This year the “subida a los Baños de Sierra Alhamilla” was held on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and the “I San Silvestre de Almería” was in the evening at 7 pm. So, I had to take part in two races on the same day for the first time in my life. As I´m not very fit lately I decided to do the first one on bicycle but some problems to carry the bicycle to Pechina in my car made me do it on foot but just from the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla to Pechina along a dirt track and a dry “rambla”.
I got to Pechina town hall square at 10:25. I greeted Manuel, the organiser, Raúl, the sports local councillor who was also taking part, Jose, who has taken part in it two years but this year he was injured and was going to do it on bicycle, etc. This year there were fewer participants due to the coincidence of both races and the weather since it was raining a little.
The race started after taking a few photos and I went into Antonio´s car. He works for the local council and takes the drinks in his car. We went up the road and stopped to take some photos. The cyclists passed first and then the runners. Manuel was the last one because he had a stitch. Then, we went up by car to Baños de Sierra Alhamilla where we gave some bottles of water to the cyclists and runners. The mayor of Pechina, his wife and granddaughter, Raúl´s daughter, joined us. When I joined him the rain had already stopped. We went down the path towards the rambla. This year Manuel and Raúl had marked the course with green arrows and ribbons. Before getting to the finish, I felt some discomfort in my right calf but nothing too serious. We got there together and were cheered by the people and some runners who remained there.
After getting changed, Manuel, his niece Macarena and myself went to the sports pavilion where we had lunch. There we met other runners and cyclists, the men from "Protección Civil", the mayor, his wife and niece. There we could have “empanadillas” ( pies ), ham, cheese, “salchichón” ( a sort of salami ), “mantecados” and cakes and drinks such as beer, Coca Cola, Fanta.
We had a good time and decided that next year it would be on Saturday 26th December so that people could take part at San Silvestre race in Almería the next day.
New objective : Almería half marathon
