Just back from 22 degrees to about 2 degrees!!, and another great weekend trip abroad to do a race.
This was our annual winter race abroad where other local Northwest clubs and three A+T runners, Michelle Fuller, Mark Beresford and yours truly completed the fairly tough and hilly in parts 22nd Torremolinos Half Marathon( see blog report November 30th 2009 for all the details in full, how to enter etc).
The race started at 10am, which is better than the usual 9am start races abroad tend to be. The temperature was certainly very warm all through the race and could have done with being a few degrees cooler,it was around 18 degrees.
The race was superbly organised as ever with 989 runners. Winning time 1.03.19. First British runner 1.12.18
Michelle did excellent, 2.01.01 14th vet and 48th lady!,over 9 minutes faster than her last Half and looked very strong coming in at the finish(as you can see from the picture) No doubt that time will start to go down the more racing/training she does. Nice to see her with her family too to cheer her on which included her Dad,daughter and partner Jim who also did the race and came in with Michelle.
Mark B was on my heels for all the race and was more than happy with his very respectable time of 1.35.45 and 249th which when you consider the course, the heat and the one or two(several!) beers we both had the day before, not ideal pre race preparation i know ! its a great result. We both beat our times from last year.
I finished just slightly ahead of Mark in 1.35.30 and 243rd . I have to say, i made use of the many water, sponge and orange segment stations there were and stopped at them all.Coming from the snow, frost and freezing weather to beautiful blue skies and warm weather in just over 2 and a bit hours puts you more in a holiday frame of mind as apposed to a pre half marathon race mood.
It wasn't long before we were sat on the sea front at a restaurant practically burning with the very warm sunshine whilst we "carbed" up on chips,meat, salad and beer of course.
The atmosphere of these races abroad are fantastic and anybody not yet done one, they are well worth the time and effort.
Out of the hundreds of supporting crowds on the course were some people from the Atherton/Tyldesley area who had text and rang home to some of our club members to "report" three blue A+T tops had been spotted!. I'm more than pleased to give a great club some exposure!
The added bonus of the weather certainly gives us all that encouragement to train hard over the 3/4 months leading up to this race, which is usually always at the beginning of Feb.
We met up with other runners from other local Northwest clubs, Horwich RMI,Wesham, Blackpool, Spectrum Striders, Accrington and Thornton Cleveleys running clubs.
Other notable performers in the gang were Kamel Sullivan. 1.28.41... 3 rd lady overall and Ist vet 40, Sarah Sherrat 1.37.52 2rd vet 35 and young Karl Lee(24) 1.23.03 and 52nd overall, all three from Wesham.
Special mention must go to our good friend Brian Scully, Accrington Road Runners, who at 74 years young came in at 2.06.34 beating runners half his age!. So any other member or non member reading this and thinking of giving up running/ racing or in fact think they are "past it" to do anything physical like running, Brian only took up running at 58!!
The banter as always was good humoured and we all had many good race stories to tell. Hopefully, we can get a few more A+T there next year and who knows pick up a few trophies as did some in our group.
After finishing the race and soaking up the post race atmosphere and the sun of course, it was off to our hotel.......500 yards away to shower ready for a well earned celebration drink and food, all done sat outside of course.
All in all, a super time was had by all and a great goody bag with a decent technical t-shirt and other bits and bobs. Not bad for 5 euros! to enter, £20 half board rooms and cheap flights!...BARGAIN!All the other local Northwest clubs and the A+T gang had a great time and Michelle commented that she "had a ball" and would look to do this race on a regular basis.
As Mark and i have done this event many times between us and you fancy a go just ask us anything about the race.
So don't forget to put a date in you diary for early next February and lets bring back some silverware as i know we have the talent in our club to achieve this.
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