25th December 2008
At 9:00 I was at the esplanade on Christmas day. I was going for a run with my brother Jose who is on holidays in Almería. It was a bit cold, 13º Celsius. We went to the Rambla where we could se some youngsters coming from parties and went up as far as paseo de la Caridad. Then, we went down avenida Pablo Iglesias and paseo de Almería. There were some people having breakfast at the cafés. We got to the Rambla where we stopped and then walked to the esplanade where we did some stretching. We did around 4.3 km in 35 minutes. My calf felt well although my brother´s knee complained a little.
I haven´t been able to train in the open since 14th December because at Adra race I felt some pain in my right calf. However, I´ve joined a sports club where I´ve done some workouts, run in a machine, cycled in a gym bicycle and swum a little in the swimming pool. I´ve even used its spa a little. I expect it will be useful for San Silvestre race on Sunday.
Another run with my brother Jose. I started at the splanade and met him at the sea front next to El delfín verde bar and restaurant. We went along the sea front as far as the end. The temperature was 16º Celsius and the day had sunny and cloudy spells. We got to the other end of the sea front and I continued 300 metres more to the start point. In all, I did 5 kms in 38 minutes.
Good luck for tomorrow Antonio. I qill joing the Jog Shop Joggers for a run along the cliff tops, maybe even up the Snake. I'll have to see how my knee holds up. 13 degress Celcius? Shocking - I'm surprised you even left the house in such brutal conditions
Gracias, S. It will be my last race in the year. In the morning it is the Subida a los Baños race from Pechina. However, I don´t think I´m fit enough to do both races in the same day. So, I´ll probably do the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla race on bicycle. I could also go up in the car and run down along the path to Pechina as you have done in the last two years. I don´t know yet what to do.
Anyway, enjoy your run in the hills, S.!
Let´s hope it isn´t too cold tomorrow. However, it may rain.
Saludos desde Almería
28th December 2008. Morning.
This year the “subida a los Baños de Sierra Alhamilla” was held on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and the “I San Silvestre de Almería” was in the evening at 7 pm. So, I had to take part in two races on the same day for the first time in my life. As I´m not very fit lately I decided to do the first one on bicycle but some problems to carry the bicycle to Pechina in my car made me do it on foot but just from the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla to Pechina along a dirt track and a dry “rambla”.
I got to Pechina town hall square at 10:25. I greeted Manuel, the organiser, Raúl, the sports local councillor who was also taking part, Jose, who has taken part in it two years but this year he was injured and was going to do it on bicycle, etc. This year there were fewer participants due to the coincidence of both races and the weather since it was raining a little.
The race started after taking a few photos and I went into Antonio´s car. He works for the local council and takes the drinks in his car. We went up the road and stopped to take some photos. The cyclists passed first and then the runners. Manuel was the last one because he had a stitch. Then, we went up by car to Baños de Sierra Alhamilla where we gave some bottles of water to the cyclists and runners. The mayor of Pechina, his wife and granddaughter, Raúl´s daughter, joined us. When I joined him the rain had already stopped. We went down the path towards the rambla. This year Manuel and Raúl had marked the course with green arrows and ribbons. Before getting to the finish, I felt some discomfort in my right calf but nothing too serious. We got there together and were cheered by the people and some runners who remained there.
After getting changed, Manuel, his niece Macarena and myself went to the sports pavilion where we had lunch. There we met other runners and cyclists, the men from "Protección Civil", the mayor, his wife and niece. There we could have “empanadillas” ( pies ), ham, cheese, “salchichón” ( a sort of salami ), “mantecados” and cakes and drinks such as beer, Coca Cola, Fanta.
We had a good time and decided that next year it would be on Saturday 26th December so that people could take part at San Silvestre race in Almería the next day.
28th December. Evening.
Although I still had some discomfort in my right calf, I decided to take part in the first San Silvestre in my home town. I thought that I could do at least one lap and leave if I didn´t feel well.
When I arrived at el paseo, I saw a lot of people warming up. It was a nice evening. The temperature indicator showed 16º Celsius. After leaving my sweatshirt and tracksuit trousers in the stall, I went to warm up a little in the avenue. There, I met Jose, who had been at the Baños on bicycle in the morning. I also saw Encarna but she had to go to the toilet. Later, I saw Jose and his son Javier. The atmosphere was great with a lot of people with Father Christmas´ caps. The race started at 7:05 pm and we went down the main avenue going past cafés and pavements with a lot of people cheering. We had to do three laps. I was in a group of four people in the back. After doing the first lap some former students of mine saw me and said: Ánimo, teacher!, which means Come on. I greeted them and when I was going up the Rambla, they were there again cheering. They had taken a shortcut. I also saw Carmen, a teacher of English, with Tony and her son Paquito. As I didn´t feel too bad, I continued to do the three laps, around 7.2 km in 41 minutes. I wished my mates a happy new year and went to look for my bag with a technical T-shirt, a bottle of water, a can of Nestea, etc. I also met Felipe and Mario who had done it in 33 minutes. With them were Carmen, Tony and Paquito.
I was glad to have taken part in it. The organisation was great and the atmosphere was wonderful with around 500 people taking part.
At 10 pm, I went to have dinner at Bar Restaurante Baviera in the city centre with Felipe and his wife, Mario and his wife, Jesús, Carmen, Encarna, Pepe, Carmen, Tony and Paquito. We had a good time upstairs eating alone. We had salad, fish, clams, mussels, dessert, beer, wine and a sorbet to end.
Happy new year, everybody. Feliz año nuevo a tod@s.
Wow, two races in one day is pretty impressive A.
Congratulations on completing both. Best wishes to you and yours for this new running year.
Gracias, S.
I also wish you and yours all the best for this new year.
2nd January 2009
The first run of the year. I didn´t feel very confident after last Sunday´s races with some discomfort in my right calf. So, I just went for half an hour from the esplanade and along Nicolás Salmerón park. I went very softly feeling no pain at all. However, I felt a little tired taking into account that the distance was just 4 kilometres. I did some stretching before and more after the run.
A good start to the new year.. all the best to you and of course, to Hugo Sanchez as well
Gracias, BB. You too.
Well, Hugo Sánchez has had a good start as the new UD Almería manager. Let´s hope they end well.
Glad the calf is coming good Antonio - are you feeling confident about Almeria?
Gracias, MLCM.
I don´t know yet if I´ll be able to do the half marathon this year. It depends on how I feel this month and the distance I can do in training. My aim is to increase the kilometres little by little and see how I get on. I may start with the aim to do the half but if I see I can´t do it, I can do just the 10 km.
Saludos desde Almería
6th January 2009
Today is a very special day for the Spanish children. In spite of Father Christmas´ influence here called papa Noel which makes children get presents on 25th December as well, today they get other presents. The previous day all the cities and towns in Spain have a parade with floats in which the magi or wise men or the three kings, known here as reyes magos and called Gaspar, Melchor and Baltasar with their pages - pajes in Spanish - throw sweets along the streets and avenues and are supposed to carry all the presents for the children who have behaved well and coal for those who haven´t been good.
http://WWW.ideal.es/almeria
So, this morning at 8:45, when I went out, there were few people in the promenade. It was still cloudy and cold, only 9º Celsius. I started at the esplanade after doing some stretching and went along the promenade as far as the end of the sea front. It took me 17´20´´ to do 2.5 km. Then, I came back in 35´10´´ and completed 36´. Afterwards, I did some more stretching. I felt better than last Friday and no pain in my calf or knee.
8th January 2009
A cold evening to go for a run . 7º Celsius is very cold here. I went along carretera de Sierra Aolhamilla and took avenida del Mediterráneo but instead of going to the sea front, I decided to turn left and go to a new neighbourhood where there used to be cortijos ( farmhouses ) a few years ago. I got to the Zapillo football club stadium in 24 minutes. There I did some stretching and got back in another 24 minutes, completing one more minute and did some more stretching. In all, around 7 kms.
The cold weather in Spain even made the news here Antonio! So much for global warming?!
Good to see you getting the kilometres under your belt. You'll be dangerous by the time Almeria comes around!
Gracias, MLCM. I´ll be glad if I manage to finish the half instead of the 10 km race. Anyway, I´m feeling better than just two weeks ago.
Yes, it´s very cold all over Spain. It has snowed in many places. Here, it isn´t so cold but colder than usual. It´s also raining a lot. Today it is a typical English day here: first cloudy, then rainy, now sunny.
By the way, yesterday we watched "Australia". I liked the film and the landscape is great. What a big country/continent!
11th January 2009
At 12 pm I started at carretera de Sierra Alhamilla. It was drizzling and the temperature was 12º celsius although it seemed colder. I went along c. de Sierra Alhamilla and went up and sown the bridge at avenida del Mediterráneo. It took me 17 minutes to do 2.5 km. Then, I continued along that avenue as far as c. de Níjar, just opposite Hotel Tryp Indalo. Then, I went to the stadium Mediterráneo reaching the half marathon start line in 27´50´´. I went on along the half marathon course but I decided to go down along a new avenue. It started raining and I went back along Cortijo Grande and Ciudad Jardín neighbourhoods. I got to the start point in 54 minutes. As it wasn´t raining then, I decided to cross avenida Cabo de Gata and complete 60 minutes at the Almadrabillas esplanade. Afterwards, I did some stretching. I had good sensations without any pain in my right calf. Let´s hope it goes on like that.
12th January 2009
At 7:30 pm, I went along carretera de Sierra Alhamilla and other streets to avenida del Mediterráneo where Guillermo and I continued along that avenue towards the sea front. It was a beautiful evening. The temperature indicator showed 13º Celsius which is wonderful after the cold and rainy days we have had lately.
We enjoyed the run talking and got to the end of the promenade. Then, we got back along the sea front to get to the port where we got back. I remained at the Almadrabillas esplanade and Guillermo went on to do around 12 kilometres. I did 7 kilometres more or less in 50 minutes. There I did some stretching and went home. I felt all right.
Wednesday 14th January 2009
Yesterday I felt like doing a different course. So, I went to El Toyo, a new neighbourhood built as the lodging for the participants in 2005 Mediterranean games. It is 14 km away from Almería, near the airport. I left the car at the car park near the hotel Barceló Cabo de Gata and went for a run near the sea towards the airport through mailnly countryside enjoying the soft land quite different from the hard stone at the sea front. I left at 6:15 pm when it was still light. I reached El Alquián beach where there are a few boats on the sand. It took me 25 minutes. Then, as it was getting dark, I decided to go along a path. The atmosphere was great since it is a quiet area and the view is great with the bay of Almería in the background. I got to the car park in 24 minutes and I decided to go on along the El Toyo sea front as far as Retamar main avenue. It is a resort nearly empty in winter. It took me ten more minutes. Then, I came back in 9 minutes and completed to do 70 minutes in all. I liked the experience since it is nice to change the landscape a bit and run along softer terrain.