OOOOOH - I started a reply to this thread this morning and then the computer crashed and I lost it. However, I have just come on now and discovered it is still here, so maybe I will post it anyway - even though I've already said some of the same stuff in Beatrice's other thread that was borne out of this one.
Just as some people get tired of people asking if they can walk 35km, I have to tell myself not to get frustrated with people telling them they shouldn't! My husband and I just walked from Porto. We intentionally planned for it to be a slow camino, not walking too far or too fast. Many mornings we said good-bye to good friends believing we wouldn't see them again because they were going to walk farther than us. Many days we got to our destination, stopped and had a pastry and then just had to keep walking because we were not satisfied with 20km - for goodness' sake, it was not yet even noon and we had dawdled and talked with locals and taken photos and visited churches and stopped to watch the fish in the stream and compared bark on different trees and and and. We met those good friends every day and it became a camino joke about where we would actually stop each evening!
It IS possible *for some people* to walk 35km and savour the moments.
On the other hand, I have seen people for whom 20km was actually too big a strain and they would have done well to listen to their personal limitations.
I think it is important to discover what works for you.
I think it is fantastic that you are snatching your seven days! If it were me, I would definitely want to spend a day in Porto - and you are doing just that! The Gronze site has the stages from Porto to Santiago set at ten days at an average of 24km per day. You say you are fit and used to running marathons, so it may well be that you can manage the required average of 34km a day. Let's take a look at Gronze and see if it's doable accommodation-wise:
Sunday: Porto to Vairao - wonderful monastery with very welcoming hospitalera, Carla. If you wanted to do that, you might find my map helpful -
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zolBt8rIFn5s.kj881y0TfwRw From the spot where the route crosses the N306 the camino route (alternative, which is worth taking) is waymarked so it's dead easy. The section along the beach is simple too - all boardwalks. Getting from Porto to Matosinhos is also easy - just walk by the river.
33km if you go from the cathedral (you can cut off 10km by taking the bus or metro to Matosinhos and going from there)
Monday: Vairao to Barcelos 29.9km (now some people will say you absolutely must stay at Casa Ferndanda's if you walk the Portuguese and while I agree this was an absolutely memorable night, it will not be far enough for your purposes and so that is the opportunity cost and you will find other great nights! By the way, when we got to her place she was very surprised that we were there so early - we had had a very pleasant walk but we simply walk quite fast! It is OK to go fast or far!!!!!)
Tuesday: Barcelos to Ponte de Lima 34.5km
Wednesday: Ponte de Lima to Tui 36.5km (Alternatively, if you wanted, you could stop after just 31km at a place called Quinta Estrada Romana - it's an old farmhouse been renovated to multi-star status by a unique Canadian guy who will give you a most memorable camino stay - including cook dinner and wash your clothes and direct conversation)
If you've made it to Tui, this would be a great point to do a long day and end up in Arcade where there is the best ever albergue just opened a month or so ago. It would be a wonderful place to end a long day! And if you felt up to it, you could even cook your own dinner as the kitchen is fabulous! Of course, if you preferred there are plenty of restaurants too.
Thursday: Tui to Arcade 38.3 (still less than a marathon which you are used to!) If you only got to the Quinta you might stop at Redondela and need to go an extra 6.7km the next day - or you might manage it this day.
Friday: Arcade to Caldas de Reis 34km (although I have heard the albergue at Tivo, 1.9km back is very good so you might want to stop there)
Saturday: Caldas to Santiago 42.3km - a marathon!
So it would appear that it is doable if you are up for long days. Of course, if at any stage you find you are too tired or want an easier day for any reason, you can very easily get a bus or train or taxi. This route is very good for that.
