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Am I fit enough to walk now.

Rdiaz53

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Future Camino Frances or Del Norte
Hi, I'm new to the group. I have a strong desire to walk a Camino, either Frances or Del Norte. As soon as possible. I will turn 69 very soon. Im very physically active, Paddle Tennis/Padel, Pickleball, Golf and 5 to 6 mile walks each of these 2 to 3 times per week. Im almost fully recovered from a ruptured disk almost 3 years ago. Still have some discomfort which I will probably live with the rest of my life.
Im concerned about my ability to complete my Camino. It may be more mental. Can you all in this community please help me put my doubts into perspective. Thank you.
 
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I think that any advice about your spinal disc problem should come from a medical professional who knows your history and current condition. On a Camino journey some years ago I had a spinal disc prolapse which put me out of long distance walking for several months. I did recover well enough to have walked some thousands of km since. From your description of your regular exercise I think you probably could arrange a gentle slow start and build up your days as you gain confidence. But getting the all-clear from your doctor first might be a good first step.
 
Yes, you can! Take it easy and think: ‘I can, but if, at some point, it becomes too hard, I can always stop, take a bus/train/taxi to the next major city, spend some days relaxing and then go home – but at least I tried’.

Buen Camino.
 
Rdiaz53 said:
Im concerned about my ability to complete my Camino. It may be more mental. Can you all in this community please help me put my doubts into perspective. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Borrowed from elsewhere


The above is attributed to Mark Twain but the author apparently is unknown.

Remove your doubts, like many others I have had a spinal operation. As others have commented if you think it is necessary ask your medical guy. If the spine is OK then just go with the flow. It's great fun, it isn't as difficult as some make out providing you look after your feet, walk at a comfortable pace, chat along the way as that makes it easier providing you walk at your pace and not theirs and stop when (or just before) you have had enough for the day. Then sit in the sun with a drink and watch/chat with the rest of the pilgrims as they arrive. Think of it as a walk until lunchtime and then to when you will have a shower and not of a walk of 500 miles.
 
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Rick of Rick and Peg said:
And the Norte has more pavement, right? That can't be good for a ruptured disc.
Click to expand...
Good point. Thx
 
In general, almost everyone is "fit enough" to walk the Camino if they are capable of walking a reasonably long distance on their own two feet, they wear good shoes and socks for walking long distances, and they listen to their bodies. If your body is telling you to take a break - then take a break. If your body is telling you to stop for the night in the current or next town - then do it. If your body is telling you that you need a rest day, take a rest day. Walk a comfortable pace, walk a reasonably comfortable distance, and listen to your body. Regarding specific medical issues, always consult your own physician as they know your condition best.
 
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Sounds like you are only half dead!

You seem rather fit and there are many places to stop. The problem with we men is we think we can push through... That can harm our bodies. You seem humble enough to ask for advice and that alone will spare you many pains on the Camino.

Manage your feet and legs - that will be the challenge.

Buen Camino
 
You can do it! It honestly sounds like you have already done really good preparation. I have a significant scoliosis giving me some constant back pain. I also have Parkinson's (mostly tremor) and two artificial knees. In Sept and Oct of 2021, my wife and I did the CF and continued on to Fisterra. With our regular walking days, 'touring days' and 'rest days' we covered 1210 km in 48 days. We used Correos to transport the bulk of our stuff, but I wore a 30 liter pack that was well fitted for me and actually reduced my back pain. It carried our Camelbak and food/snacks and rain gear. I used trekking poles to assist with hills, both up and down. We trained by doing 5-10 km every day for over a month before we left and a couple times a week we would do 20 km. We had our shoes and socks figured out by then. If you do the prep you will know your tolerance and you should not run into surprises.
 
Your physician is your best adviser on this, of course, and I wouldn't dare advise on specifics. Generally speaking, I would suggest that you might want to give yourself extra days, as it might be that shorter stages (perhaps ini the 10-15k range) would be a good way to begin, thus allowing you to see how well you actually can do. It is not a race, and the energy of a few pilgrims to make it one can be distracting, and sometimes pushes us to do more than we should. Slow days and rest days are great ideas for anyone.

While I'm a fan of the Norte, there is much to be said for the Frances for a first Camino. If you decide to do the Norte, I would advise against walking from Irun, and would suggest Bilbao. The first week of the Norte is tough, and there is little flexibility in the relatively long stages in hilly country. If you end up trying, do make sure that you obtain taxi numbers at each stage--especially for Deba-Markina, and Markina-Gernika, as you may well need them. Remember that there are no rules about the starting point (as in, a full Norte requires departure from Irun and the 'full Camino' mandates a departure from Saint Jean Pied de Port).
 
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Start training at home and work your way up to 15-20km per day. If you have medical issues, see your local doctor. If you can do this at home, then you can do this in Spain. It's that simple.

Failure to train at home often results in over-doing it in Spain and results in injuries.


-Paul
 
This is your Camino. You must commit to walking the path at your own pace. There is nothing to compete against; no race to win and no trophies are given for speed.
For many the Camino remains a pilgrimage, which is best experienced through a thoughtful walk where you are fully present as you walk through forests, high plains, old villages, old cities, and visiting a great many holy places.
Focus on walking comfortably. At first, the objective is to achieve a capable physical condition. It will come rather quickly, but not by hurrying or attempting to speed the process by going faster. Going faster leads to having your body fail due to putting too much strain on the system.
Based on your activity, you are more than capable of finishing the Camino. There will still be aches and pains, but most of those will go away during the journey.
You are going to have a great Camino.
 
Body is Half Alive!! The areas in the lower back and between the ears is questionable!! Thx for the input.
 
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Hi.
I am about to embark on the Camino for the 5th time in May/June this year. I have always taken the view that I will take as long as I take. I have never booked a return flight until arriving in Santiago. This way I can just do what I feel like each day be that a huge hike or a 5 to 10k saunter. You will have people race past you under pressure to finish (I once spent some time with a guy who arrived in Santiago at 1.00pm and was due on a 7.00pm flight that night) and you will also pass people who are hardly walking any distance each day. Relax, talk to people and above all enjoy yourself. do it your way and you will finish physically and mentally refreshed.
Buen Camino
Vince
 
Rick of Rick and Peg said:
And the Norte has more pavement, right? That can't be good for a ruptured disc.
Click to expand...
It does have alot of pavement. But there are lots of variants. I know people have talked about them and there are GPS apps that allow you to follow the variants. When I walked and since I have no idea how to download or follow these apps I would just tag along with young pilgrims who had the GPS and knew what they were doing. They are beautiful and on natural paths.
 
The self-doubt is common and has nothing to do with age. It is almost like a developmental stage for pilgrims. Take your time, open yourself to new experiences. You can send your pack on if you need to, so have a small foldable daypack to keep with you. You can take a bus or train or taxi to the next stop. My only advice is to really take care of your feet -- have the proper shoes and socks. Take short breaks, take off your socks and shoes and look them over. Read some of the threads on foot care. Your feet are the most important part. I hope this is a lovely and rejuvenating adventure for you.
 
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Great advice. Remember, this is not a race. There are no prizes for "finishing first." Buen Camino!
 
trecile said:
Just give yourself plenty of time. Start slowly and listen to your body.
I would recommend the Francés because it has better infrastructure, making shorter stages possible. It's also less physically demanding that the Norte.
Click to expand...
Rdiaz53 said:
Hi, I'm new to the group. I have a strong desire to walk a Camino, either Frances or Del Norte
Click to expand...
I would agree with trecile. Both of us have done the Norte and the CF. The Norte has far more up and downs and some very steep downhills, and as trecile said better infrastructure to give you more options and help. Start really slowly. Maybe even start in Pamplona. If you start in St. Jean Jean go only to Orisson the first day. When you start downhill at the end to Roncesvalles take the variant to the right. I have not walked it but I know the downhill, which I think is about 5K and seems to go on forever is really steep and if it has rained really slippery. The variant is a little longer but much more gradual and you will probably get to Roncesvalles faster. Listening to your body as trecile says is VERY VERY VERY important. Don't listen to your head or your ego that will tell you I can go further when you have pain or fatigue that leads to injury. Finish a few kilometers sooner rather than a few later. Zig zag on the downhills. Have walking poles. If you back is hurting ship your pack ahead. Take days off. Don't do more than about 20k a day to start. Even walking 5 or 6 miles three times a week is NOT the same as camino walking. Do some back to back 15k days instead of continually doing 25k days. Get your rhythm and learn how you walk. Don't walk too fast to keep up with others or even too slow. It is your camino, your body and your rhythm. You can do it NOOOOO problem if you listen. I turn 68 next week and I just walked 1150K last October-December.
 
You are physically ready. No question about that. Mentally, the camino provides. You will meet so many new friends who will encourage you, help you, guide you, even massage your aching feet if you let them. What's most important is travel with as light a load as possible with the right fitting backpack and the right footwear. It's more important in your walks to focus on these two things rather than your own fitness. Of course, always keep in mind that even in smaller towns, you can buy whatever you require. I bought the wrong shoes for my first camino, they fell apart and I had to wrap them in duct tape (a useful item to add to your hiking stick), but I found an ideal pair quickly. The shop keepers along the way know exactly what pilgrims need. Don't fret, live in the moment and experience the freedom and joy of the camino!
 
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The Camino is a huge unknown to many of us. I have tried twice, 2016 and 2018, and have not yet made it to Logroño due to my acquiring injuries that are only now becoming workable.

The secret is to start, take the time your body tells you it needs. Throw away the clock. Your body replaces it. When it says stop, stop. When it feels better, move on. That is part of the adventure. And I just turned 69 in January.
 
This is what getting back on the horse looks like. Just start. You don't have to finish.
 
No way anybody here on the forum can determine if you can complete the Camino Frances or Norte. Only you know.
Try this test. For the next 30 days walk at least 5-10 kilometres a day, everyday. Without a pack. If you can do that with no problems you can walk the Camino.
Anybody who cannot do that before they start walking a Camino should probably reevaluate.
 
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Hello,

I have walked the Camino Frances twice in my seventies. I have arthritic knees and back so it is never comfortable but well worth the experience. I planned for short stages and that seemed to work out well. As I was the slowest person on the Camino I was not able to keep up with the other walkers, however I met a lot a new people each day which was great.

I think that I am like yourself, reasonably fit but have mobility problems. It takes a little bit longer than the other folk but you will be able to do it. However, as another contributor said if you reach your limit then you can stop or just rest for a day and re plan. It is amazing how a good night sleep will assist in your bodies recovery.

Just one foot in front of the other and repeat.

Looking forward to hear what your decision is.
 
Training is key to conquering self-doubt.

If it is 15km to the next village, but you have trained to walk 20km daily, then you already know that you can do this!

Would you rather have guilt of training for only 5km daily, then then faced with walking 15km to the next village? There is no magic that makes this possible without a lot of pain.


-Paul
 
We are now 70 and 75. We walked in 2018. We gave ourselves 30 days, walked 24 and completed about 200 miles (about 40%). We were not in a hurry and competing the Camino Frances was not a high priority. Now we are starting again in SJPdP, giving ourselves about 50 days . . . once again, not going to rush. If we skip something we will try to make it the last hundred clicks, which we've heard is a bit of a zoo anyway.
As mentioned focus on your feet and legs more than your general fitness.
Think about good adjustable walking sticks. I had never used them before our 2018 Camino. I regarded them as something awkward that I would have to carry most of the time. They were invaluable for relieving stress on feet and legs, obviously helpful on the uphills but also useful stopping your momentum on the down. Have a great time!!
 
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As others have said, as long as you get clearance from your doctor first, you should be fine. I've walked both the Norte and the Francés and the Francés is a better choice for someone with a few physical problems. There is plenty of support along the route if you need it.

If you want to tackle SJPDP to Roncesvalles, I always build in an overnight stop along the way. Even if I take the Valcarlos route. The walk from SJPDP to Valcarlos is simply gorgeous, a perfect start for anyone, but the section from Valcarlos is very steep - something that many people do not realise. If I go via Orisson, then I would try to get a booking at Orisson or Borda, or perhaps a taxi back to SJPDP for the night. Valcarlos has a good albergue, usually not too busy, so a good introduction to staying in one.

One thing that I've noticed in a few past posts - some people find that wearing a well fitted backpack seems to actually improve their back problems. Not saying it will for you but it might be worth trying before you go or before you get your pack forwarded each day (and there is plenty of very reasonably priced backpack transport available on the Francés, with no need to pre-book).

And - Buen Camino!
 
Hello Rdiaz53. I’m new member to this forum, and Im flying to Paris /Biarritz /SJPP on April 25th , for my first Camino and I just turned 72 , and like you am in decent health ,I walked every day and have the jitters about the Camino but if we never try, we will never know . Keep the faith , Cheers !
 
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How can I possibly say whether YOU are fit enough?
 
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In my experience (70 yo male), long-distance walking requires as much if not more mental resilience as physical.
 
One important thing I’ve learnt from the camino is walking at your own pace.
If you over speed, for example by trying to follow a nice fellow pilgrim you met, you will probably pay the price. It happened to 3 persons I met on the portuguese who each were walking by pairs. The slowest one of the pair got injured: knee or achilles tendon injury.
I myself one day walked in company of a tall guy and after an hour I felt I was struggling, my legs aching more than usual and just told him to go. Even a barely perceptible difference of speed will have damaging effects on long term.
That’s why I walked alone most of the time.
You will enjoy company even more at the end of the day !
 
Because you have issues with your back, consider starting with the CF! Send your back ahead on the initial stages ifyou start from SJPdP..many pilgrims do.

None of us know you and we can not know your exact circumstances and condition. What many of us tell you…are about our own experiences. We try to encourage you. While this has merit, we don’t know the answer to your question!!

Build slowly….because of your back issues, suggest until you are able to do steady days of 10-15 km days for 5 or 6 days (!) in a row in consulation with your physician. Walking with and without a pack, with a variety of terrain, will give you the answer you seek! Look to your body for the answer!
 
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Looks to me you're a pretty fit guy! Re ruptured disk it may make sense to have your pack transported for you otherwise I think you are ready to go. Buen camino!
 
Lots of great advice from veteran peregrinos. A few other things to consider . . . While many of us started our Camino Frances in St Jean, there is no "official" starting point. The first stage is pretty brutal for both the Napoleon and Valcarlos routes. The stage from Roncesvalles to Zubiri is also challenging, particularly walking on slippery shale rock on the descent into Zubiri. Consider beginning your camino in Pamplona. Secondly, decide whether to carry your backpack every day or have a backpack transport service pickup and deliver your backpack to your destination each day, and walk with a small daypack. This might be a daily decision for you. Buen Camino! Bob
 
Buniontrotter said:
Looks to me you're a pretty fit guy! Re ruptured disk it may make sense to have your pack transported for you otherwise I think you are ready to go. Buen camino!
Click to expand...
Yes, ditto.
There's no rule book that says you have to carry your backpack everyday. A lot of pilgrims have their packs transported the entire 800 kilometres to Santiago, others just do it whenever is most convenient or needed etc. If you do it, it helps to have a small daypack to carry water, snacks, rain gear etc in it. Several years ago while walking the Frances I walked several days with a small group of pilgrims. One day we all decided to make reservations at a private albergue and have or packs transported there. I had never done that before and at first it was kind of odd walking on the Camino without a pack. Definitely easier, but at first odd. I had no daypack so I just carried my water and snacks in a small, plastic grocery bag I found in the albergue kitchen. Just strolled along with my grocery bag in my hand lol. That was my only time doing that.
 
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Or your medical gal... not all doctors are men.
 
Sincere apologies, totally agree. Loose use of English from across the pond.
 
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RJM said:
There's no rule book that says you have to carry your backpack everyday.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is correct.

However, there are many advantages to carrying you own pack. Always carrying your pack means that you must strip out all the unnecessary items to make your pack as light as possible. This is a physically exercise to teach you a much harder mental exercise of lightening you mind of unnecessary thoughts.


-Paul
 
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Don't know about all that. I just thought it was to make walking easier, especially up and down hills. Also it goes in the carry-on bins in planes easier. lol
 
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