Objective : Valencia half marathon

[Antonio247]

Gracias, Ana. I´m very glad you all will be able to come to Almería next year as well. We´ll have to close a restaurant for the post race meal.

Greetings to Jorge and Javier.

Recuerdos desde Almería.

[Antonio247]

After 16 days without running, I decided to go for a run this morning. I hadn´t gone because I thought I could injure my left knee, so I went on a bicycle ride several days instead.

This morning I left at 6:30 and started running from the Almadrabillas splanade. It was still dark. The temperature indicator showed 19º Celsius. I went along the sea front as far as the end of the first part, around 1800 metres in 13 minutes and a half. There I stopped to do some stretching and abdominal workout. Then, I came back in the same time and continued until I did 19 minutes. In all, around 4 km. I did some more stretching and abdominals. I felt all right. No pain in my left knee.

[El Gordo]

Well done Antonio; glad that your knee is holding up.

[Antonio247]

Gracias, EG. I´m glad yours is also better.

[Antonio247]

This morning I went for a run at 11 am. I started at the esplanade. It was a beautiful sunny morning. 24º Celsius. I went towards the port, along Nicolás Salmerón park. Then I went up avenida del Mar to reach the Alcazaba where at the gate there was a group of elderly people listening to the guide who was telling them that Almería comes from the Arabic word Almariya which means “The mirror”. He added that it was known as the sea mirror. After that, I went down calle Real where another group of elderly tourists was going down towards the cathedral. I reached the park again and got to the esplanade. As I felt all right, I continued as far as the sea the beginning of the sea front and came back to the esplanade where I did some stretching and some abdominal workout. I all, I did around five kilometres in around 40 minutes. I didn´t wear my stopwatch because a strap had broken so I don´t know the exact time. I liked the experience of running without knowing the time or pace.

[Antonio247]

This morning I left at 8 am. It was a bit windy although the temperature was 19º Celsius. I went along carretera de Sierra Alhamilla as far as the avenida del Mediterráneo bridge. Then I went down avenida del Mediterráneo as far as the end of the sea front. I stopped after 3.5 km and 25´30´´. There I did some stretching and abdominal workout. After that, I went along the sea front as far as the splanade in 18 minutes completing 21 minutes to bank 6 km and 46 minutes. Then, I did some more stretching and abdominals.

At the beginning I had felt some discomfort in my left knee but it went away after a few minutes jogging. It also happened after the break at the sea front although it also went away soon.

[Sweder]

Up to 6 kms Anlu . . . sounds like you're making very good progress.
It looks like we will have quite a group coming to Almeria next year!

Saludos desde Lewes

[Antonio247]

2nd November
This weekend we stayed in our flat in Roquetas de Mar. I went out of the resort along the gate by the sea front. I walked along the promenade as far as the new one. I had to cross along the beach since there was a lot of water at the “rambla”, sort of usually dry watercourse. Actually, the previous day it had rained not too much but in a constant way but on Sunday it was a sunny day. There were many people walking, jogging or riding on bicycle. I jogged along the sea front and then I took a lane for pedestrians – there´s also a bicycle lane - and after thatI took a dirt track by the sea as far as the beginning of Aguadulce sea front. It took me 33 minutes. There I did some stretching and abdominal workout. The distance must be around four kilometres. Then, I came back but instead of taking the pedestrian lane, I went along a dirt track with some puddles and again the sea front in 34 minutes. However, when I wanted to cross the beach, there was an opening with a lot of water going to the sea. So, I had to go along another track towards the road where I crossed the bridge and went down to the sea front where my flat is. It took me 12 more minutes. So, in all, I did 78 minutes and about 10 km, which is really good since I hadn´t run for more than one hour for a few weeks. I did some stretching and abdominals to finish. I felt some discomfort in my leg knee at the beginning but it wasn´t much

[Sweder]

Antonio, is the Sierra Almahilla race on this year?
If so, when is it? I seem to remember it was in November . . .

[Antonio247]

Well, it is an "informal" race which is usually held on the last Sunday before Christmas, so this year it must be on 21st December. I´d completely forgotten that race which has become a tradition. I´d like to take part this year as well if I´m not injured.

[Antonio247]

4th November

At 7: 30 a.m. I left from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla this morning. It was a nice day. The temperature 14º Celsius. I went up La Rambla as far as carretera de Granada but instead of going down, I decided to go along that street to cross carretera de Ronda and reach avenida del Mediterráneo. Then, I went down that avenue passing by hotel Tryp Indalo and crossed carretera de Níjar. I went down avenida del Mediterráneo and crossed the bridge to go down carretera de Sierra Alhamilla. It took me 50 minutes and it must have been around seven kilometres. After that, I did some stretching outside my block of flats. This course has some parts which have to be run at Almería half such as carretera de Sierra Alhamilla and la Rambla. I felt quite well and my left knee didn´t suffer much.

[Antonio247]

I left from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla at 7:15 a.m. I went along that road and took Avenida del Mediterráneo bridge to go uphill along that avenue. I crossed carretera de Níjar and passed along Hotel Tryp Indalo. I reached the roundabout just opposite Hotel Husa Fama where I stopped to do some stretching. It took me 23´30´´ to do 3.3 km. It was a nice morning with few people in the streets. The temperature was 14º Celsius.

After stretching, I went down and got to carretera de Sierra Alhamilla in 23 minutes. I crossed avenida Cabo de Gata to reach the Almadrabilla splanade and continued as far as the beginning of the sea front where I saw some people walking and doing sport. I stopped after 29 minutes and did some more stretching and some abdominals.

8th November

On Saturday morning I dedided to go to the actividades náuticas gym near my flat. There were four men inside. I did some stretching, strength and abdominal workout. As I was wearing the 10 km Puerto de Almería T- shirt, one of the men, Emilio, asked me about that race that he had taken part in 2007. I told him that that club is going to organise another race in Adra and the Almería San Silvestre for the first time. He told me that he is going to take part at Almería half next year. His friend Manolo told me that he has taken part at Ronda 101 km race several years. This is a very interesting race in the province of Málaga. The atmosphere is really good. It was very nice to talk to Emilio and Manolo.

I hadn´t been to a gym for several years. I liked the experience since you can use muscles that you aren´t used to. I should go at least once a week.

[Antonio247]

Although I didn´t feel like going for a run this morning and I had some discomfort in my left knee, I decided to go. I left at 8: 00 a.m. It was a beautiful sunny morning with a temperature of 16º Celsius.

After reaching the sea front in two minutes, I went to the beach and jogged on the sand as far as Nueva Almería, where the sea front ends. It took me 20´30´´. I stopped to do some stretching and came back along the sand in 21 minutes. After doing some stretching and abs, I walked home. I enjoyed jogging on the sand, which is softer for my knee. In all I did five kilometres in 41 minutes.

[Antonio247]

On Friday morning I went for a five kilometre run. I left at 8 am from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla, crossed the bridge on avenida del Mediterraneo. I got to carretera de Níjar just opposite Hotel Tryp Indalo in 17´30´´ . Then, I got back in the same time and completed one more minute. Afterwards, I did some stretching. It was a beautiful sunny day. The temperature indicator showed 17º Celsius.

Today, Sunday 16th is the day I could have taken part at Valencia half but I haven´t been able to participate since I haven´t felt well enough to train properly as I´ve suffered several injuries. First, a calf injury, after that a knee discomfort which doesn´t completely disappear. So, my next objective is Almería half on 1st February. I expect to be able to take part in shorter races before that day.