Single Greatest Threat to Failure

Victoria_Peregrina · Nov 15, 2015

Anemone del Camino said:
With the Comercialisation of the Camino you will find cab drivers from SJPP happy to help ypu on and off the mountain. Book an appointment for them to pick you up at Km X, drive you back down to Y, and back up the next day. That is until the statue, after that... downhill, you're on your own.

This is a very interesting idea. Thank you!

On my first Camino, I never used cars or buses, but if I don't feel entirely fit for the Napoleon, I might do something like that.

Victoria

NavyBlue · Nov 15, 2015

Victoria_Peregrina said:
How do you reconcile the need to start it easy with the Napoleonic complex?

Hello Victoria,

You could :
- train before the Camino, as proposed above.
- Train... on the Camino, walking some short stages on one of the french ways before arriving in SJPdP, if you have enough time. Starting right away from SJPdP became a kind of standard, but you may think differently !
- Consider that it's not the Roncesvalles stage that might break you but the cumulative distance over a week, and mix this stage with shorter/less strenuous ones during your first week.

koknesis · Nov 20, 2015

J F Gregory said:
... Yes I want Santiago to part of my journey as the destination lies further down my road.

an excellent point indeed! my first camino gave me a confidence I can change the things I thought I never could. perhaps because of this last summer we did exactly the opposite thing OP is suggesting - went for a 6 day long pre-camino mountain trek in Pyrenees, la Senda de Camille, starting from Somport.
it was a perfect kick-start for kids, including day long conquering of rough terrain, sleeping in bunk beds, cold showers and even some bed bugs not to mention spectacular scenery and spiritual communal dinners. after the senda our souls and bodies were ready to enter camino Aragones.

valcamino.67 · Jun 17, 2016

Kanga said:
Blimey people, can we get off the comparisons roller-coaster? It's obvious that some people can do the Camino in very fast time and are comfortable with it. Others are not. The OP's advice is very sensible - shorter distances until the body is trail fit. What are those distances will vary from person to person.

On my first Camino (unfit, not a great walker, heavy pack) I aimed to start by doing less than 15km a day. That worked for me and over two weeks I became fitter. I was gradually able to walk longer distances without injury but 8 caminos later I still like to keep the kilometres down under 20km per day for the first couple of weeks. That's me.

I sometimes think Brierley and other guides are a complete menace because they set expectations of "normal" stages. There are no normals! Humanity is infinitely varied.

Hi: my concern is the steep climbs as I find them difficult and will be doing the Camino Frances at the end of August - should I be concerned?

Wokabaut_Meri · Jun 17, 2016

valcamino.67 said:
Hi: my concern is the steep climbs as I find them difficult and will be doing the Camino Frances at the end of August - should I be concerned?

Staying the first night in Orisson will break the first stage into Roncesvalles and make it more manageable. You'll only have 8kms uphill that first day and can take the time that you need, go steadily and rest along the way.

What do you find difficult about climbs? Is it something that you can train for eg fitness or technique? If they are a problem for you otherwise consider sending your pack ahead on those days. Carrying less weight uphill really helps. Hiking poles can assist too.

There is also a technique used by mountaineers that may be useful for you. It was discussed in this thread.

valcamino.67 · Jun 17, 2016

Wokabaut_Meri said:
Staying the first night in Orisson will break the first stage into Roncesvalles and make it more manageable. You'll only have 8kms uphill that first day and can take the time that you need, go steadily and rest along the way.

What do you find difficult about climbs? Is it something that you can train for eg fitness or technique? If they are a problem for you otherwise consider sending your pack ahead on those days. Carrying less weight uphill really helps. Hiking poles can assist too.

There is also a technique used by mountaineers that may be useful for you. It was discussed in this thread.

I get out of breath quickly on steep climbs, walking is not an issue, I easily do 16k walks it is just the hill climbing.

Wokabaut_Meri · Jun 17, 2016

If you read through the thread on the mountaineering step it may help as it describes how to synchronise your breath to your stride and rest as you climb. I always got out of breath going uphill but was taught this technique and it really helped. You do walk at quite a slow pace but find that you don't get as out of breath as you previously did.

I am making an assumption that your health is not a contributor to your breathing.

Robo · Jun 18, 2016

grayland said:
I totally agree with Kanga that John Brierley and the others do folks a real disservice with the arbitrary "stages" in the guides.
I had not thought about it before as I have no problems with the distances.
But..after thinking about what Kanga posted..I can see how it would be a real source of discouragement and overdoing by newer pilgrims.
Guides without "expected" or " normal" stopping points would be a good thing.

I would agree that 'stages' in a Guide book can set up false expectations and goals. But the page has a finite space. I guess it needs to show a 'start' point from the previous page and and 'end' point that will be the start point for the next page

Maybe a new guide could be printed on a 'scroll' with no stages

As many others have said and will continue to say, set your own 'stages' based on comfortable distances for you.

Robo · Jun 18, 2016

bystander said:
I have been held back from starting my camino by illness.....
,,,,,whilst, now recovering, complications have followed and 2017 will, hopefully, be my camino year.

But for some time my proposed walking schedule for the first ten days, to avoid injury and to build up stamina, has been as below. You will see it is only after Puenta la Reina that I would crank up the daily distances. Also bear in mind I will have no time restrictions.

SJPdP – Valcarlos - 12km
Valcarlos - Roncevalles - 13
Roncevalles – Viskarret, Corazon Puro - 10
Viskarret - Akerreta - 17
Akerreta - Pamplona - 15
Rest day in Pamplona
Pamplona – Zariquiegui - 14
or
Pamplona – Uterga - 14
Zariquiegui - Puenta la Reina - 16
Puenta la Reina – Estella - 22

These stages look perfect for a slow build up.

Last year I did Sjpdp to Orrison
Then
Roncesvalles
Viskarret
Zubiri
Pamplona
So 5 days. But the day into Pamplona was a bit of a jump up in distance and a lot was on roads at the end.

If I do the CF again with my dearly beloved, I might try your stages I think.

But one question....

Last year I did not walk the steep section down into Zubiri due to injury. I took the longer road route. Which in itself was a challenge, dodging the traffic. I wouldn't walk that road route again.

How hard is the 'normal' descent into Zubiri? Those I walked with last year described it as awful (it was raining) and some slipped and were injured.

What would be a comparative section on the CF? The descent down to El Acebo, Riego and beyond?

C clearly · Jun 18, 2016

valcamino.67 said:
Hi: my concern is the steep climbs as I find them difficult and will be doing the Camino Frances at the end of August - should I be concerned?

If you have concern about your fitness and health, you should ask your doctor. Barring any particular medical issue, all of us still get out of breath when walking too fast up steep slopes carrying a heavy backpack and trying to talk at the same time! If you slow down and lighten your load, you will find that all of the Camino is do-able. After all, we walk up stairs all the time, but if you try to run up several flights, you'll get out of breath.

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