Almería half marathon 2009

[El Gordo]

I'm pretty sure there's a flight to Almeria from LGW on Friday, but can't recall when they return.

[Sweder]

Cynthia has to be back teaching on the Monday so definitely separate flights for her I'm afraid. I'll add her to the hotel list for Saturday night - possible sharer GB? Or did you manage to pursuade Mr Clooney to come along?

EG/ Antonio I'd like to go back to this year's place for the post-run meal.
It was great food, slick service and they seem able to cater for a decent number of people. The place we went before with Niguel - where they served up the delicious paella - was a good deal smaller. I'd also like to go back to the Five Bulls but agree we need to sit down. It's usually after a monster session at Molly's and there's no way I can stand for any length of time after that

I'm planning to post a couple of 'guide sheets' here, one on entering the race online - an adventure in itself - and again on procedures on arrival at El Stadio on Saturday night. Of course most of us will be traveling from Murcia together and this can be reviewed on the way. First sitting is essential - I have a striong feeling the whole thing descends into chaos when people start leaving the first sitting and newcomers move in

Niguel . . . we left that hanging after our soggy jog to Blackcap. I know he's coming for the B10K so perhaps we'll get confirmation then. For now he's a 'thinking about it'. I'll drop him a line in case he's not popped in here recently.

[Antonio247]

I´m sorry I haven´t written before but I´ve been away at the weekend.

I´m glad you have already booked. I wish Nigel could also come.


Although I think it is very soon to talk about the post race meal, I suggest going to Roquetas de Mar and have lunch there where there´s a restaurant by the sea front that makes very good paella.

As for the Rioja, beer and tapas after Molly´s on Monday, we could go to "El Quinto Toro" and sit there having some ham, cheese and other "raciones" ( assorted plates ).

[El Gordo]

Roquetas? Interesting idea, Antonio. And could make a nice change. Two things occurred to me though:

-- Will there be 2 minibus drivers amongst us willing to not drink?
-- If Ana & co are coming again, will they need to catch a train on the Sunday afternoon again? Their timetable was a little tight last year.

How long does it take to drive to Roquetas? 40 minutes or so?

I don't have a strong view, although I agree with Sweder that last year's venue worked pretty well, and would be happy to repeat. However, it might also be interesting to get out of Almeria for a couple of hours for a change of scene. So I'm sitting on the fence here.

[Antonio247]

Well, EG, it´s just 25 minutes away. I think that Ana, Jorge and Javier wanted to come by car so that they could have more time to spend with us.

I think it would be good to go to Roquetas this year since there will be enough cars to go. This way, you all can see a different place near Almería. Besides, Roquetas, as you know, is very quiet and relaxing in winter. We could go after lunch to have a look at the place I showed you and M. in 2005, el paraje natural de Punta Entinas-Sabinar.

Saludos desde Almería

[Sweder]

Not sure a 40 minute drive is what we're looking for after the race. Perhaps we could go to Roquetas on Monday? Short distance is best on the Sunday - I remember getting rather hungry even after the relatively short hop to the restaurant. No problem with the drink/ driving thing though - I'd be happy to forego a bevvy until later.

[El Gordo]

Not sure a 40 minute drive is what we're looking for after the race. Perhaps we could go to Roquetas on Monday? Short distance is best on the Sunday - I remember getting rather hungry even after the relatively short hop to the restaurant. No problem with the drink/ driving thing though - I'd be happy to forego a bevvy until later.

Antonio will be working on the Monday though.

I really don't mind either way. I can see the appeal of both options. If I'm honest, I don't much fancy a drive to lunch either, though I can see that once we get there, we might enjoy the change of scene. Does anyone else have a view?

I'll post a message on Ana's forum to ask about her travel arrangements.

[Seafront Plodder]

I'd volunteer to drive to lunch.

As I recall we usually have a bit of a siesta after lunch before the festivities begin at Molley's anyway. If Antonio reckons that the restaurant is worth visiting for the paella then that's good enough for me and I'll hold off the err....rehydration until the evening.

[Sweder]

I'd be happy to visit another part of the locale and the thought of a good paella really appeals; it would certainly get a thumbs up from Mrs S.

One concern is the hunger factor. By the time we'd assembled various vehicles and figured out the route to the restaurant (this year, when the journey was only a mile or two) I recall tearing revenously into a huge pile of bread as if I'd not eaten in a week. It's important to eat fairly soon after a half (especially for some of our more svelt number - I refer of course to my esteemed, whippet-like colleagues from Brighton).

Another is time spent driving/ in vehicles (passengers enjoy minibus journeys even less than the drivers). We'll have driven for three hours the day before - another 2 hours in the motors might be a bit galling. Our locally-based friends would also have to drive there and back to join in.

Last but not least I really liked the place we went this year. They seemed to accommodate a fair bunch of us with relative ease. Perhaps Antonio can guide us - is it still as good there?

[El Gordo]

The restaurant last time in Almeria was excellent, and I'd be very happy to go back there again. The food was really good, so no one need worry about not getting a decent meal. Must admit I'm moving back to the Grub Almeria campaign. I'm just thinking of the logistics. I'd have thought there are countless places in Almeria that could do a top class paella, if that's the main attraction.

Anyway, what if you don't like paella that much....?

As Antonio says, maybe we shouldn't be worrying about this just at the moment. Sorry, my fault for bringing it up. :o

[El Gordo]

OK, back to calmer waters:

I've booked my flight. Seat 8C outward, 7D return, if you want to be sure of avoiding me...

[ladyrunner]

When I booked our flights I didn't prebook the seats so we get allocated them when we arrive at the airport. Do you think that it's best to prebook seats as I can add this on to our booking now??

What are the chances do you think of us 4 sitting together or atleast as two pairs??

I like the look of 11B-E as it's near the Emergency Exit - I'm now a nervous flyer after hundred's of flights.

Cost of booking flights is an extra £12 for the return trip.

[El Gordo]

When I booked our flights I didn't prebook the seats so we get allocated them when we arrive at the airport. Do you think that it's best to prebook seats as I can add this on to our booking now??

What are the chances do you think of us 4 sitting together or atleast as two pairs??

I like the look of 11B-E as it's near the Emergency Exit - I'm now a nervous flyer after hundred's of flights.

Cost of booking flights is an extra £12 for the return trip.

I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get 4 together or 2 pairs by leaving it till you check in. Flights in previous years haven't been full. I booked my seat just because I could then cross it off my list of things to worry about (I need an aisle seat). £12 x 4 = 6 very nice bottled of Rioja in Almeria, or about 16 pints of Guinness! The choice is yours!

[Seafront Plodder]

I do like this snippet, taken from the Monarch email Sweder sent me confirming flights...

For safety reasons, passengers occupying exit row seats must be fit and able bodied, aged 16 or above and have weight in proportion to height.Seat requests may be altered at check-in or on board if passengers do not meet these criteria.

:RFLMAO:

[Ana]

For obviously reasons, passengers occupying Almeria Flight must be greddy and able drinkied, weighted 9chemas-microsoft-com[img]http://www.runningcommentary.net/forum/ />t=[/img]0 Kg or above and have Guinness belly in proportion to weight. Liquor requests may be cancelled at check-OUT or on board if passengers do not meet these criteria.

[Sweder]

Gatwick
[COLOR="DarkOrchid"]El Gordo (21K)
Sweder (21k) + 1 (NR)
Seafront Plodder +1
Ladyrunner (21k)
GaryChristie (21k)
Gillybean (21k)
Simon Ho (21k)
Steve Sheekey (21k)
Jeremy West (21k)
Terry May (10k)
Hootsboy (21k)[/COLOR]

Other UK airport
Wendy Webber
Steve Parker

Espana
Ana (10K?)
Javi (10K?)
Jorge (10K?)?

Almeria Natives
Antonio (21K)
Encarna (21K?)

Welcome Hootsboy! Nice to have you aboard.
An Almerian veteran advises he's still working on it so we may see one more out of Gatwick for a total of 14 - ideal for the vehicles. I will book those today and confirm here when that's done.

[Hootsyboy]

Hi all,

Have just booked flights for the trip away, please could you add me to your list

many thanks hootsy...

[Simon Ho]

Had an e-mail from Wendy & Steve today, they are dropping out as there is stuff going on at work, they send their apologies.

[El Gordo]

OK, so hindsight is a wonderful thing, but perhaps we should bail out of this group booking for the hotel and just pay up now. With the pound sinking lower against the euro every day, we've already lost more than we might have saved.

Any thoughts?

[Antonio247]

The website is on at last. Unfortunately only in English this time. You can already enter but I´ll wait to see how fit or unfit I am to choose the half or the 10 km race. This year it will be 10 km since they have changed the course a little.

The start is at the same place, then we go along carretera de Sierra Alhamilla to go up la Rambla as far as last year, then go down to go along avenida Cabo de Gata as far as avenida del Mediterráneo roundabout - we don´t have to get to the end of the sea front as last year - instead we go up avenida del Mediterráneo as far as the bridge where we turned right to go to the stadium, there the runners who are doing the 10 km race go towards the stadium, whereas those doing the half go down the avenue to take Avenida Cabo de Gata again, the Rambla up and down again, Avenida Cabo de Gata, avenida del Mediterráneo up again to turn right towards the stadium.

http://WWW.mediomaratonalmeria.com

Well, if you need any help, just tell me.


Happy Christmas Feliz Navidad