- Time of past OR future Camino
- See signature.
Ok, I realize, in advance, that this thread is certainly not in the veign of the "spirit of the camino". But it happens.
As some of you know, I walk long days. In order to walk long days, I tend to walk fast. Now, this is not a crazy fast walking speed, but probably 10-15% faster than your average Joe.
However, twice now, due to mutual competitive juices flowing, pride in preparedness, love of country, happenstance, or whatever, I have found myself in active races. Neither have been mutually verbally agreed too, but actions certainly confirmed.
The first was with a man outside Samos. It was 2012 I guess. I was walking along, minding my own business, at my usual pace, when a heavy breathing individual actually passed me! Now, I have been passed before, and realize that there is always someone who walks farther, always someone faster, on every trip, but this guy had... a "bolsa chica".
Heck no, I am not going to let some daypack wearing native set his sights on me and pass me to prove his masculinity... So I stalked him... I walked with my poles click clicking and full pack, admittedly hurried. I made noise behind him, but never let him hear me breathe. I let him know I was just a nick behind, he turned on occasion and kept pacing forward. We were obviously both racing. At some point, I think out of convenience, he had to adjust his shoes or something, and I just went by silently. Believe me, it was a mutual race... one I would not have been interested had he not been wearing that silly pack (obviously either this was a day trip or someone else was carrying his things.)
Now, the second occasion was different. I was walking with a friend, just this last year. My iphone, using the map my run app, regularly recites my pace. My friend and I, a French woman, had grown accustomed to our walking schedule, and obviously both took pride in our conditioning. Well, outside Logrono, there is this park. It is the perfect park for the Spaniards who live there to walk and run and exercise everyday. There are lakes, and geese, and paths a plenty.
Well, just outside the city walking into the park, we were passed by a woman obviously doing her daily workout. My walking partner and I looked at one another, and both knew what had to be done. So we picked up the pace, quit the chatter, and it became a race. It was easy at first to pass her, she obviously wasn't expecting full pack wearing perigrinos to keep up with her... but then she put it in high gear.
This woman could walk.
She passed us both, without a word. And pounded ahead. We could keep up, always keeping her in sight, but keeping pace my phone was announcing 8 and 1/2 minute kms. We were flying, and she kept flying in front of us. At some point her trail turned into a loop and ours continued forward. I wondered if she raced peregrinos daily.
I realize this isn't your typical camino experience. Though, I am sure some of you will relate. Both were harmless experiences, but both are camino memories.
This is a picture of the woman who kicked our ass outside of Logrono.
As some of you know, I walk long days. In order to walk long days, I tend to walk fast. Now, this is not a crazy fast walking speed, but probably 10-15% faster than your average Joe.
However, twice now, due to mutual competitive juices flowing, pride in preparedness, love of country, happenstance, or whatever, I have found myself in active races. Neither have been mutually verbally agreed too, but actions certainly confirmed.
The first was with a man outside Samos. It was 2012 I guess. I was walking along, minding my own business, at my usual pace, when a heavy breathing individual actually passed me! Now, I have been passed before, and realize that there is always someone who walks farther, always someone faster, on every trip, but this guy had... a "bolsa chica".
Heck no, I am not going to let some daypack wearing native set his sights on me and pass me to prove his masculinity... So I stalked him... I walked with my poles click clicking and full pack, admittedly hurried. I made noise behind him, but never let him hear me breathe. I let him know I was just a nick behind, he turned on occasion and kept pacing forward. We were obviously both racing. At some point, I think out of convenience, he had to adjust his shoes or something, and I just went by silently. Believe me, it was a mutual race... one I would not have been interested had he not been wearing that silly pack (obviously either this was a day trip or someone else was carrying his things.)
Now, the second occasion was different. I was walking with a friend, just this last year. My iphone, using the map my run app, regularly recites my pace. My friend and I, a French woman, had grown accustomed to our walking schedule, and obviously both took pride in our conditioning. Well, outside Logrono, there is this park. It is the perfect park for the Spaniards who live there to walk and run and exercise everyday. There are lakes, and geese, and paths a plenty.
Well, just outside the city walking into the park, we were passed by a woman obviously doing her daily workout. My walking partner and I looked at one another, and both knew what had to be done. So we picked up the pace, quit the chatter, and it became a race. It was easy at first to pass her, she obviously wasn't expecting full pack wearing perigrinos to keep up with her... but then she put it in high gear.
This woman could walk.
She passed us both, without a word. And pounded ahead. We could keep up, always keeping her in sight, but keeping pace my phone was announcing 8 and 1/2 minute kms. We were flying, and she kept flying in front of us. At some point her trail turned into a loop and ours continued forward. I wondered if she raced peregrinos daily.
I realize this isn't your typical camino experience. Though, I am sure some of you will relate. Both were harmless experiences, but both are camino memories.
This is a picture of the woman who kicked our ass outside of Logrono.
I walk a pretty fast pace also, but have not yet been overtaken although one time an elderly (but very fit) women stayed very close to me for several hours. I'm talking light-years of age difference. I was impressed and a little annoyed
at the same time. 
