I phoned the organisers this morning and they told me that Almería half marathon will be on 1st February next year.
There´s a problem with the flights. Right now, you can only fly from Gatwick to Almería on Fridays or Sundays with Easyjet. The crisis! Another possibility would be getting to Alicante, Murcia or Málaga and come to Almería by car.
It would be great if you could come but I understand that it may mean more trouble for all of you.
If you decide to come, I´ll be very glad to help you in anything you need.
As for flights, let's wait and see. We usually have this crisis but then the schedules seem to change around November, with the Saturday flight restored. If the Saturday flight really is unavailable, SP could be shipped over in a crate, and the rest of us will come up with something.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
I'm very undecided about Almeria...what with the London marathon in April. But that said, keep me posted on what's happening as you never know! And with SP planning on coming, even more incentive...
Hmm, we may have to confront the possibility that plane times really have changed this time. A bit of research confirms what Antonio says, that the current timetable shows that in January and February, there is no outward flight to Almeria on the Saturday, and no return flights apart from Sunday and Friday.
So it may well be that we have to change our routine this year. One option is to go out to Almeria on the Friday, and get to some other airport on the Tuesday for the return. Or to stick with Saturday - Tuesday, but move the arrival/destination point elsewhere. If the latter, here are the options:
----------------------------------------------------------- Murcia: 233km from Almeria, driving time 2 hours 26m
From Gatwick, Saturday 31 Jan:
Either
7:45 arr 11:15 (Monarch)
OR
12:15 arr 15:45 (EasyJet)
Return to Gatwick, Tues 3 Feb:
20:00 arr 21:30
total cost approx £55
===================================================
Malaga 203km from Almeria, driving time 2 hours 53m
Saturday:
07:15 arr 11:00 (Monarch)
OR
10:05 arr 13:50 (EasyJet)
OR
10:20 arr 14:10 (British Airways)
OR
14:25 arr 18:05 (EasyJet)
OR
16:25 arr 20:05 (EasyJet)
---------------------------
Return Tuesday:
12:00 arr 13:30 (Monarch)
OR
15:00 arr 16:45 (British Airways)
OR
15:15 arr 17:05 (EasyJet)
OR
20:55 arr 22:45 (EasyJet)
total cost approx £55-£100 depending on combination of flights.
=========================================
I quite like the idea of getting a later flight and driving for a couple of hours. It means we get to Almeria later than usual, so the usual Saturday breakfast with Antonio wouldn't happen, but at least we wouldn't feel quite as wiped out as usual through Saturday. Also quite like the possibility of a longer lie-in on Tuesday and a later flight.
Any thoughts?
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
The route shown in that map is partially through a toll motorway. It´s cheaper and shorter via Murcia which is a free motorway. You can have a look at Via Michelin. I don´t know how to bring it here.
I'm unhelpfully ambivalent about routings, other than to say I favour Gatwick for obvious reasons. Traveling on Friday poses problems, plus it means we're in Almeria on Friday and Saturday night with little prospect of a beer (for the runners). Not in itself prohibitive but it must be factored in :o
If Easyjet hang on in there - and there's no guarantee they will just at the moment; watch for news of another Gatwick-based carrier in touble very soon - and don't reinstate the Almeria services we'll need to get confirmed numbers early in order to calculate care/ people carrier space. I'd be happy to drive a seven-seater/ minibus (presuming they're available at one or all mentoned airports).
Anyone else have any thoughts about this?
I'll post a summary in the JSJers thread as I know one or two are keen.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
stillwaddler Wrote:however, we have some friends who are just returning to southern Spain to live, so might be able to stay just outside Malaga and then drive?
El Gordo, Iove your new look - was the face lift very expensive :RFLMAO:
SuzieQ congratulations on getting in to FLM, you must be the only person I know who got a place, perhaps overseas entry is easier???
Face lift? I told you I've had a healthy week -- glad you like the result.
Would be great to see you in Almeria SW, though you have to stay in the town and have the regulation 2 drunken nights. Them's the rules.
I think Suzie gets a package that guarantees race entry for London. A bit like New York, it's easier to get in if you're a foreigner.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Sweder Wrote:I'm unhelpfully ambivalent about routings, other than to say I favour Gatwick for obvious reasons. Traveling on Friday poses problems, plus it means we're in Almeria on Friday and Saturday night with little prospect of a beer (for the runners). Not in itself prohibitive but it must be factored in :o
If Easyjet hang on in there - and there's no guarantee they will just at the moment; watch for news of another Gatwick-based carrier in touble very soon - and don't reinstate the Almeria services we'll need to get confirmed numbers early in order to calculate care/ people carrier space. I'd be happy to drive a seven-seater/ minibus (presuming they're available at one or all mentoned airports).
Anyone else have any thoughts about this?
I'll post a summary in the JSJers thread as I know one or two are keen.
Agree that a Friday arrival isn't ideal, so I won't argue for it -- and in any case we'd still have to get to one of the other airports to get away as there's no Almeria-LGW flight until the following Friday.
Like you Sweder, I've no obvious preference though would probably rule out Alicante as it's a bit further away. Murcia or Malaga for me. Antonio -- any pros and cons to consider when choosing between those two...?
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Like SW, I too like your new look EG. Can hardly wait to see you in person!
I'm still undecided about whether I can swing two trips to London within a few months; but if I do go, a Saturday departure from London would work the best (Sweder has a good point about the lack of beer for two nights in a row, I don't know if we could do that!:p).
I do get an automatic entry into the London marathon through the overseas tour company. Costs more, but I'm in.
It would be great if you could come to Almería, Suzie, although I understand that two trips two London in just three months can be too much.
Stillwaddler, it would also be fantastic if you both could come. However, I think that getting from Málaga on the same day would be too risky since the road is not all of it a motorway and finding the stadium could take some time. So, you would have to leave to early on Sunday. You would enjoy more if you spent Saturday night at least at the hotel in Almería so that we all could meet to pick up the race numbers, the bag with the T-shirt, the box of tomatoes ... and have the pasta dinner at the top of the stadium.
El Gordo, Murcia airport is better communicated with Almería than Málaga airport. Although it is a bit farther, just 20 km, there is a free motorway.
I´m looking forward to seeing all of you by the end of January.
Murcia sounds the better bet - this helps us narrow things down a little.
I'll contact Steve Sheekey today and see if he's coming (and if so with others as he had suggested might be the case). He'll almost certainly fly from Stanstead again as it's much closer to his home.
Probables
El Gordo
Sweder +1
Seafront Plodder
Ladyrunner
GaryChristie
Steve Sheekey
Thinking About It:
Stillwaddler
Mr SW
Steve Scott (Stevio)
Suzie Q
Niguel
Gillybean
I'll add to these/ change status as and when.
Are we decided on a team hotel? I can't remember the outcome of the last discussion (it was probably on that fateful Lewes v Ebbsfleet afternoon) :o
If so we should, perhaps via Antonio, give them an idea of numbers for the RC party. That way if folks can commit by a given date (say 1st November) we can ensure we're all at HQ. Who knows? We might even manage to get a better deal for a large party/ early booking. Worth a try.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Good point well made - no reason non-runners shouldn't come along, although it is very much a running weekend, albeit surrounded by a good deal of eating and drinking. And a bit of televised Spanish footie. But - ahem - the focus is definitely running. I think.
It worked really well this year - Shayne, M and Tina hung out, drank coffee, ate churros, did some cheerleading and hit the shops on those occasions that we ran or indulged in Molly's. They also draggede Mrs Anlu out to Molly's for a particularly pleasant evening. No reason that wouldn't work again this time, though I've yet to speak with Mrs S about it.
I'll add +1 as and when I hear anything. Update - I've now 'heard something' - Mrs S is keen to go provided she's not the only non-runner there.
I've assured her she won't be because SP's going :RFLMAO:
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Aye, I was going to say, shouldn't that read "Seafront Plodder +guest" :o
Last year was partnerish, and pretty successful, but M is looking unlikely to appear this time as it clashes with a 50th we've been invited to (and which I still have to negotiate round). But there's no rule. Partners are welcome but not obligatory.
Niguel -- whatever became of the fellow? It would be good to have him make a rare cameo, and once again open doors with his silky linguistic skills.
If we tentatively go for Murcia, the next question is which flight? There are two outward flights from LGW:
How nice to get a midday flight, though we wouldn't be arriving in Almeria much before 7.30pm, which may be cutting it a bit fine.
Not keen on the early departures though I guess it would allow us to meander a bit on the drive to Almeria, stop off for breakfast somewhere, and still get to Almeria late afternoon with enough time to veg out for a couple of hours before the registration ritual.
As for hotels, did we want to try somewhere differerent, or are we happy with the Tryp Indalo? Again, I don't mind either way. I'm pretty happy with the Tryp, but perhaps Antonio can advise if we should be thinking of somewhere else? That said, I know it's tough to recommend hotels in your home town as you never actually stay in them.
Just had a look at TripAdvisor and the Tryp comes out 5th out of 54, and is cheaper than those above it. It would get my vote, but I'm easily persuaded if someone has a better idea. Remember we'll have transport this year which may make a difference.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Another possibility would be getting to Alicante, Murcia or Málaga and come to Almería by car.
I told you I've had a healthy week -- glad you like the result.
