After having failed in my objective to run Valencia half maratón last Sunday, my new goal is to be able to finish Almería half marathon on 1st February 2009.
This evening I felt like going for a run, so I left from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla, just in front of my flat, at 7 pm. It was a nice mild day. I went as far as the estadio Mediterráneo following the same course as the half marathon in the first 2.7 km but in the other direction. So, I went up instead of downhill as far as the start line at the stadium. Then, I went on by the road and got to the car park. Then, I went down near a park and got to a new avenue. After that, I reached the Avda del Mediterráneo bridge and took carretera de Sierra Alhamilla again getting to my start line in 49 minutes. I crossed Avda Cabo de Gata and went to the splanade where I jogged a little more. In all, 53 minutes, around 7 km. I did some stretching and walked home. I felt quite well. Actually, my left knee didn´t hurt.
I went for a run at 7 pm. It had rained in the morning but in the evening it was a nice day. The temperature was 15º Celsius. I started at the esplanade and went along the sea front as far as the end of it in 18 minutes. I stopped two minutes to talk to the parents of a friend of mine who were having a walk along the sea front. As I felt all right, I decided to do a circular route instead of going back along the same course. So, I crossed Cabo de Gata avenue and took the main avenue in Nueva Almería, which is a neighbourhood with a lot of houses with a garden.
While I was jogging I realised it was 20th November, the day when Franco had died 33 years ago. I remember that when I got up, my mother told me Franco has died. It wasn´t a surprise since he had been at hospital for many days. I remember that everybody talked about what would happen after Franco´s death. The future was unclear. There were expectations about the future, about the new ruler, the king Juan Carlos I. I remember there were no classes at school for a few days. When classes started again, we were given Franco´s last testament and the king´s first speech. Although 33 years have gone by, most people of my generation remember those days very clearly. A race had finished, a new one started.
I went on along Nueva Almería and reached a football ground where I stopped to do some stretching. While I was stretching, I saw a black young man walking towards me. He happened to be René, a student at my school who comes from Guinea Bissau. He was going to train soccer. We talked a little and then hw went into the football ground and I went on towards avenida del Mediterráneo where I saw some people running, especially where the fair is held in august. Then, I took carretera de Sierra Alhamilla and reached my neighbourhood in 52 minutes and added two more minutes. Then, I did some more stretching and went home.
That's a nice story about Franco, Antonio.
I guess for Spanish people of a certain age that was your 'JFK moment' - you know where you were when you heard the news.
52 minutes? Sounds like you are gently increasing your running time. It's a good sign, and not too much discomfort. Well done.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
I remember Franco's death as well - that date coincided with one of Australia's most significant political crises (the dismissal of Prime Minister Whitlam just a few days before), so everyone was politically alert at the time, even/especially us kids (I was 14 then).
Great to see you extending your runs Antonio - best of luck with it, and sorry I won't see you in Almeria (again)... maybe next time!
Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote:I remember Franco's death as well - that date coincided with one of Australia's most significant political crises (the dismissal of Prime Minister Whitlam just a few days before), so everyone was politically alert at the time, even/especially us kids (I was 14 then).
Great to see you extending your runs Antonio - best of luck with it, and sorry I won't see you in Almeria (again)... maybe next time!
Ah, I must tell you my modest Gough Whitlam anecdote sometime.....
I remember Franco's death because....
I was working in an office. It was one of the first jobs I ever had. I worked with a guy called Nigel, and we didn't like each other. He went off to Spain on holiday, which made me envious, and hate him even more. The day after he arrived there, Franco died. When he returned to work, a week or two later, he complained that all the bars and all entertainment outlets had been shut down as a mark of respect, and he had done nothing for the entire duration but sit in his hotel room reading a book. It cheered me up greatly.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Well, SW, I agree with you. For people of my generation, there are dates that we all know what we were doing when something happenen. Another date that I won´t ever forget is 23rd February 1981. There was a coup at the parliament. Some civil guards had kidnapped the members of the goverment and the MPs. It was a Monday. I remember I was at my residence hall in Granada and we all were very worried about how it would end. It could mean that the military could rule the country, that democracy had failed. Fortunately, it didn´t succeed. We all were listenign to the radio or watching TV. Finally, late at night the king talked and said that it had failed.
MLCM, let´s hope that you can come another time. It will be wonderful to meet you here. Otherwise, we´d all have to organise a trip to Sydney marathon to meet you there, down under.
EG, I also remember that everything was closed in those days as it used to be at Easter when the cinemas or bars were closed a few days.
I left home at 7:30 a.m. to go for a run. I started at c. de Sierra Alhamilla to go up La Rambla. There were a few young people at the beginning of La Rambla who were saying goodbye to a night of spree. Apart from them few people I met - some people walking or a few mountain bike cyclists waiting for some mates to go on a bicycle ride. When I reached the end of La Rambla, I walked up the stairs and did some stretching. It had taken me 23 minutes. After that, I went down the rambla to get to the start point in 22´30´´ and completed 24 minutes. In all, 47 minutes and about 6.5 km or 4 miles. It was sunny when I finished and the temperature indicator at La Rambla showed 14º Celsius. I felt a little discomfort in my right calf.
It´s great to be able to go for a run after a few days without going due to an injury. Last Tuesday I went to the gym to do some stretching, strengthening and abdominal workout, which was fine. I like that gym because there´s a door by the sea and you can get out and breathe the sea air. When I finished, I decided to go for a short run along the sea front and the port but when I had done 10 minutes, I felt some pain in my right calf, so I stopped. I limped a little and felt some discomfort in my right calf.
I decided to go to the physiotherapist on Thursday and although it was painful and I came out feeling worse, after a few days I felt fine, so I decided to go for a run today. It was getting dark when I left from the splanade at 6:15 p.m. I went along the sea front as far as the end of it and stopped to do some stretching. Then, I came back in 34 minutes and completed one more. In all, just 5 kilometres but I felt really well. In fact, my leg didn´t hurt at all. While I was plodding, I realised Almería half marathon was just two months away. I hope I´ll be able to finish the race no matter how long it takes me.
Glad that you recovered from the calf problem, Antonio. I've had a couple of those in my time, and I know how hard they can be to shake off.
Does the gym you go to have any cardiovascular machines? Things like a treadmill, static bike, elliptical trainer, step machine, rowing machine...? If it does, I would seriously suggest you try to use them. Apart from the treadmill, they are non-impact exercises, so you can increase your fitness while not putting much pressure on your joints. Swimming is also worth considering. Also, do you have softer surfaces to run on? What about the beach?
I mention these things because you've remarked on pains in your knee and calf a few times, so I'm wondering if you're putting too much pressure on your joints? It might be worth trying to toughen up your joints and crank up your fitness in these other ways, while keeping your road running to a minimum for the moment.
How is the weight at the moment? Are you still trying to shed a few kilos? Or are those churros still winking at you?
I tend to think that 10 miles (16km) is a good minimum to be able to run comfortably in the preparation for a half marathon. You still have time to make that distance but you're right -- the medio maraton is not too far away. Even if you're under-trained, I'm sure you'll still be able to get round as long as you take it easy. Hey -- I may be able to beat you at last!
Thanks for your comments on the other thread. Yes, I'm fairly pleased with the progress I'm making. If (big IF) I stay injury-free, I'll be hoping to run much better in Almeria than I have the last 2 years, both of which were very poor for me. I was extremely unfit the first time, and was recovering from an injury in 2008, and just trotted round the 10K in a semi-walk. I may be in a position to aim for a PB in 09, but we'll have to wait and see how things go. If I can beat both you and SP this time, the zumo de naranja will be on me .
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Yes, it has some cardiovascular machines. Actually, I use the exercise bike, the step and the rowing machine. There used to be a treadmill but it doesn´t work any more. It is going to be repaired.
I sometimes train on the beach sand but it is harder although the muscles suffer less especially on some parts where the sand is thicker, a sort of dirt track, near the sea front.
My weight is nearly the same it was on 1st September. I haven´t been strong enough to avoid cakes, churros, which I have at my new school every Friday with some of my new mates at a café near the school, and other delicatessen. Now with "mantecados" and "turrón" ( nougat ) at Christmas, it is going to be difficult to shed some weight but I want to lose five or six kilos for Almería half, otherwise "El Gordo" is going to be me and you will be "El Flaco".
As far as I´m concerned, I´m afraid the zumo de naranja will be on you since you will probably be fitter than me. Besides, you deserve a PB here in Almería. Anyway, I´ll try to follow your pace. It could mean a PB for me as well.
After a few days without being able to go for a run, not because of an injury fortunately, I went this morning at 8:30.
Today it is a public holiday in the whole country, it is the 30th anniversary of the Spanish constitution since this constitution was approved in a referendum 30 years ago. It meant a great step in trying to reach a consensus among different political parties and create a common frame so that this country could follow a democratic path with a constitution that could remain for a long time. Although some changes will have to be done, it has lasted longer than others in our history.
I started at the Almadrabillas splanade and reached the sea promenade. Then, I decided to follow El Gordo´s advice to avoid an injury and went along the beach as far as the end of the sea front. It is a bit harder because the sand is not hard enough but the muscles suffer less. I came back along the beach but I took the promenade for the last kilometre. I could feel the smell of churros from a distant kiosk in the Zapillo neighbourhood.
In all, I did about 5 km in around 40 minutes although I´m not sure since I didn´t take my watch. It was a beautiful sunny day. Although the temperature was only 11º Celsius, it was nice.
At 7:15 pm I started from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla. I went as far as the bridge and took avenida del Mediterráneo towards the sea front. I met a colleague from my school who was also running but uphill. His name´s adolfo. He´s taken part in many races, the last one Cérdoba half marathon. I reached the sea front and got to the end of it. As I felt all right, I decided to go on and took the road towards the university. When I reached the beginning of the new sea promenade, I came back along the same route but instead of taking the avenue I continued along the sea front as far as the Almadrabillas splanade where I did some stretching. I did around 8 km in about 56 minutes although I didn´t take my watch.
I left this morning at 7 am from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla to climb the rambla as far as carretera de Granada. It was a bit cold. The temperature indicator showed 11º Celsius. I reached carretera de Ronda but farther up I had intended to. I reached avenida del Mediteráneo and went down to reach the bridge and take carretera de Sierra Alhamilla reaching the start point in 51 minutes and completed to 53. After that, I did some stretching. I felt all right and enjoyed doing a circular course instead of a doing the same way back. Yesterday I had a discharge massage by the physiotherapist which has made me feel better.
Sorry for my English which is getting worse and worse. I meant a massage for muscular relaxation or tension release. Is it correct?
My aim is to be able to finish it without getting injured. If I can keep your pace, EG, it would be great because I think you´re going to get your PB here.
I´ll check how I am next Sunday in Adra, a town fifty kilometres away from Almería. It is a 10 km race.
You could just say you had a massage or sports massage. "Discharge" means a variety of things -- none of them terribly pleasant now that I think of it... :o
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
On Sunday morning I took part in this race which is held in Adra, a small town 50 km away from Almería. It was a cold windy sunny day.
The race started at 11 am. there were around 200 runners taking part such as Felipe, Mario, Santi, Encarna, Manuel, Juan Pedro, Diego, etc.
The race started from the sports pavilion. Santi, who took part at San Sebastián marathon three weeks ago finishing it in 3 hours 56 minutes, decided to keep me company. We went together all the course talking and enjoying the view. At the beginning we went near the port, then we took an old road that went near greenhouses and then the main avenue. We went at a steady pace talking to other runners and taking photos. The first kilometres the pace was a bit high for me under six minutes the kilometre. However, after about six kilometres, I felt some pain in my right calf so I told Santi, Juan Pedro and another runner to go ahead but they didn´t want to. I had to slow down but Santi kept me company as far as the finish. We got there in 62 minutes but the course was only about 9.4 km. If he hadn´t been with me, I´d probably had got onto the support vehicle.
When we got to the finish, we went in with our arms up and people clapped a lot. We were given a technical T-shirt, a can of Coca Cola, Aquarius or a small bottle of water, a banana, a pear, etc.
When I was in my car before leaving, I met a couple of runners I had seen in the race. They happened to be from England. Their names are Roger and Hilary. She works in an English school in Roquetas de Mar.
It was nice taking part in a race after seven months but I should have warmed up a little more before the race.
Well done, Antonio, and thanks for the report. Good to hear that Encarna is still running. Is she doing the half marathon this time?
How about you? Are you confident about finishing the half? That leg sounds troublesome though perhaps you diagnosed the cause yourself -- not a good enough warm-up. Must admit I tend to overlook this myself.
I'm gradually getting better about some of these routine things. Since I started running again I've got better at warming down. I read somewhere (probably in Dr. Tim Noakes's classic Lore of Running) that finishing a run or race and just stopping still is a bad habit. He says you should always walk for a few minutes at the end of a run. Can't remember the science but it sounded convincing, and will help recovery and avoidance of injury. I still don't stretch as much as I should, but at least do tend to do my calf stretches as that's where I've had injuries before. As for warming up, being a slow runner means it's probably not necessary for standard jogs, but in races, where we obviously start quicker, it must be a good idea, especially in cold weather. I've got a couple of 10Ks coming up around the New Year, so I need to remember that.
Hope the leg has recovered well.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Gracias, EG. I´ve still got some discomfort although not much.
I´d like to be able to finish Almería half but I don´t know what may happen.
Although I don´t like stretching much, I think I should do a lot of stretching to avoid injuries and more cross-training. Even swimming, which I find really boring and tiring because I don´t know how to breathe well.
Encarna is strong and I´m sure she will be able to do Almería half under 2 hours.
Saludos desde Almería
PS. This afternoon I had lunch at Tryp Indalo hotel with my colleagues from my previous school. I really enjoyed it. The place reminded me of all of you.
New objective : Almería half marathon
