This has been a very intense and emotive weekend since I had the chance to meet a few forumites here in Almería where we all have taken part in my local half marathon.
On Saturday morning I went for a short slow run with another forumite from a Spanish forum
http://WWW.carreraspopulares.com His name´s Sergio. We met at the Gran Hotel where he was staying and went along the sea front slowly. He´s from Valencia and is training for Valencia marathon on 20th February. He´s got a Forerunner and explained me how it works. The day was sunny and warm. In all, we did 5,8 kms in 38 minutes although we stopped to meet a friend of him who had also come from Valencia to take part at the half marathon. After doing some stretching and wishing each other good luck for the next day I went home for a shower.
In the afternoon, I went to the airport where I met the Running commentary team. The plane arrived a few minutes earlier than 4.20 pm, the scheduled arrival time. While I was waiting for them to come out, I talked to a couple from Kent who are living in Mojácar and who were waiting for a relative. We talked about the cold wave we´ve had in Spain, the coldest in twenty years. I looked at the people inside waiting for their luggage trying to recognise a group of six people, the RC team and Andy´s wife, M. Then, after a few minutes, I noticed some people coming out and smiling at me. They introduced themselves and we shook hands and kisses feeling very happy to meet them after so many months sharing our training and views on different topics. As Andy RC had booked a car we looked for the car rental office which, oddly enough, was in a van at the airport car park. As there was already a queue of a few people waiting for their car, we talked in the sunshine about the flight and other things. Besides, some photos were taken. Then, Andy SP, Sweder and Nigel came in my car and Andy RC, M. and Suzie went in Andy´s hired car. Instead of driving along the motorway, I took them along a local road by the sea with a beautiful view of the bay and showing them the sea front I usually go for a run when I have to do a long run. We got to Almería along an avenue with the blue and red lines that marked the half marathon course. We got to the hotel, gave them a bag with leaflets on Almería and its province and left for an hour so that they could rest for a while.
Later, at about seven pm I picked them up and took them to the stadium where we picked up the race numbers and a bag with a T-shirt, a key ring, a biro, a magazine and some leaflets. They also gave us a ticket for the pasta dinner which was going to be at the youth hostel, about two kilometres away from there. So, we went there but before we drove along the half marathon course, just one lap, so that they could have an idea of what it was like.
When we arrived at the youth hostel, we gave the tickets and they gave us a slip of paper for dinner. I told them to wait for me because I had to pick up my brother, Jose, my nephew, Luis and my niece, Elena, who are my sister´s children who is also my twin sister. When we arrived we took a tray to collect the meal, which consisted of spaghetti, chicken and salad and an apple. The food was all right but it was a bit uncomfortable since the youth hostel restaurant was too crowded. There, I met a few runners I know who were also taking part at the half marathon such as Felipe, who is also a teacher of English.
After that, we went to a café but before that I thought it would be interesting to take them out of the town to have a view of the whole town illuminated, especially the Alcazaba, an Arabic castle. I left my car at a car park and Andy left his at the hotel car park. Then we went to café Glady´s where we had some hot drinks while talked about the half marathon, football since Sevilla Barcelona was on TV and other topics. I wanted to pay for the drinks but Andy RC didn´t let me. Afterwards, we all left and walked to the car park where I had left my car which is very close to their hotel and agreed to meet them at their hotel the following morning to go in both cars to the stadium.
Almería half marathon. 30th January 2006
