The Atkins Diet

[El Gordo]

Antonio....

What time of year might you be in the UK? I'll let you know what your best options are for a half marathon.

Cheers, Andy

[Antonio247]

Andy, I might go from 27th February to 1st march since here in Andalusia we have at school a few days off due to Andalusia´s day on 28th February.

I´ve seen there´s a new half marathon on 29th February in Eastbourne. I think it would be great to take part in that first half marathon. Nevertheless, I´m not sure if I´ll be able to go then. What other races do you recommend me in spring?

By the way, if you go to San Sebastián, I´ve seen that a lot of forumites from "WWW.carreraspopulares.com", who are going to take part in the marathon, will have lunch on 23rd November at "Sidrería donostiarra" at 2.15. There will be be over 50. It must be a good place since it has been chosen by a local runner from San Sebastián. I don´t know the address but it must be in the old town. I´ve looked at their website but it didn´t work.

Good luck with your weight loss. I haven´t lost a gramme this week but I´ve lost 8 kilos since 1st September.

Have a good time in northern Spain and don´t eat too much if you don´t want to get back the pounds you´ve lost.

Hasta la vista
Antonio

PS. I was thinking of Nigel when I was running up to the top of the Alcazaba, an Arabic castle on top of the town. He gave me the idea of going up there. I had been before on bicycle or walking but never running. It was hard because but I enjoyed it a lot although today I´ve got a little discomfort on my left thigh. It´s a bit odd since yesterday it didn´t hurt at all but it started this afternoon when I was walking along the street. Besides, I didn´t go for a run this mornong. I´ll probably be all right tomorrow.

[Pollard]

Just thought i'd throw my hat into the ring. My weight is too much
for the amount of mileage i want to run. I find it difficult to stick to any sort of diet, no will power really. but here goes...

Tomorrow will be day 1.

weight 214

ideal 186

[Pollard]

Just thought i'd throw my hat into the ring. My weight is too much
for the amount of mileage i want to run. I find it difficult to stick to any sort of diet, no will power really. but here goes...

Tomorrow will be day 1.

weight 214

ideal 186

[Pollard]

If anyone thinks i'm being repetative let me know, i get a bit carried away at times!!!!!!!!!

chris

[El Gordo]

OK Chris you're on, I'm 215, target 182.

Here's an excellent website I've discovered for logging what you eat. It will factor in your weight/height etc, plus take into account your daily exercise, then tell you how many calories you have available to meet your weight-loss target. You can enter what you eat, and it will analyse your diet.

Take a look. You can try it free for 3 days. After that it's around £7 a month. I think I'll probably pay when my trial ends on Wednesday.

It might seem like a hassle, but there's no substitute for writing things down when you've got a goal. It works for saving money, running miles, and losing weight - I'm convinced.

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk

Good luck

[El Gordo]

Hi Antonio

There are several races on that weekend. I'm sure you've already looked at the Runners World site, but if you haven't:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/fou...=&v=2&cp=6

and

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/fou...=&v=2&cp=7

I had a question mark against Eastbourne myself, though I am more likely to do the Bramley 10 or 20 mile race if anything. If I go ahead with the idea of a marathon at the end of April I might need to be doing a 20 mile run that weekend, so the Bramley 20 is a rather horrible possibility.

That said, I'm in danger of getting myself into another heavy schedule that injured me this year. Trouble is, March and April are full of good races. I'm already committed to humiliating Nigel and Griff at the Bath Half on March 14th, and it's going to be tough to avoid my local half, Reading the week before that. On the other hand, I should have a go at marshalling so that's an option for Reading, which would free me up for the week before.

Let's wait and see.

Eastbourne is on the coast, Which reminds me of a joke that you may not understand: "Dover for the continent, Eastbourne for the incontinent".

Ha ha!

Andy

[Griff]

Is that "fightin' talk", Andy?

[El Gordo]

Eh? No, I just meant that you'll feel humiliated being seen in the company of someone who performed so badly in the race.

Why, what did you think I meant.....??

[Antonio247]

Thanks for the information, Andy, on the half marathons. I might try Bramley´s 20 miles as a sort of training for Madrid marathon on 25th April.

I liked the joke "Dover for the continent, Eastbourne for the incontinent".

I´m glad you enjoyed Brighton 10 km although you didn´t get your PB.

I hope you enjoy your trip in Spain and improve your Spanish. Don´t worry about losing weight in Euzkadi ( the Basque country ) and enjoy that wonderful cuisine, place and people. If you have the chance to see San Sebastián marathon you shouldn´t miss it. I think it is quite good and there will be a great atmosphere. There´s a lunch after the marathon at 2.15 at "Sidrería Donostiarra" in the old town where a lot of forumites from Carreraspopulares.com will be. It is a pity it is so far away from my hometown, otherwise we could meet there and have a few cups of Rioja and some "tapas" from there and plod a little along playa de la Concha.

Saludos desde Almería
Antonio

[El Gordo]

Hi Antonio

We don't yet know if we can get to San Sebastian on Sunday. We're trying to sort out hotels at the moment, and there's not much available (because of the marathon, perhaps). But we will get there at some point to sample that food. Yes, a few cups of Rioja and some tapas sounds bloody marvellous to someone on a diet, I can tell you.

I lost another couple of pounds this week (about a kilo) but I've a terrible feeling that it may have to be suspended when we get to the Basque country. I'm still hoping to do some running, however, so that may slightly reduce the damage of the local cuisine.

My Spanish is unlikely to improve, though I hope to plug a few gaps in my knowledge of very fine Gran Reserva Rioja.

Cheers,

Andy

[El Gordo]

Sorry, I meant to say: keep us informed about your trip. Nothing is yet decided but the Bramley 20 does look a strong possibility. You're right - it would be a good preparation for April marathons.

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy
I´ve had a look at http://WWW.bancotel.es and I´ve seen that near San Sebastián there are some hotels where you can stay for just one voucher a night, fifty euros plus VAT ( 7% ). You can get the voucher at any travel agent´s in Spain.

You can book a hotel in Irún near the French border at Hotel TRYP Urdanibia ( three stars ) or in Oiartzun at Hotel Lintzirin ( 3 stars ) near Irún or in Hondarribia/Fuenterrabía at Hotel Jáuregui ( except Saturday 22nd Nov ) near Irún, too. If you are going to rent a car, it would be a good idea since San Sebastián is nearby ( about 15 kms ) and you can spend some hours in France too.

I´ve never booked online. I don´t know if you have to pay before but, if you like, I can telephone Bancotel and book for you the hotel you tell me and then you get one voucher at a travel agent´s when you arrive in Spain and give it at reception.

If you want me to do that, Andy, you can tell me by sending me an e-mail.

Well, Andy, bye for now. Good luck!
Saludos desde Almería
Antonio

[El Gordo]

Antonio

I really appreciate your efforts, but it's no problem. We already have some arrangements made. Unusually for us, we've already got accommodation arranged for Bilbao, and San Sebastian shouldn't be a problem. After that, we plan to get in a car and drive for a while, and will no doubt end up somewhere willing to sell us a space for the night.

Most Brits get very panicky about where they are going to spend the night when they travel to other countries. Rightly or wrongly, it's never bothered me. I won't bore everyone with a selection of travel anecdotes, but suffice to say, there is no crisis here!

But thank you for the thought, it's much appreciated.

Regards

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy
I think you won´t have any problem in finding a room in a hotel in that area at this season and sometimes it is interesting not to have everything booked so that you can decide in the last minute where to go and have to look for a room although it can be a risk it is sometimes a wonderful experience and a nice surprise.

Anyway, I hope you both have a very good time over there. I´d like you to tell us when you come back how it was.

Saludos desde Almería
Antonio