Almería half marathon. 29th January 2006

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy SP

It´s a pity you can´t come next year as well. We´ll miss you. I hope we´ll be able to meet somewhere else. Good luck with your running!


Antonio

[Sweder]

Flight booked and confirmed - out Sat 28 backTues 31 out of LGW.
Now, where's me trainers . . .

[Antonio247]

It´s a wonderful piece of news that our Gulliver is also coming to Almería half marathon.

I´ll pick up both of you in Almería on Saturday morning and we can have chocolate and churros for breakfast.

Regards

Antonio

[El Gordo]

Not my normal pre-race diet, Antonio, but thanks for the thought. I'll have the physique of a whippet by the end of January , so I might have to leave the sweet stuff till after the race.

[Sweder]

Any ideas on digs for Almería?

I was perfectly happy with the hotel this year, but if anyone has a better/ alternative suggestion I'm all ears. Of course we may want to relocate to a more rural setting for Sunday and/ or Monday.

I guess it might be prudent to sign up for the race - I remember that being quite fun last time around.

[El Gordo]

I'm easy.

Depends a bit on whether anyone else is coming. Antonio had a suggestion if there were just two of us that I'll let him mention. Otherwise, I'd be happy to be in the same place, or anywhere else.

What a bland answer.

Anyone else volunteering for a spot of winter sunshine in Spain and a decent half marathon -- perhaps as part of the build-up for a spring marathon?

[Antonio247]

My suggestion was to offer our flat in Roquetas de Mar to stay if you both liked the idea. It is in a seaside town, about 20 km away from Almería.

I thought it could be less impersonal than a hotel although, afterwards, I realised that it was further to the start of the half marathon and less comfortable since it is furnished just for summer holidays. It has three bedrooms but one is to keep things and there is a room with a double bed and another room with a single bed.

If you prefer staying at the same hotel as last year, Hotel Torreluz ****, it would be fifty euros a double or single room without breakfast VAT included. I could get for around 55 euros a single room with breakfast and VAT included. There is also the possiblity of staying in another hotel near Almería on Sunday and Monday night at around the same amount or in our flat if you prefer staying at the hotel in Almería on Saturday night.

As you can see there are many possiblities. Just let me know which one suits both of you better.

I´m glad your mum is feeling better, Ashley/Sweder.

Best Wishes

Antonio

[Sweder]

Thnak you Antonio. Andy and I will talk about this and let you know very soon. My Mother is much better and will leave hospital tomorrow. She has a four month recovery ahead, but the worst part seems to be over for now.

[El Gordo]

Very kind offer, Antonio, thank you, but it depends on if anyone else is going to Almeria.

Let's decide nearer the time.

[Antonio247]

The half marathon website is already working.

The course is the same as last year. There will be a pasta dinner again on Saturday evening although the place where it will be held is still ignored.

Entries can be done online in "Inscripciones" the first heading under "Información general" through a secure system. If you don´t understand anything, just tell me. It costs 10 euros except for subscribers of Runner´s World and other Spanish magazines which is 7 euros. I don´t know if it is only the Spanish edition but I could ask if you are interested. The entry can also be done on Saturday at the Mediterranean stadium where the race numbers and chips are collected. However, it would cost 13 euros. The price includes the pasta dinner.

http://www.mediomaratonalmeria.com/


Greetings from Almería

Antonio

[El Gordo]

Antonio

I need to talk to you about your visit to London. Would be useful to speak on the phone. Will email you.

Cheers

Andy

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy

It was great to talk to you and M. on the phone yesterday.

We´re looking forward to going for a walk with you showing us a part of London next Saturday.


Regards

Antonio

[Antonio247]

Well, here I´m back after a few days in London. We had a very good time there and I went for a run three days early in the morning in the Lancaster Gate, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Bayswater, Paddington areas. We were lucky with the weather since it was cold but mostly sunny and without rain. It´s been a wonderful experience for our students.

I´m terribly sorry that our schedule had to be changed due to the the change of the guard in Buckingham palace and Portobello road market. So, we couldn´t do Andy´s interesting plan. I thought he wouldn´t mind our change of plans and he could come with us showing us another part of London and going for a drink and having lunch with him.

As far as Almería half is concerned, I´ve translated the entry form into English so that it can be easier for you to enter online.

NOMBRE - FIRST NAME
APELLIDOS - SURNAME/S
FECHA DE NACIMIENTO - DATE OF BIRTH
Dd/mm/aaaa día/mes/año day/month/ year dd/mm/yyyy
DNI ( Spanish identity card ) - PASSPORT NUMBER
DIRECCIÓN - ADDRESS
LOCALIDAD - TOWN
CÓDIGO POSTAL - POSTCODE
PROVINCIA - PROVINCE ( COUNTY )
PAÍS - COUNTRY
TELÉFONO - TELEPHONE MÓVIL - MOBILE PHONE
( Se enviará la clasificación y tiempo por móvil ) - ( Race position and time will be sent by mobile phone )
CORREO ELECTRÓNICO - E-MAIL ADDRESS
NACIONALIDAD - NATIONALITY ( Rub out “ESPAÑOLA” and write “BRITÁNICA”- BRITISH
CLUB
LICENCIA FEDERATIVA Nº- FEDERATION CARD NUMBER
UNIVERSIDAD ALMERÍA - UNIVERSITY OF ALMERÍA
CATEGORÍA MILITAR/POLICÍA/BOMBERO - MILITARY / POLICE / FIREMAN CATEGORY
SEXO / SEX MASCULINO - MALE FEMENINO – FEMALE
LOCAL - LOCAL/NATIVE ( FROM ALMERÍA WITH A FEDERATION LICENCE)
CÓDIGO DE CHIP - CHIP CODE ( NOT NECESSARY )
CUOTA DE PARTICIPACIÓN - PARTICIPATION FEE
FORMA DE PAGO - WAY OF PAYMENT
TARJETA DE CRÉDITO - CREDIT CARD ( ON LINE )
INGRESO O TRANSFERENCIA - BANK ORDER


If you don´t understand anything, just tell me.


FELIZ NAVIDAD - MERRY CHRISTMAS


Antonio

[Sweder]

Thank you Antonio, you are a star.
I need to get signed up and will do so today.
Merry Christmas to you, your family and friends.
And here's to 2006 - The Year Of The Plodder.

[El Gordo]

Glad you enjoyed your trip, Antonio. Hope you managed to sample some mince pies and neck a few ales.

Thanks for the race info. I'll enter soon.

Have a good Christmas and New Year, and look forward to seeing you at the end of January.

M says Hi.

Cheers

Andy

[El Gordo]

Antonio

I've now entered the race. Thanks very much for your translations - this was very useful.

It looks like just the three of us this time.

Sweder - what do you want to do about accommodation? My preference would probably to keep it simple and go for the hotel option again. What's your view?

Antonio - personally I was happy with the hotel we were in last year, but just out of interest, are there alternatives? The only issue is whether we want to be nearer the start.

Cheers

Andy

[El Gordo]

Flights still available from Gatwick on the Saturday morning - only £29 with EasyJet.

[Sweder]

Sweder - what do you want to do about accommodation? My preference would probably to keep it simple and go for the hotel option again. What's your view?Andy

That suits me mate. The digs last year were top drawer, and the breakfast - highly important for Sunday - was spot on. I'd be interested to know what else is on offer for Sunday/ Monday though.

[Sweder]

ITS ENTRANCE HAS BEEN MADE CORRECTLY. We thank for the deposited confidence in our services.

Looks like I'm in too.

I wonder if there's anyone else out there who might jump in at the last minute . . .
. . . come on, you know you want to . . .

[Antonio247]

I´m glad that you both have successfully entered.

I suggest several options to stay at a hotel in Almería.

Hotel Torreluz **** , the one you stayed in last year, would be 70, 69 euros + 7% VAT each day with breakfast included. The same price for a single or a double room. I could get Saturday and Sunday with the voucher system for 50 euros each day VAT included. I talked to them in the hotel and they told me that it is not possible to get a cheaper price for the single room than the double room even though in both cases it includes breakfast for one or two people.

Hotel Torreluz ***, the one opposite the previous one, Saturday and Sunday 50 euros + 7% VAT each day with breakfast included. Monday 55 euros + 7% VAT the room only without breakfast. Single room.

Hotel Vincci Mediterráneo. It is situated at Avenida del Mediterráneo, near a shopping centre called Alcampo, similar to the Gran Plaza shopping centre in Roquetas where we met last year. It is about a 20 minutes´ walk to the city centre. Single room 53,50 euros VAT included with “Coffee express”, which consists of coffee, tea or milk, juice, pastries and “churros”.

Hotel Tryp Indalo. It is situated at Avenida del Mediterráneo, near the previous one but a bit nearer the city centre. It is about a 15 minutes´ walk to the city centre. It is the official hotel. It is 48 euros single or double room. VAT included. 55 euros with breakfast included single room. The only problem with this hotel is that it has to be booked through a travel agency paying the whole amount through a bank transfer or giving a credit card number. However, in case you couldn´t come and you didn´t tell them with a few days´ notice, they would charge some cancellation expenses. Anyway, I phoned the hotel and it could be booked directly with them without having to pay anything until you leave the hotel and the price would be 50 euros + 7% VAT a single room. If you want a “express breakfast”, which must be similar to the Hotel Vincci Mediterráneo, it would be 5 euros + 7% VAT. If you are interested in this hotel, I´d talk to the manager in order to get the organisation offer without having to pay in advance.

I think that both Vincci Mediterráneo and Tryp Indalo are very new hotels and the relation price / quality is quite good. Besides, they both are well communicated with the stadium and airport and the area is quieter than the city centre.

I´ll pick you up at the airport on Saturday 28th and we can go to have breakfast somewhere.

Would you like to have lunch after the half marathon at Club de Mar restaurant, the one we went to last year?

If anyone else fancies coming here, you will be very welcome.

Saludos desde Almería Greetings from Almería

Antonio