New objective : Almería half marathon

[Sweder]

I don't want to tempt fate A, but it sounds like your discomfort has taken a holiday. If so that's really good news.

[Antonio247]

Gracias, S. I think so as well but you never know. Let's touch wood!

[Antonio247]

Friday 16th January 2009

I left at 7 am from C. de Sierra Alhamilla and went up la Rambla as far as calle Granada. On the way, I met Jorge who was running downhill towards the sea front. Then, I went down calle Granada to reach Puerta de Purchena and got to Almeria´s main street, paseo de Almería. I got to the place where the San Silvestre de Almería had the start line in 20´30´´. Then, I decided to do one lap of the San Silvestre, so I went down the avenue and got to La Rambla, I went up as far as calle Paco Aquino and went down La Rambla to turn right at Rambla Obispo Orberá. Then, I went along that avenue to turn left at paseo and reach the start line in 16 minutes doing 2.3 km. After that, I went down El paseo and went up la Rambla a little to go down again and reach the Almadrabillas esplanade. In all, 49 minutes. I completed 50 minutes and did around seven kilometres. After that, I did some stretching The day was nice. The temperature indicator showed 11º Celsius.

[Sweder]

I don't know . . .all this training on La Rambla constitutes professionalism I think Watch out for something special from the Almerian Arrow this year . . .

[Antonio247]

Well, my aim is just to be able to finish the half marathon without getting injured. I´m feeling better lately but I don´t think I´ll be faster than last year when I did 2 hours 9 minutes.

[Antonio247]

Sunday 18th January 2009

I left from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla at 9:15 am. I got to the bridge at avenida del Mediterráneo and went up and down the bridge to get to carretera de Níjar just opposite hotel Tryp Indalo in 15´50´´. Then, I went down the avenue again but turned at avenida del Perú to get to the half marathon start line just by the stadium in 26´30´´. In two weeks´ time, I´ll be there to do my eighth consecutive half marathon in my home town. There, I saw the Atlético de Madrid coach without any players since they are playing UD Almería today at 9 pm. I followed the blue arrow gong down along camino de la Goleta and carretera de Sierra Alhamilla to reach my starting point in 43 minutes. Then, I continued four minutes at Almadrabillas esplanade. Afterwards, I did some stretching while I could see people having “churros” at an open air café at the esplanade. It was a nice sunny morning. I went a bit faster than usual feeling all right. It is the first week in many that I´ve managed to go for a run four days.

[El Gordo]

Looks like you're peaking at the right time, Antonio. Now that SP has slunk off to join the 10K mob, it looks like you're my new target for the half.

Hmm. My advice is to eat plenty of churros over the next two weeks.

[Antonio247]

Well, EG, I feel fitter than three weeks ago and still injury free but I haven´t done very long runs yet, so I may find it difficult to finish the half. My aim is to do a long run this week, at leat 15 kms to see how I am.

[Antonio247]

Tuesday 20th January 2009

On this historical day when Barack Obama has sworn as president of the United States, I went for a 6 km run at 8 am. I started at the Almadrabillas esplanade and ran along the sea front. Then, I turned back and took the avenida Mar Mediterráneo, the same one, we´ll have to run twice at the half marathon, once if you do the 10 km race. Then, went along carretera de Sierra Alhamilla as far as where I live. It took me 41 minutes thirty seconds. I completed 42 minutes and did some stretching

[Antonio247]

Thursday 22nd January 2009

Last Monday I phoned Encarna and we decided to meet today at 8 pm for a run. Otherwise, I wouldn´t have been out since it was a windy day. However, I had a great time and felt quite well. We met at the port where she arrived with Pepe. I had been jogging for ten minutes before their arrival. Then, we went along Nicolás Salmerón park and got to the fishing port. We had a good time talking about the next half marathon here in Almería and the post race meal. We´d rather have something similar to last year at Club de Mar instead of the set menu. We also talked about the trail Cabo de Gata-Níjar in March. At the fishing port, a young man came out of a car where he was with another one and joined us for a few metres. We encouraged him to go with us but he said that he couldn´t. We came back along the park again and got to the sea front where they continued and I came back home. In all, I did about one hour ten minutes and 10 kms more or less. I´d like to do a long run this weekend to test myself.

[Antonio247]

Although last night it was very windy, the morning was sunny and hot – 24º Celsius. So, I decided to do my long run as a test for the half marathon next Sunday.

I started at carretera Sierra Alhamilla and got to the half start line at the stadium in 16 minutes, It is 2.5 km long. I thought that next week I´ll be there warming up before the start. Then, I went on as far as the pavement by the motorway and got to the avenue by the stadium car park. Then, I got to the dry river Andarax and took the left bank which is a dirt track. I went along as far as the bridge that gets to the sea front that leads to the university but I took the other way and got to the old sea front where I plodded 800 metres to take avenida del Mediterráneo as far as the bridge and followed the 10 km course to get to the stadium again. Then, I got to carretera de Níjar, just opposite hotel Tryp Indalo in one hour 29 minutes and thirty seconds. I went downhill along avenida del Mediterráneo to get to carretera de Sierra Alhamilla to my starting point in one hour 47 minutes and 30 seconds. Then, I completed one hour 50 minutes and did some stretching.

I felt quite well in spite of not having trained long runs for a long time. I feel confident to be able to finish next week´s half although I´d be glad if I could do 2 hours 9 minutes like last year.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Looks like you're in fine form Antonio! Not long to go now - best of luck with it

P.S. I just heard about the devastating storms in the north of Spain - terrible!

[Antonio247]

Gracias, MLCM. I´m much better than I expected just 25 days ago but it just means that I may finish without getting too tired but with no under two hours time again. The important thing is to finish.

Yes, unfortunately, there have been some people who died because of the wind. For instance, four children who were playing baseball inside a sports pavillion because it was very windy outside.


I saw the other day some whales that died in Tasmania and the fight between Bosnian and Serbian supporters. It´s a pity!


Enjoy your two weeks´ holiday!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I saw the other day some whales that died in Tasmania and the fight between Bosnian and Serbian supporters. It´s a pity!

Yes it's a pity but it was hardly the "violent clashes" that the media portrayed it as - they threw a few plastic chairs at each other. More of a hissy fit than a riot squad scene! Still, not the kind of thing you want to see at a tennis match I suppose.

Speaking of the tennis, your compatriots are all doing very well. Rafa is in superb form again - totally demolished Tommy Haas yesterday!

[Antonio247]

Speaking of the tennis, your compatriots are all doing very well. Rafa is in superb form again - totally demolished Tommy Haas yesterday!

Well, yes, apparently Rafa Nadal is doing very well. Let´s hope he can get to the final.

[Antonio247]

Sunday 25th December 2009

Although I aimed to do just 6 kilometres this morning, I did 8 because I felt quite well in spite of yesterday´s 15 km. I started at the esplanade at 8: 15 am. and went along the sea front as far as the end of its first part in 15´ 40´´, which is faster than I´ve done lately. I came back along the sea front as far as the roundabout to go uphill avenida del Mediterráneo. I got to the bridge and decided to have a look at the ecological restaurant Come Art-te . I had a look at the carte and it looked good with some vegetarian dishes. By the way, I´ve decided to do a vegetarian week until Saturday evening when I´ll have the half marathon pasta dinner at the hotel Tryp Indalo. I experienced it a few years ago and I really liked it. It will be good for my health and weight. I went up the bridge and down and decided to get to La Rambla where I got after taking several streets due to the fact that part of that street is closed because of a car parkn that is being built. I got to La Rambla and went down as far as carretera de Sierra Alhamilla next to my place in 54 minutes adding one more minute and some stretching.

[Seafront Plodder]

Speaking of the tennis, your compatriots are all doing very well. Rafa is in superb form again - totally demolished Tommy Haas yesterday!

Indeed Rafa has been playing like a dream so far. And mention must also go to his fast improving compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who has just beaten Andy Murray.

Now I just need to ensure I can find somewhere in Almeria to watch the final.

Those damn successful Spaniards have also got another rising star in Carla Suarez Navarro. She's a dream to watch with her Heninesque style backhand, and has proved she's no slouch by already having beaten Venus Williams.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Indeed Rafa has been playing like a dream so far. And mention must also go to his fast improving compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who has just beaten Andy Murray.

Now I just need to ensure I can find somewhere in Almeria to watch the final.

Those damn successful Spaniards have also got another rising star in Carla Suarez Navarro. She's a dream to watch with her Heninesque style backhand, and has proved she's no slouch by already having beaten Venus Williams.

Rafa seems to be rapidly becoming the commentators favourite: certainly he's in his best form for quite a while and looks absolutely solid. The way he methodically shut down Gonzalez makes him look very tough to beat in the final I think. Can't see Federer beating him the way he's playing.

I think the womens' title is a wider-open affair. Bartoli was impressive in beating Jankovic, but I think Safina looks the toughest of all those left. Still it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Navarro broke through and took it.

An interesting tournament. Mrs MLCM is there at the moment, as I type, watching the Blake/Tsonga match. Am I jealous though? Am I what!

[Seafront Plodder]

An interesting tournament. Mrs MLCM is there at the moment, as I type, watching the Blake/Tsonga match. Am I jealous though? Am I what!

I have that match on in my office, as I type. Point her out to me would you MLC?

[Sweder]

Rafa may be favorite in Aus but frankly I think he's lost the plot.
His recent anti-Lord Ferg rant bit him squarely on the backside and I can reveal the News Of Thye World is prepping an exclusive to show that he is, in fact, a fat Spanish waiter. If it weren't for Stevie Gerrard he'd be out of the FA Cup and six points back in the Premiersh . . .

. . . oh :o

That Rafa :o :o
[SIZE="1"]. . . I'll get me managers' coat . . . [/SIZE]

Still, nice to see Murray joining his compatriots for the great sweaty Burns' night 'homecoming' . There weren't enough raging Jocks in the British media before; now we're actually going to drown in 'em.
Haggis? They're welcome to it :mad: