Hello from Almería, Spain

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy and everybody
Congratulations on this wonderful website. I found it through Runner´s World´s forums and I´ve found it very interesting.
Congratulations also for having achieved so much in less than two years, Andy.

I´d like to be able to finish a marathon after fourteen years since I ended my last one which was in Madrid in 1999. It was my second marathon. After that, I went on training but not enough to run a marathon. Later I got muscle problems which made me stop running after three or four minutes but last year I managed to finish Almería´s half marathon and I ran this year´s too although I ended in 2 hours 18 minutes. Next year it´s going to be on 25th January. I´d like to end in under two hours and take part in Madrid´s marathon on the last Sunday of April.

Good luck and I wish you reach all your goals.

Well, greetings from Almería, Spain.

[El Gordo]

Welcome, er, anlu247. Maybe you have a more user-friendly name...?! But anyway, welcome to the site, and thank you for your kind remarks. Are you Spanish? Your English is excellent. I've just embarked on a Spanish evening class, but haven't made much progress yet.

To be honest I don't think I've made a lot of progress in my running either. Yes, I did 2 marathons but I've pretty much resigned myself to being a perpetual plodder.

Sorry to hear of your previous problems but you seem to have solved them. The Madrid marathon is on my short-list of races to consider for next spring -- it's a city I've not been to, and I've heard it's a good race.

Please stay in touch, and let us know how your marathon training goes.

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy
My name´s Antonio Luis but as I had to choose a nickname I used Anlu, which is a clipping of Antonio Luis, my first and middle name. 247 was the number I had at the military service. You can call me Antonio. I´m from Almería, in the south-east of Spain.

My English should be better, since I am a teacher of English at a secondary school but it´s a bit rusty since the level at school is not very high and I haven´t been to UK since 1992 when I attended a course at Liverpool university. I hope you improve your Spanish and can practise it in Madrid if you come to run the marathon next April. If there´s anything I can do to help you with your Spanish or to take part in the marathon, don´t hesitate in asking me. It will be a pleasure.

Madrid marathon is the most important one in Spain as far as the number of runners is concerned. Last year nearly 8000 runners finished it. The atmosphere is very good. When I ran it fifteen years ago, I had a great feeling when some people from their flat played “Chariots of fire” music. It gave you wings. I´ve heard that they still play it.

Well, congratulations for yesterday´s race. It must be great to run in such a beautiful place. I also find it difficult to lower the 60 minutes´ barrier in ten kilometres.

I want to lose a few more kilos. I´ve lost six kilos ( about a stone ) since 1st September but I want to lose 3 or 4 kilos more for Christmas. I was 89 kilos and I´d like to see number seven as the first figure ( 79 would be fantastic! ). I am 170 cm tall ( sorry, I don´t know exactly in feet and inches ).

Bueno, muchas gracias por todo, Andy. Thank you very much for everything.
Hasta pronto. See you soon.

[El Gordo]

Hi Antonio,

Thanks for the information.

The Madrid marathon does sound like a great event but I'm also keen on the idea of doing something a bit weird for a marathon. I'll explain the idea shortly, once I've researched it a bit more.

The Almeria Half sounds like an interesting event, especially as there are very few half marathons in the UK in January. What sort of event is it? How many people run it? I could be tempted...

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy
It would be great to run with you at Almería´s half marathon. This is the first year it´s going to be held in January. The previous years used to be the last Sunday of May or the first of June, although in 2002 it was in October. This will be the seventh edition. I think January it´s a good month since the weather is usually neither cold nor hot. The average temperature in January must be around 15-20 Celsius. It is mainly flat along the city´s main avenues and the sea front. The number of participants is not very high, around 600. The atmosphere is good among the runners but there aren´t many people cheering in the streets except at the end in the stadium. On Saturday there´s a pasta dinner, included in the inscription, at the youth hostel next to the stadium. There are usually some lectures on running, injuries and some films. You get a T-shirt and several souvenirs with the inscription fee. Last year it was 6 euros ( about 4 pounds ).

I´d love to meet you in Almería and show interesting places to visit in the town and the province. There are charter flights from Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and regular flights through British Airways on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, I think.

Well, Andy, I hope you can come. If you do, I´ll be very glad to enrol you in the race.

Well, go on running in a safe way!
Hasta pronto. See you soon.
Antonio

[El Gordo]

Are you a travel agent, Antonio...?

The Almeria half marathon sounds like a great race. Six euros is a little expensive, but if I start saving up now, I might just manage it...

More seriously, that is very cheap for a half. Over here it ranges from about £10 to £30 (for the very big events).

I'd love to do it. I have to confess that I've been to the pub this evening to watch Glasgow Rangers v Man United, so my mental state may be, erm, unreliable, but at the moment I reckon I might try to get there.

Anyone else here fancy doing a flat half marathon on the southern Spanish coast in the middle of winter? Cheap flight?

Antonio, I might well be there.

Buenas noches.
Hablaremos otra vez pronto.

Andy

[Griff]

Sounds good doesn't it? I went to Barcelona in January this year and the weather was great for a half marathon.

I am warming to the idea myself. Shall we look into it, Andy?

[El Gordo]

Yes, Griff, let's look into it.....

Tee hee!!

Anyone else?

[Nigel]

Yo tambien, por favor ! (Just as long as we don't have to run up the hill to the Alcazabar).

I spent the week before my last (or should I say, most recent...?) marathon enjoying the faded glory of the Hotel El Dorado in Carboneras, just along the Almerian coast. Warm weather taper training by the Mediterranean.

It's a little town I found on a geology field trip once, and I was happy to return. Still the real Spain, with tiny grocery shops run by 85 year old ladies who look at foreigners as if they have just landed from Mars.

The hotel proudly displays signed photographs of all the 60s film legends who stayed there when it was the only place in town. For this is the beach where they filmed Lawrence of Arabia, and there's a cracking 3 mile route along the promenade, even if it takes you to the cement factory and back. It's a warm and unpretentious place.

My only concern was the 500 villas being built on the hillsides all around the town, and the 1,000 bed megahotel being built within the boundaries of the spectacular and desolate Cabo de Gata natural park. Another Benidorm or Mojacar was being born.

Joni Mitchell was right - por que no se reconocen la gente, las cosas maravillosas que tienen ?

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone.

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy, Griff, Nigel and everybody
I´m very glad you´re interested in coming here next January. I´d be very glad to show you all around and have a paella, chocolate con churros, the pasta dinner, run together the half marathon, weather permitting have a swim in the sea, sunbathe, etc.

Well, Nigel, you won´t have to run up the hill to the Alcazaba, an Arabic castle, although I´ll take you all there to see the monument and the beautiful views from up there. I´m glad you´ve been to this area, Nigel. It´s a pity that there are politicians who haven´t realised that most people prefer natural places and not too much cement. Nevertheless, compared to other resorts Almería is not so full of ugly tall buildings such as Benidorm or Torremolinos. I think that most local politicians don´t realise that by allowing to build too much they are spoiling the landscape and as the Spanish saying says “ Esto es pan para hoy y hambre para mañana” ( This is bread for today and hunger for tomorrow ).

Well, I hope you all will be able to come so that we can have a good time together.

Hasta pronto, amigos
Antonio

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy and everybody

I´ve seen in the runners´ world forum that you are coming to Spain in November this year, Andy. Where are you going? If you´re coming near Almería, it would be great to meet you and go for a run and a drink afterwards. Besides, there are other races in November. I´d like to take part at Valencia´s half marathon on 16th November or Lorca ( Murcia ) on 23rd November.

I understand that it may be difficult for you to come to Almería next January since you are planning to go to many places next year. Nevertheless, if you as well as any other forumites decide to come to Almería´s half, you all will be very welcome and if you like I could help you with the inscriptions and the hotel reservations.

Well, Andy, hasta la vista. See you.
Antonio

[El Gordo]

We won't be very near to Almeria in November, Antonio. We're visiting the Guggenheim in Bilbao, and will probably hire a car and explore the region a bit. The San Sebastian marathon is on while we're there, so may take a look at that, and just possibly might make it to Rioja -- but a long way from your part of the country unfortunately.

I hope to do a bit of running while I'm there though nothing too taxing.

Cheers

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy
It´s a pity you´re going to stay so far away from Almería. It would have been great to have had the chance to meet you and go for a run and have a drink together. Nevertheless, I´m sure you´ll have a wonderful time in the Basque country or Euzkadi, as it is known in their language Euskera. That part of the country is very green and wet. San Sebastián is a beautiful city where there are very good restaurants. Basque cooks are considered the best in Spain. Arzak is probably the most important. His restaurant is called "Arzak", too. Besides, they´re used to eating a lot and the dishes are usually big. San Sebastián marathon is quite flat. It´s said that it is the most appropriate marathon in Spain to get your best personal record. There are a lot of people from another forum in Spain who are going to take part and meet for lunch after the marathon on 23rd November. ( http://WWW.carreraspopulares.com ).

Bilbao´s Gugenheim museum is said to be quite good. I´ve never been to it. You shouldn´t miss "playa de la Concha" in San Sebatián. It´s a beautiful beach.

If you go to La Rioja you should visit Nájera and Santo Domingo de Silos, on the "Camino de Santiago" ( St James´ way). Don´t forget to try a glass of Rioja red wine. I´d like to do "el camino de Santiago" from Roncesvalles in Navarra on the French border to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia on mountain bike whenever I have time.

Well, Andy, have a nice trip! If you need any information or help, you can tell me and I´ll be glad to help you.

Hasta pronto.
Antonio

[El Gordo]

Thanks for the information, Antonio. I like the sound of the big dishes in San Sebastian. Arzak, here we come.

Rioja is very famous here, and don't worry, I won't pass up the chance of a glass or two of Gran Riserva. I worked in the wine business for a few years, and Rioja was always among my favourite wines - though it's got much more expensive in recent years.

The Guggenheim also has a great reputation here. Can't wait to see the building which I'm told is magnificent. It's more my wife's thing than mine though. She used to teach art.

I did have a vague idea that I might do the San Sebastian marathon a month or two ago but I had to abandon that idea when I realised I was way out of condition. Perhaps one day. I'll check out the website.

I'm sure we may have some questions nearer the time, so I appreciate the offer. Maybe some other time for that drink, eh?

Cheers

Andy

[El Gordo]

Antonio...

There's a thread on the Runners World forum here:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/foru...=1&V=6&SP=

on which someone's asking about races in Spain. Perhaps you could you point them in the right direction...?

Cheers

Andy

PS I've had a look at the Arzak restaurant website. Looks good, though sadly, it looks like they might be closed during the time we'll be in the region. I'm sure we'll find a good alternative.