This morning at 7:15 am, I decided to go for a run along the Rambla to get used my legs to the hills. I went up the Rambla as far as the place where we go down and then I went down as far as the beginning of La Rambla to do it again and continued a little farther up to come down. Instead of getting back to my starting point at carretera de Sierra Alhamilla, I went to the Almadrabillas esplanade and continued towards the sea front and back to complete 50 minutes and around seven kilometres. Afterwards, I did some stretching. The temperature was 10º Celsius and the day was fine.
After yesterday´s massage to relax my leg muscles, I went for a short run this morning at 7 am. It was misty and the temperature 11º Celsius. I went from carretera de Sierra Alhamilla to La Rambla as far as calle Murcia where we´ll have to turn down at the half and 10 km race. Then, I came back and went to the Almadrabillas esplanade. In all, 27 minutes. Then, I did a progressive run of just around 70 metres followed by a slower run back, which I did four times. Then, I did some stretching.
On Saturday afternoon, I went to the hotel Tryp Indalo where the race numbers were given this year. I got my race number and the ticket for the pasta dinner. There I met the English armada. I met the new runners who had come this year and bought the RC T-shirt which I would wear on Sunday. I also met there Guillermo, Felipe, Mario, Encarna, Pepe, Javier, Santi, etc.
In the evening, I went with my wife, Carmen, and Carmen S. who were going to have dinner as well. There, we met the English and Spanish friends. Ana and Javier also appeared and told us they would go to have some tapas with Jorge and other friends from Madrid. She also told me that they wouldn´t be able to come to the post race pasta meal because they all had been invited to have paella at a place near the beach by a colleague of one of their friends. This year dinner was at the hotel and there was a queue to pick up the dishes, salad, chicken, macaroni, dessert and water. If you wanted another drink, you had to pay for it. I sat at a table with Felipe, Mario, Encarna, Pepe, Javier, Guillermo, Carmen S. and Carmen. I talked to Javier about his recent climb to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. I also went to the English people´s table to see how everything was and I took some photos.
On Sunday morning, it rained although not much. The temperature was nice, between 10º and 12º Celsius. I left my car at the stadium car park and went towards the stadium but I met Sweder and other mates who were going toward the van, so I went back with them. There, I met the rest of the runners. After keeping the things in the bag, we went to the stadium meeting Paulk, who was going to his car. I went to the toilet before the race. There was a long queue. So, when I got to the start line, I didn´t see anybody from the RC team. I met a local runner, Jorge who was with another runner. Then, the race started but something really unusual happened. I noticed a car from the organisation in the middle of the road and I thought it was strange that it was like that. Then, a few metres ahead, other runners told us we had to go back. Apparently, one of the first fast runners had taken the wrong route, following the red line, which was the new route for the 10 km runners on their way back to the stadium. Everybody was a bit angry. I met Guillermo, Encarna, Seafront plodder. Nobody could believe it. We went to the start line and after a few minutes, we heard that the new start would be at 11 o´clock. So, we went to the stadium to get protected from the rain. Afterwards, the new start was given. Before that, I talked to Germán, a 75 year-old man who always runs with a T-shirt with the Cuban flag in the front and the Spanish one at the back. He loves running and nearly every weekend goes to a different place. He´s appeared in several magazines and TVs and taken part in plenty of half and full marathons all over the world.
After wishing each other good luck, the race started again. I felt fine in the first lap. I didn´t find a group that suited my pace. I wasn´t obsessed with the time In was doing because I had decided to run without the watch. I felt all right in the first lap but in the second I noticed that I couldn´t keep the same pace. In the course I greeted the RC mates I saw and other local colleagues. I also greeted Juanjo, who was helping at the drink station in kilometre 10 at avenida del Mediterráneo. We were neighbours and friends when we were children and teenagers long time ago. I thanked him for giving me the bottle of water and he wished me good luck. In the second lap at the Rambla I was overtaken by Germán who looked stronger with the kilometres unlike me who looked weaker. I noticed a woman soldier at Cabo de Gata avenue standing and greeting in a military way. However, this year I didn´t see the old man with the loudspeaker who was cheering the runners at Cabo de Gata avenue, shouting “Ánimo”, which means “Come on”, not “animals” as an English reporter doing the Madrid marathon who wrote a report at Runner´s World thought it meant as in French “Animaux”. I didn´t see either the young man doing the whole race kicking a ball. In the last kilometres along avenida del Mediterráneo, carretera de Sierra Alhamilla and La Goleta I managed to pass a few runners. When I got into the stadium, I tried to go a bit faster but I was overtaken by a runner who was running very fast while I could see myself in the screen going towards the finish. I didn´t get a PB but it wasn´t a Personal Worst either. 2 hours 15 minutes, six more minutes than last year. This year due to the rain the water, bananas, tomatoes, T-shirt were given inside which meant a long queue. After getting all those things, I met Encarna, Pepe, Javier and Mario waiting for me in the tunnel. We congratulated each other and said we would meet at 3 pm at the Club de Mar restaurant. When I was going toward the car park, I met PaulK who was waiting for me. He had done the half in one hour 28 minutes. He wanted to know how to get to the hotel. I told him to follow me in his car and I took him to the Hotel Tryp Indalo.
After the race we deserved a good meal at Club de Mar. There I met the Spanish armada: Encarna, Pepe, Javier, Mario, Antonia, Guillermo, María, Pilar, Santiago and Teresa as well as the English armada : Paul, Ashley, Nigel, Steve, Terry, Jeremy, Andy, Claire, Simon, Gill, Gary, Julie, Darryl and shared the experiences of this half marathon where the false start and the new start one hour later was the main comment. Apparently it happened because one of the people on motorbike followed the red line which was for the 10 km runners on their way back. The meal was all right. I enjoyed it and helped to explain the waiter the dishes for those who didn´t eat meat or fish. At the end I raised my glass of cava to thank all the English people for coming here to take part in this local half in spite of the difficulties arisen such as the lack of flights to Almería and we drank a toast for those mates who couldn´t come this year although they would have loved to come. Then, Pepe told me that one of the English group should say some words in Spanish and English. So I told Nigel and he spoke very well in both Spanish and English. When we finished, we said goodbye and some of them went to Molly Malone to watch the football matches and have a few drinks.
On Monday evening, I went to Molly Malone. There I saw Santiago who was having a beer. I ordered half a pint of Guinness but I was told there wasn´t any left. Apparently a group of English people had emptied the Guinness keg. So I had half a pint of Murphy. A little bit later, Steve, Jeremy and Terry arrived. They insisted on paying me a beer since my glass was nearly empty. A little bit later, Ashley, Nigel, Gill, Simon, Andy, Claire and Darryl arrived. They told me that some of them had done the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla run. I didn´t go because I had to go with my mum to hospital for a gastroendoscopy test. She was diagnosed as having a hiatus hernia. We had a good time there talking and took some pictures inside and outside before going to El Quinto Toro bar. There, we sat and ordered some Rioja bottles, jugs of beer, ham, cheese, meat with garlic, meatballs, patatas a lo pobre ( potatoes cut in flat slices with green pepper ) and tomato meat. We drank a toast for those running mates who couldn´t come, especially Andy and Chris. We also had a very good time there. Afterwards, we went to the Molly Malone again where I had a coke because Ashley insisted me on having something. As it was very late and we had to work on the following day, when Nigel said he was going to the hotel, we also left and said goodbye and wished them a safe journey home. Due to the problems with traffic and air traffic in the UK due to the snow, they thought they would have to spend the night at Murcia airport or Gatwick. We´d like to have said goodbye to Gary and Julie but they hadn´t come. So, we told Nigel to come with us in Santi´s car to take him to the hotel but he needed to walk a little.
Well, it has been great to meet the new people who have taken part in this local race as well as those who already knew what it was like. As usual, the race is just an excuse to have a good time all together and meet people who share the same hobby.
anlu247 Wrote:I ordered half a pint of Guinness but I was told there wasn´t any left. Apparently a group of English people had emptied the Guinness keg
[/INDENT]Staggering behaviour from those pesky English -- whoever they were .
Thank you Antonio, for a couple of excellent reports. I have heard from two separate sources that you were the star of the show, and as always, worked hard to make sure that everything went well. We all thank you for that.
See you next year.
EG
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Gracias, EG. We missed you a lot. We all were sorry about your mum´s death. I expect you can come next year. We both have to do the half under two hours in 2010.
I think that I just helped a little but I´m sure that it would have worked out the same without my help or presence. Anyway, I enjoyed spending a little time with them.
It's such a shame when your fellow countrymen turn up abroad and all they can do is re-enforce crass national stereotypes. Oh well. Like the Murphy's, we wasn't bitter
Thanks again Antonio. We keep sending you challenges and like a mighty matador you always raise your game to meet them.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Antonio, a couple of us really like the idea of running the proper Pechina/ Banos de Sierra Almahilla race later in the year. Please let us known when that is likely to be. Thank you again, and best regards to the lovely Mrs A.
Saludos desde Salvador de Bahia
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Sweder Wrote:Antonio, a couple of us really like the idea of running the proper Pechina/ Banos de Sierra Almahilla race later in the year. Please let us known when that is likely to be. Thank you again, and best regards to the lovely Mrs A.
Saludos desde Salvador de Bahia
Well, this year it is supposed to be on Saturday 26th December. It would be wonderful if you could come at Christmas.
Sweder Wrote:I have to say that is unlikely.
I may actually find all my worldly possessions on the doorstep when I get home from that one :o
Thanks
We could always organise a private race for those of you who came here and some local runners on the weekend you chose, S. With Rioja and tapas after the race or in the drink stations.
Yes, I liked the quote about the Guinness, too. Although I'm not at all sure how that happened.
Thanks very much for your excellent hospitality, Antonio, and I really enjoyed your reports. I especially liked the view of rain and runners along the Avenida del Cabo de Gata, and the shot of you at the stadium is a perfect portrait of an athlete in his prime. I'm sure you'll be back to top form again before too long.
New objective : Almería half marathon
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