Post-camino fitness

[Jay_Walker]

I just finished the VdlP. 1,000km averaging 30km/day over 34 days and 2 rest days. It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints but I was in good shape when I started. It's about 10 days since I finished. I went out and did a big climb (900m) that I used to do in about 70 minutes and it took me 90 minutes. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl. I have only done one other hike since coming home, 8 km (5 miles?) which felt fine. I was expecting to sprint up that hill in record time. Is it possible my fitness has declined over the course of my camino? I'm 62 years old, maybe I just underestimated the toll this takes on your body. I lost about 10 lbs (5%) and admittedly wasn't eating a great diet.

Maybe it's just jet lag (Canada) or just a bad day? Anyone have a similar experience with fatigue after their camino?

 

[Bradypus]

After a long Camino I often feel quite tired and lethargic for a few days afterwards once home. It may be largely psychological but it feels as though my body is recuperating after a long period of unusually strong exercise and sometimes disturbed sleep. Some cumulative tiredness which the enthusiasm I feel while walking has kept suppressed. I find the feeling does pass eventually.

 

[J Willhaus]

Just the opposite here. We live at over 7,220 feet elevation (almost 2,200 meters) and I always expect that we'll be able to sprint up the hills on the Camino. Sadly, we still huff and puff along just as if we were at home living at elevation and hiking here...
(aged 62 and 73 here)

 

[dreaming]

I am 69. It took me about a week on arriving home to recover after walking the CF. I was aching all over. It just went away. I did have a cold for two weeks and gastro in France before getting on the plane.

 

[Sirage]

I am not qualified in any way to provide a diagnosis or treatment but my reaction to

It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints

is that you overdid it not withstanding any thoughts you have of your level of fitness.

Your body needs time to heal ie "a time for therapy". This is the message your body is telling you quite loudly:-

I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl.

Ease back into your normal life.

An alternative choice you have is:-
Not to overdo it. For example do what I did last year to avoid damage - start easy and build up over the first few weeks -- 1,200 km at an overall average 22 km / day. (your mileage may/will vary, perhaps doing the second half of your walk at 30 or more km/day but starting much lower - smell the roses in the early stage).

My body told me I did not need any therapy time and I could keep walking.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Jay_Walker , if you look at any of the through hiker websites the vast majority of people coming out of a significant hike allow themselves up to three months to recuperate. You haven't even had three weeks yet !
Bearing in mind that you appear not to have listened to your body and had overdone it (you probably wouldn't have had shin splints otherwise) it would appear that it would pay you to give your body a little more time to recuperate.

All of that said from simple experience, zero medical training please note

 

[wynrich]

I just finished the VdlP. 1,000km averaging 30km/day over 34 days and 2 rest days. It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints but I was in good shape when I started. It's about 10 days since I finished. I went out and did a big climb (900m) that I used to do in about 70 minutes and it took me 90 minutes. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl. I have only done one other hike since coming home, 8 km (5 miles?) which felt fine. I was expecting to sprint up that hill in record time. Is it possible my fitness has declined over the course of my camino? I'm 62 years old, maybe I just underestimated the toll this takes on your body. I lost about 10 lbs (5%) and admittedly wasn't eating a great diet.

Maybe it's just jet lag (Canada) or just a bad day? Anyone have a similar experience with fatigue after their camino?

Just wondering what your elevation is at home? If it is much higher than the Camino, perhaps you have lost your acclimatization to the higher altitude?

 

[Raulvamir]

I just finished in April a short Camino. Only 128 Km. It took me about two weeks to recover emotionally. It was beautiful and intense and felt a bit out of place after my return. I had hurt my right ankle and developed celulitis during the last few days on exactly the same foot and ankle. It has been two and a half weeks and I am not 100% yet. The celulitis is gone but my ankle is still recovering. I am 71 and my body takes now longer to recover. I appreciate all the comments and the original question. I was asking myself about that.

 

[GaryRobArms]

I suspect that during your Camino your body adapted to long durations of HR zone 1 and 2 at the expense of your zone 3-4. After doing the Camino Portuguese last year I noticed that I had lost some capacity at medium-high intensity (anaerobic) road bike cycling, but my low intensity rides were easier than before. It came back after a few months on my normal cycling training program.
You may also have lost some climbing specific muscle tone. I noticed that also: after the Camino my cycling specific muscles were fatigued before I was aerobically spent, whereas before the Camino they had adapted to match each other.
Those would explain why the hill climb is so tough but the flatter hike is fine.
I’m 67. It all went back to the previous balance after a few months. I don’t think you need to worry.
I’m not an exercise physiologist, but I believe that anaerobic capacity adaptation takes 3-4 weeks. Muscle strength adaptation is longer: 6-12 weeks, although you probably didn’t lose much of that on the Camino.

 

[Scottglen]

I just finished the VdlP. 1,000km averaging 30km/day over 34 days and 2 rest days. It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints but I was in good shape when I started. It's about 10 days since I finished. I went out and did a big climb (900m) that I used to do in about 70 minutes and it took me 90 minutes. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl. I have only done one other hike since coming home, 8 km (5 miles?) which felt fine. I was expecting to sprint up that hill in record time. Is it possible my fitness has declined over the course of my camino? I'm 62 years old, maybe I just underestimated the toll this takes on your body. I lost about 10 lbs (5%) and admittedly wasn't eating a great diet.

Maybe it's just jet lag (Canada) or just a bad day? Anyone have a similar experience with fatigue after their camino?

See a doctor?

 

[Katykay]

I just finished the VdlP. 1,000km averaging 30km/day over 34 days and 2 rest days. It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints but I was in good shape when I started. It's about 10 days since I finished. I went out and did a big climb (900m) that I used to do in about 70 minutes and it took me 90 minutes. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl. I have only done one other hike since coming home, 8 km (5 miles?) which felt fine. I was expecting to sprint up that hill in record time. Is it possible my fitness has declined over the course of my camino? I'm 62 years old, maybe I just underestimated the toll this takes on your body. I lost about 10 lbs (5%) and admittedly wasn't eating a great diet.

Maybe it's just jet lag (Canada) or just a bad day? Anyone have a similar experience with fatigue after their camino?

Any unexplained fatigue should be checked out by a doctor. Don’t forget nutrition. Good luck!

 

[Jay_Walker]

I suspect that during your Camino your body adapted to long durations of HR zone 1 and 2 at the expense of your zone 3-4.

I think this explains a great deal of it. The VlpD is not particularly hilly and so I probably lost some aerobic fitness. I also likely overdid it, however since I was walking alone I didn't want to take 40-50 days to complete the camino. Live and learn - you don't know until you try. I still enjoyed it.

 

[C clearly]

Any unexplained fatigue should be checked out by a doctor.

I agree. But in this case there seems to be a likely explanation - he has walked over 1000 km in 34 days. The body is asking for a well-earned rest.

 

[Katykay]

I agree. But in this case there seems to be a likely explanation - he has walked over 1000 km in 34 days. The body is asking for a well-earned rest.

Probably. But best to rule out other reasons.

 

[Sirage]

I find this an interesting observation, highlighting the diversity of people walking the Caminos.

however since I was walking alone I didn't want to take 40-50 days to complete the camino.

It is apparent that there are others (including myself) who are happy to walk for long periods of time alone.

Each to their own.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I just finished the VdlP. 1,000km averaging 30km/day over 34 days and 2 rest days. It was challenging - blisters, foot pain and 3 days before SdC I developed shin splints but I was in good shape when I started. It's about 10 days since I finished. I went out and did a big climb (900m) that I used to do in about 70 minutes and it took me 90 minutes. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath and slowed to a crawl. I have only done one other hike since coming home, 8 km (5 miles?) which felt fine. I was expecting to sprint up that hill in record time. Is it possible my fitness has declined over the course of my camino? I'm 62 years old, maybe I just underestimated the toll this takes on your body. I lost about 10 lbs (5%) and admittedly wasn't eating a great diet.

Maybe it's just jet lag (Canada) or just a bad day? Anyone have a similar experience with fatigue after their camino?

My experience is the opposite at age 70.

After my last Camino (approx. 740 klms) I felt so good that I decided to make a point of retaining my fitness by swimming, daily walks and at least one long hike a week in the bush and hills surrounding Tamaki Makaurau Auckland.

I tend not to go climbing but yesterday hiked up a 463 mt hill with a group of friends.

If you are feeling breathless then this might be a useful sign to go visit your doctor for a check up.

 

[Lurch]

Returned 3 weeks ago from walking from Logrono to Ponferrada. Now at 5500 feet elevation. Not walking as much as I should, for me just laziness. Want to walk, but just too many things to do. Maybe next week…

 

[KiwiJohn]

My experience is the opposite at age 70.

After my last Camino (approx. 740 klms) I felt so good that I decided to make a point of retaining my fitness by swimming, daily walks and at least one long hike a week in the bush and hills surrounding Tamaki Makaurau Auckland.

I tend not to go climbing but yesterday hiked up a 463 mt hill with a group of friends.

If you are feeling breathless then this might be a useful sign to go visit your doctor for a check up.

You nailed it. Last week I completed 2x15km hikes over rough terrain in the foothills of the Tararua Ranges. No problem at all.
BTW, I am 73, wanting to keep in shape for next year's Camino del Norte in August.

 

[DeansFamily]

We just completed the entire Lycian Way in Turkiye and after a short break we did the Peloponnese Way in Central Greece. Like all our Caminos we have to adjust back to an Eastern Australia timezone which puts us out of sorts for a week and start back on our usual fitness regime to lose those cultural calories. How can you walk 1000 km and gain 5 kilos?

 

[Bradypus]

How can you walk 1000 km and gain 5 kilos?

I've never lost a significant amount of weight on a Spanish Camino. Usually plenty of food available at reasonable prices. I did lose 15kg over 66 days from Canterbury to Rome though. Put it back on fairly quickly once I returned home.