Almeria Half 2009

[El Gordo]

Seriously, it's a great mid-winter weekend break. Sunshine isn't guaranteed -- there was one year when the race took place in a freezing storm that wouldn't have been out of place in the South Pole. But there is a good chance that there will be a few rays to enjoy, if not during the race, then certainly over the weekend at some point.

The race is absurdly good value for money. For about £4 or £5 you get everything from a teeshirt to a punnet of tomatoes, taking in the 3 course meal, sports bags, various apparel, key-ring, pen, drink, sweets, chip timing and of course the half marathon race itself, which is 2 laps of the town, including the double long haul up La Rambla and along the seafront.

As Sweder says, tradition has taken root very quickly, and we tend to have certain must-do activities like the pre-race meal at the stadium, the post-race meal somewhere half decent, the Sunday evening of Guinness and football in Molly Malone's, the Irish pub, Monday in and around the beach, including a jog along the front and a good lunch, Monday late afternoon we drive up the local dusty mountain for a gentle run down, then Monday evening we hit the bars for tapas and Rioja.

This year, with the prospect of pretty much a full day on the Tuesday, we could rearrange things a bit but that's the general format.

We meet up with Antonio who does a sterling job for the local tourist industry, and also a collection of his delightful friends who always make us feel at home. Let's hope they've done the decent thing and learnt English this time around.

I didn't write a report this year but here are previous years' accounts:

http://www.runningcommentary.net/2007/20...htm#070131
http://www.runningcommentary.net/2006/20...htm#060128
http://www.runningcommentary.net/2005/20...htm#050203

Well worth digging out Sweder's weekend reports too, and I guess Nigel will have posted something from 2005.

Pics in the signature below will also give you the idea.

One day we'll get MLCM over from Australia, not to mention some of the party-pooping Brits (you know who you are...... ).