Update

[El Gordo]

Hi All

Sorry about the lack of activity recently - in both running and writing. I've been away, and I'm being worked far too hard by my unscrupulous bosses.....

I've got a ton of notes from my trip that I'm slowly converting into entries, though there's not a whole lot about running, except the mysterious items discovered in a hotel room in San Sebastian.

Rather than wait till I've got the whole lot written up, which will take about 7 years, I'm going to upload it bit by bit. Just put up the first couple this evening. Here's a link:

http://www.runningcommentary.co.uk/2003/...htm#latest

It might even work.....

Cheers

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy

I´m glad you´re back on the web. You seem to have had a good time in northern Spain and enjoyed the Gugenheim museum and the food and drinks.

I took part in a half marathon last week. I did 2 hours 19 minutes, one minute more than my previous one in last June but I felt comfortable and I went running all the time without walking while drinking some water. I´d like to lower my PB and also lose two or three kilos more. I find it hard to be under 80 kilos. Today I´ve been on fruit all day long and and I had a tomato salad for dinner. I also intend to do a vegetarian week from 8th to 14th December in order to reduce some weight I´ll probably gain at Christmas. I won´t have any meat or fish but I´ll be able to have some dairy products or eggs.

Well, Andy, good luck.
Greetings from Almería in Spain
Antonio

[El Gordo]

Thanks Antonio.

Well done on the half marathon. Hey, that's about my half marathon time too. I think my least slow one was 2:20, so you're just marginally ahead.

Yes, I'm back after a great week in Spain. I'm slowly writing up the holiday entries, and have written a bit more today in the November section. Much more to come, I'm afraid.

I did at least get out for a run this morning, which I didn't say much about in today's new December entry. It was tough but not as bad as I feared it might be.

Good luck with the weight-loss. After a suspension while in Spain (not a good place to be on a diet), I've got my weight-losing head back in place, and will report in a while. Have managed to shed about 5 pounds (just over 2 kilos) this week so far, so am pleased with that. I've been following some of your guidelines, particularly eating a lot of fruit.

Keep in touch.

Cheers

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy
Congratulations on your weight loss. It´s wonderful. I´d like to lose a few pounds too. I´m glad you´re eating more fruit. I think it is good for your health and a help to lose weight. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". In Spanish we say "Más sano que una manzana" which could be translated as "Healthier than an apple".

I´ve started training again after last Sunday. I went for a run early this morning, just thirty minutes but with a lot of stretching before and afterwards. My legs were still a bit stiff but I think I´m getting over pretty well at least much better than when I ran my first half in Almería in October 2002. I managed to finish in 2 hours 22 minutes but I could hardly walk for a week. The first thing I did the following day was to get an appointment with a physiothereapist because I felt terribly bad. Now I want to take part at a "San Silvestre" race on 27th December at El Ejido, thirty kms from Almería. It is 11 kms long. I also want to take part at Almería half marathon, which this year is on 25th January 2004. Another aim is to run a marathon, probably Madrid marathon on 25th April.

Best wishes
Antonio