tickets -- yes, best thing is for the non-runners to enter the race and get the tee-shirt (so to speak). We need to make sure we have reservations for the first sitting though. Last year we didn't all fit in.