Almeria Half 2008 - last weekend in January

[El Gordo]

It's getting towards that time of year again.

For anyone who's not been to Almeria, southern Spain, this is your golden chance to participate in a piece of annual RC mythology.

People are free to do what they want while there of course, but the general format in the 3 years we've been going is something along these lines:

Depart UK Saturday morning. (We've gone from Gatwick the last 2 years, which is handy for most of us, but there is a fear that this time around we may have to go from Stansted. So be it.)

Arrive bleary-eyed in Almeria, late morning. Met by Antonio, who takes us off somewhere for breakfast. Potter about for a couple of hours, then check into hotel. Last 2 years we've gone for the Tryp Indalo, a modern 4 star hotel that's always very cheap in January.

Saturday evening: go to Almeria Stadium to collect race number and first part of the best goodie bag you'll ever receive. Get into the first sitting of the three course meal that comes as part of the race entry -- in the restaurant overlooking the pitch.

Waddle back to hotel.

Sunday morning: run the Almeria Half marathon. Two laps round the town, and an extended stretch along the seafront. Collect second half of the best goodie bag you'll ever receive.

Return to hotel for ablutions, then repair to hotel bar for an initial spot of rehydration. Obligatory "Here we are in Almeria" photographs near the seafront, all sporting Almeria Half teeshirts. Lunch at a local restaurant. Last year's was good, so perhaps we'll head back there. Eat heartily and guzzle a few beers while picking over the race highlights (for most), and listing excuses (in my case). Last year I was 4th last. This time around, I've rashly committed to coming in under 2 hours.

With a sigh of relief, Antonio releases himself from his duties around now, and returns home, leaving the rest of us to settle in for an evening of beer, televised football, tapas and further extended race post-mortems. Some of us get mildly drunk. A visit to Molly Malone's for a few glasses of Guinness is mandatory.

Monday: after breakfast, go for very gentle run along the seafront to check if still alive. Lunch at a seafront café, then head back to hotel. Last year, an innovation that we've decided to repeat. Drive to some remote village on a local mountainside, and run down. I wasn't there, so can't fill in too many details. But a good time was had by all attendees last year, so I'll give it a go this time.

Monday evening: the last hurrah. We start off in the Irish bar again. By the time a nervous-looking Antonio arrives, we are already fairly... happy. We visit a couple more bars, hoovering up tapas and Rioja, just in case these delights are declared illegal the following day. We're obliged to relax a while in the legendary Bullfighter's Bar.

And that's about it, really. We return on Tuesday morning, slightly dazed.

We have a lot of fun, and quite a lot of beer. Astonishingly, the long weekend is actually quite cheap. The race costs around £4 to enter (yes, £4). We fly EasyJet for usually around £30 or £40. The very smart hotel is on low-season rates. Last year, it was barely £35 a night. Could have been less.

So.

Who's up for it?

[Antonio247]

Andy is Almería´s best spokesman. The local council should give him a golden medal.

I´m looking foorward to meeting you and taking you to have something, probably a drink and tapas since this year the plane arrives later at about 12 pm. There might be a flight from Gatwck since for November they have include a flight on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday after releasing the winter season calendar.

As I said before I asked the organiser and he told me that the half will be on Sunday 27th January. There will be also a 10 km fun run.

I hope you all will have a good time in my hometown.

Saludos desde Almería

Antonio

[El Gordo]

I should just explain that the photo above was taken at the pre-race dinner, when we were still all pretty well-behaved and looking relatively fresh-faced.

The post-race snaps are usually a little more... red-faced. In all ways.

[Antonio247]

That´s right. It was taken by Paulk´s wife with their camera. I forgot to say in my previous post. Sorry.

[El Gordo]

That´s right. It was taken by Paulk´s wife with their camera. I forgot to say in my previous post. Sorry.

No need to apologise, Antonio. I just didn't want to give the wrong impression.

[Ana]

Dear Andy?

Do you book 'stay only' or 'breakfast included'???

[El Gordo]

If I remember correctly, breakfast is included.

Not much gets eaten on race morning by me, but Nigel doesn't hold back.

[Sweder]

I'm in. Hoping to cajole a few JSJers to come along too.
If I remember rightly that canny local Niguel got an even better rate at the hotel via the race web site (or did I dream/ hallucinate that?). Hopefully he'll correct/ confirm that here.

The mountain plummet on the Monday was a fine addition last year. Apart from anything else it kept me out of Molly's for an hour or two; no bad thing, that. More detail here.

[Antonio247]

The rate through the organisation was 55 euros breakfast and VAT included but the method of payment was a bit odd, either a bank transfer or by forwarding your credit card number, holder number, expiry date and a fax or letter with an authorisation to charge the appropriate amount.

http://WWW.mediomaratonalmeria.com

Sweder, it will be great to have some more mates. Is SP coming?

Andy, is M. coming as well?

Nigel told me in http://WWW.roadsofstone.com that he is coming to Almería.

Ana, you´re coming, aren´t you?

How about Suzie, Paulk, Stillwaddler?

I hope you all can come as well.

[El Gordo]

M has expressed an interested in going again this time, but is reconsidering while we find out if we have to go via Stansted. She's not too keen on that.

EasyJet seems a bit undecided about the January timetable, but at the moment it looks the worst of combinations -- a very early start (0650) AND Stansted. If that's the case, I guess we'll have to consider staying near Stansted the night before. We'll see.

[Antonio247]

Andy, in November, the flights from Gatwick are at 8:30 on Saturdays and arrive at Almería airport at 12:15. Perhaps there will be flights from Gatwick in January on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Another possibility is to fly from Gatwick to Murcia airport with Monarch. It leaves at 7:45 and arrives in Murcia at 11.15. http://WWW.flymonarch.com or go to Alicante or Málaga with Easyjet from Gatwick. Then you could rent a car and leave it in Almería and return from Almería to London Stansted or return to Gatwick from Murcia airport.

There´s also the possiblity of coming from Gatwick to Almería via Madrid or Barcelona with edreams but it takes longer and it is more expensive.

Best of luck

Antonio

[El Gordo]

OK, there are flights from Gatwick after all, so...

I've booked M and me onto the Saturday/Tuesday flights. Booking before midnight tonight will save you the equivalent of 6 pints of Molly Malone Guinness.

You know it makes sense...

[Antonio247]

I´m very glad that you and M are coming as well as Sweder and his wife. I expect that Nigel, Suzie, Ana ,perhaps Seafront Plodder and some other forumites can come as well.

I´ve sent an e-mail to Nigel and Suzie just in case they haven´t seen these posts.

Looking forward to meeting all of you here on Saturday 26th January.

Saludos desde Almería

[Sweder]

Thanks Antonio . . . do you know when we can register for the race???
Tondofondo is not even showing the race in the future events listing. Thanks mate.

[Antonio247]

Well, Sw., as a matter of fact, I happened to meet Sergio from Todofondo this evening while I was training. The race is on Sunday 27th January but he doesn´t know when the new website on the half marathon will be active. I imagine that by the end of November it will be possible to register. By the way, the date does appear in the future event listing. Besides, there will be a new half marathon on 16th March at El Ejido, 30 km away from Almería.


See you in Brighton next weekend!

Antonio

[El Gordo]

No need to panic, Sweder, the Almeria site sort of yawns, stretches and clambers slowly to its feet during December time usually, I think.

What about accommodation? Do we go for the Tryp Indalo again?

Can we get Moyleman on board this time?

[Sweder]

I know, there's no rushing an Almerían. It's just that I'm busier'n the busiest person in Busytown just now and wanted everything neatly tucked away before I collapse in a smelly heap later this month. I've been through more time zones than Doctor Who in the past few weeks - there's a very real chance I'll pass myself in mid-air one of these days

Good news is I told Mrs S I'd booked her a ticket and she didn't slam the 'phone down, so looks like she'll be aboard.

I suspect the Great Moyle has his feet up somewhere, pint in hand, thinking about anything but running just now. I'll drop him a line - would be great to have him along for the apres as well as the main event.

Ha! Just like putting the band back together . . .

[Seafront Plodder]

We're all busy Sweder, it's just that most of us can find work in the UK and don't have to whiz around t'world for it...

Anyway, your more immediate concern should be a trip to Hever Castle.

[Sweder]

I'm signed up for Hever Old Boy - wouldn't miss it.
How about dragging Mrs SP to Almería? She could head off with Mrs S for a horse ride whilst we drain Molly's of Guinness

[El Gordo]

So, is it the Tryp Indalo again?

I've just been looking at Tripadvisor, where the Tryp is rated 15th out of 56 in Almeria. Not bad. We like it, anyway.

Here's the full list :- Almeria Hotels