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Super Paranoid....Can i REALLY Do This?

Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances
SJPP to SdC, 2023
CF, 2024
Update:
Have heard some amazing support and advice, and trying hard and to take it (listening to my bod) to heart!
Quite honestly I am hoping I won't be in that group of injured, either physically or emotionally!
1. I CANNOT get the damn bag down in weight! Me, 193lbs and pretty fit bag, 30 ish nasty lbs! Not the clothes, sooo....first aid?, Do bandaid and polysporin weigh anything? Every little thing is, well little! Cannot figure out how you guys have a bag of 10% or less!!
2. I have planned...oh baby have I planned! Now, I have the first 6 days sorted, paid for, and "only" have to get to the albergue! And Burgos, and Santiago at the end. I decided to let the rest ride, in true Camino spirit!
Yes I have a game plan for EVERY day, and I know where, God-willing, I will celebrate my 65th. But I have accepted as much as possible on this, my first Camino, that I WILL have what I need.
Again, I have so much gratitude for you and this forum! Have learned everything from you guys!
_____________________________________________
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
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It is challenging, from the get-go. But a treadmill is not the camino!

That said, are you putting too much in your pack, and too much pressure on yourself?

There is a lot to be said for walking as far as you are comfortably able, and then finding a bed for the night - rather than planning and booking ahead. That way you can find and extend your capacity naturally.
 
Millions of pilgrims have completed the Camino, many in worse physical condition than you. Remember that you always have options. Though many of us like the sense of freedom that carrying everything that we need with us at all times gives us - we can stop for the day whenever we want, others feel comfort in knowing that they can send their things ahead. You can bring a very light duffel bag to offload heavier items and send them ahead on days that are more difficult. This bag from Osprey isn't a duffel, but it's lightweight and sturdy and could be a good option for the task, while you wear your well fitted backpack as a day pack.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
@scott the farmer and @Corned Beef and @trecile gave good points above. Pack like a minimalist, go shorter distances in the beginning to build strength/get your Camino legs. One rookie mistake that makes A LOT of people miserable is walking fast: this leads to blisters and tendinitis. There is no rush- walk slow, stop often, stretch your feet and legs, change your socks once or twice during the day. the one minimalist rule I violate on my caminos and hikes: i bring 5 pairs of socks of different types- 2 double layer wrightsocks, 1 injinji toe socks, 1 light darn tough hiking socks and a pair of bombas for sleeping on cold nights.
You might also consider not resting those three days but instead walking short stages. After about 10 days of walking 20-25 kms, a 10 km day feels like a rest day.
I used my treadmill to build up to hills because I live in the flattest state in the US. It is good for building stamina for uphill but you need downhill muscles so walk stairs/stadiums. Also, treadmills are BORING. It’s not at all like the wonder and joy and excitement as you set out each morning on the Camino, the serenity and meditativeness of the midday, the fatigue but sense of purpose that gets you through the last few kms in the afternoon and the deep satisfaction of taking off the shoes, showering and having a cold drink with other pilgrims in the evening.
You’ll be fine. even better, you’ll be on Camino!
 
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Many good points have already been made, all of them true.
One thing i like to add:

Walking those 20-30km on the camino is the only thing you got to do for the day. You will likely be awake by 6 or 7 and want to be somewhere between 14:00 and 18:00. You can practically walk an hour and then rest an hour, rinse and repeat. (Not that i would think thats practical)

You'll be fine.
 
As Doris Day so memorably sang ' Que sera, sera." You may or may not complete the camino as planned. But I am prepared to bet good money that whether you finish or not, you'll be back. I think 25-30kms a day is doable unless something goes wrong, but take it as it comes, do what you can, and if for whatever reason you have to give it up, be philosophical about it and try again. For what it's worth, a very good friend of ours has finally completed his first camino. He is 86. Buen Camino.
 
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...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Nervousness and excitement are both normal psychological experiences to have as you prepare for this journey. But look at them as positive dispositions as you prepare for your Camino. I vividly remember my excitement up to taking those first steps out of SJPP. You will become a veteran hiker in no time at all. To walk on a tread for 2 1/2 hours strikes me as a much harder endeavor than a day on the Camino. You’ll do fine! A list of thoughts or recommendations could be pages long, but let me offer you just a couple ideas that I’ve gleamed after numerous times along The Way.

1. Travel light. On my first Camino, I shed pounds of weight from my pack by the time I reached Pamplona. Now days, my 36L pack carries no more than 5-6 kg of gear. It is far from full. You do not need much on the Camino.

2. Develop a pace that works for you. From your plan, you have plenty of time to walk from SJPP to SdC even with rest days. Going over the Pyrenees on Day 1 is tough, but exhilarating and rewarding. From then on, your pace will develop into what’s comfortable for you. I always like early morning departures with early afternoon arrivals to my next stopping point. You’ll figure out what works best for you. Most importantly, listen to your body.

3. Utilize services along the Camino that you need. If you need a bit of a rest day but want to keep walking, utilize a backpack transfer service to carry your pack ahead and ease the walk that day. If the Camino is particularly crowded at times and there’s a bed rush, ask a hospitalero to call ahead for a bed reservation the next night. There’s always a solution.

4. For me, one of the single most important things to do every day is to take care of your feet. Happy feet make all the difference in how you enjoy your Camino experience. The single item that I now carry on every Camino for taking care of my feet is paper pharmaceutical tape. And as well intentioned as your fellow pilgrims may be, their advice may not always be the best. Pharmacies in Spain are great places to get help with minor medical issues.

You have a great experience ahead if you. The excitement that you’re experiencing now is completely normal. Go into it with both an open mind and open heart and you’ll be amazed at not only how well you do on this journey, but at what it has to offer you that you can’t even contemplate now. Buen Camino!
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how c
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Can you afford extra time? I was lucky and I could. I had resigned from my job and had a British passport so no return flight was needed for visas etc. It meant I had no time pressure at all. I could walk completely steered by my body and heart. If I was feeling awful I did a short day. If I was feeling awesome I had a long one. If I liked a place I stopped, if I didn't I walked on. I would recommend that to anyone who can manage it.

I felt sick to my stomach with nerves the first few days wondering what the hell I had started and whether I could finish. The day after Pamplona was my first awesome day. I felt like I could walk forever. I think at one point I was skipping. I knew then that I would finish.

I took two rest days, one in Logrono and one in Leon. I splurged and stayed in a hotel on my rest days. What bliss to soak in a bath and sleep in a double bed with crisp sheets and big comfortable pillows. The Camino retaught me to appreciate the little things 😊

You will love it. Wishing you a spectacular Camino.
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
Just know that the first 3 days will be the worst and it’s all uphill from there. I didn’t do much training last time, and I felt the most sore i have ever felt in my life on day three. As the days wore on, I could feel my body getting stronger. There comes a point where the pack feels like it’s part of you. Just take it slow the first few days and build up to those longer days. You can’t do the Camino before you do the Camino (I am headed out with a somewhat limited timeline in a few weeks so that’s what I’m coming to terms with) but do what training you can and listen to your body. You are stronger than you think. The Camino humbles you, but it also teaches you how much you can go through something difficult and come out the other side all the better for it. Good luck and Buen Camino.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
I am 69 and the last 3 years I walked caminos of 900K, 1150K and 1,000K. My advice to you is that of course you can do it. I believe after 7 caminos and watching many people struggle and have to quit because of injuries and illness is that they did not listen to their bodies. Throw out the idea of having 3 rest days and making them in the cities of Logrono, Burgos and Leon. Rest when your body tells you to rest. When I start a camino I walk shorter days of about 20K for the first week or so. I also never think about how far i am going. When I begin I am walking just 5K. After so much walking especially on caminos I know without looking about how far 5k is. I stop, take off my pack, have a little snack and water and relax. I go again when my body is rested. It is usually between 5-10 minutes.
You say you have a very full pack and I would tell you to take a really hard look at what you have in it. If you are not 100% positive you will need something every day (excluding rain gear of course) leave it at home. You are not walking across the Arctic Circle. If you find you need something that you didn't bring you can buy it in Spain.
I know it is probably too late to change your return flight or you may have time constraints but I always give myself at least 8-10 days extra for caminos. If you arrive early you can walk to FInisterre or Muxia or both. They are beautiful walks. At worst you are in Europe I am sure you can find something to do :). (This allows me to take more rest days and walk the distances I want to walk. I now walk some pretty quiet caminos so I have fewer options sometimes (this year I will start on the Vasco Interior). I assume you will be doing the CF. That camino really allows you to plan your own camino and walk when you want to walk and as far as you want to go.
My final bit of advice to avoid injury is to walk at with your own rhythm. Walking to fast or too slow can become a big problem. If you are walking with a "family' and you are tired or injured let them walk on. They are all wonderful people of course but they are walking their way and have their own time constraints etc. Most times a "family" will not stop for an injured or sick person. Camino "families" are not your family. Your wife, siblings, or children would not push you to walk in this situation, they would wait with you and care for you. You know why? Because they are your real family. My first camino I was totally freaked out, especially that first day out of St. Jean. In about a week it will all be gravy and you will be a pro pilgrim!
 
Don’t stress. Don’t panic. I’m older than you and I’ve done four so far. Best advice is start slow and short first few days and build up to the longer distances. You have plenty of time. You’ll be amazed at how strong and confident you’ll be after a week or so. Nerves in the lead up is natural. Most of us feel that. It is a big thing, sure, but lots of people somehow manage to do it. And yes, as per comment above, do all you can to keep your pack light. I aim for 10% or less my body weight but in reality always end up with 12-15 % by the end of it. You’ll be fine. It is doable.
 
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Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Yes! You can do this. Walking the Camino is so different from a treadmill or even a hike in beautiful surroundings that you do over and over in training! There is something about the newness of each day that compells you forward. I had such trepidation going into my first Camino. I had serious doubts I would be able to do it. I let go and resigned myself to the notion that I would just take it as it comes. 3 caminos later and dreaming of another one. What you're feeling is normal. Buen Camino!!
 
One suggestion not mentioned so far is to carry a log book and pen to make a record of your journey. Having just finished the Camino Portuguese yesterday, I can tell you the details of the last 2 weeks have become a blur and my wife keeping a log for us along with photos really helps to jog your memory.
 
Don’t stress. Don’t panic. I’m older than you and I’ve done four so far. Best advice is start slow and short first few days and build up to the longer distances. You have plenty of time. You’ll be amazed at how strong and confident you’ll be after a week or so. Nerves in the lead up is natural. Most of us feel that. It is a big thing, sure, but lots of people somehow manage to do it. And yes, as per comment above, do all you can to keep your pack light. I aim for 10% or less my body weight but in reality always end up with 12-15 % by the end of it. You’ll be fine. It is doable.
You end up with 12 to 15% more than that original 10% due to that additional things such as food and lots of water.
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
It is sooo much easier walking the Camino than on the treadmill! If you are training with a backpack, you will be okay! My husband and I are 64 and 63. I hated our training walks but the Camino is wonderful!! You can do it!!!
 
Carrying less stuff and making your backpack lighter is the first step.
You can also use a backpack transport service on the Camino until you feel stronger, better conditioned while walking the Camino.
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I have walked 50km in a day with a 15lb/6.8kg backpack and I have walked 20km days over multiple mountain passes with a 50lb/22.7kg backpack. I couldn't do 2.5 hours on a treadmill with a pack. Way to monotonous and uninspiring. Plus - you aren't walking your natural pace for how you feel. You using a machine to adjust your pace, not your body.

If you are starting in SJPDP - you will be starting with 20-24km/day the first 6 days if you are sticking to the "stages". That gives you time to get acclimated to the longer distances - before you start doing even longer distances.

I suggest getting off your treadmill and taking walks outside with your loaded pack. Even if it is just once a week - try to do long distance walks similar to what you will do on the Camino. Other days - take whatever length walk you can fit in at home.

And you said your pack is very full - how full is very full? Take this opportunity to lighten your load as much as you can. I try to stay under 15lbs/6.8kg

When you walk the Camino, at your comfortable pace - you will adjust your speed/pace according to how you are feeling. You also have the option to stop and take as many breaks as you need. You may stop more frequently in the beginning to simply catch your breath. And you may wish to take 1 or more longer rest breaks at a local park, bar, city bench, or wherever. Walking 20-30km/day usually still means walking 4-6 hours for many people, but you can easily stretch it out over a few more hours if you feel you need to/want to.
 
Excellent advice in this thread, but I just wanted to send some emotional support … you got this! REALLY!
 
I feel you, I ami a similar place. 62, Less than 3 weeks to go and trying to nurse my tendonitis tear. Because of that I am not int the shape I hoped would be by now. But I'm going anyway.

You're doing great, and ypu sound ready. Don't forget, we can stop and rest!

As for me, may hobble in at 4 miles a day,have my pack transported, I don't care.
I think God's trying to let me know it's going His way. Not mine.

We can do this. Think tortoise. We just have to show up and walk slowly.
Thanks for the honest share.
Buen camino.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
You can do it! I was honestly terrified of not being able to walk from SJPdP and somehow I managed. Camino is easier than you think it is. It's not easy, but it is not as difficult as we expect.

Start each day walking slower than your usual pace to warm up and then adjust your speed as you go. Sit down and take your shoes and socks off every couple of hours and put on dry socks to give your feet a bit of a rest. Drink plenty of water. Enjoy the amazing scenery. Smile at everything that moves.

Buen Camino!
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!

When I was in my mid-20's, I walked the Bornem Dodentocht ("death march" in Bornem, Belgium) with some other military folks. It was 100 km (62 miles) in 24 hours - a seemingly impossible feat. I remember being told that finishing the walk was 99% in my head - a mental exercise. Somehow I did manage to finish it, although I always credit the retired Belgique warrant officer who woke me up when I fell asleep walking, and told me to "keep going!"

Now that I'm 65, it's no longer 99% in my head - more like 80%, because my body complains much louder than it used to. But I remember the 80 year-old French woman I ran across on my first Camino. We asked her how she managed to walk the stages, and she replied, "Pas a pas" (step by step) - and it is so true! And on the Camino, each step brings you new & varied experiences, both in your heart and from what you see. You will be able to do it, and if you have to stop and rest/recuperate, that's part of the Camino experience as well.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
You can DO It!!! Buen Camino!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Don't carry a lot in your pack unless you 100% have to (medical devices, medication, etc). You want the basics only. Many people carry too much. Of course if you are used to carrying a lot and have need of it, feel free to, but very few do.

The actual walking isn't hard. It will take you about a week for your shoulders to adjust to carrying a pack for 8 hours a day, walk small stages while it does. 20-25km is a good distance. If you feel you want to do more, well do so. For training I wouldn't use the pack on the treadmill. If you can run for 30 mins without it, you won't struggle walking for 8 hours with it.

In the end it is a lot of mental and a bit of physical. The physical would come with time anyway, but you need to be squared away mentally for those days when it rains or isn't warm, or you just feel so mentally exhausted you don't want to carry on.

Just go out and enjoy it.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Do you have any flexibility in time availability?

I hit 66 this week. And am just finishing a 1,200 km Camino. I can't walk 30 km days and don't even try.

Most days over the last month were around 20 kms. Slow and steady...

I saw a guy recently try to do 35 kms right out of the gate. He went home injured....

Best not to 'rush' a Camino.

If you are short of time, start closer.

And get your pack as light as possible. Mine is 7kg + food and water. Next time I'll aim for 6kg.

Bottom line?
If I can do it, unfit, overweight, hardly any training....you can!!
 
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You absolutely can do it!! I bet that when you were walking on the treadmill you didn’t have the ever-changing scenery, the mountains , rivers, flora and fauna, and company to distract you. You weren’t walking with poles, you didn’t stop for a coffee, and then for an orange juice and a bite for lunch. On the trail those kms will fly by. I promise you, it won’t be easy, you might resort to crying a few times, but the satisfaction you will gain from your achievement will be life-changing and will only make you stronger. Enjoy!!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
You CAN do this . . . if you're willing and able to walk YOUR Camino, your distance, your pace. That might mean a longer trip, a different starting place, the willingness to use select buses and taxis here and there, the willingness to lighten your load with pack transport services, book accommodations ahead so you don't have to worry about the "bed race" etc. None of this makes your pilgrimage any less valid than anyone else's.

And unless the weather is absolutely dreadful where you are (or even if it is), it's far better to train outside than on a treadmill.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Chill out. It’s really not that difficult, it just goes on a bit. You’ll be fine.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
You will do it. Self belief is so important! 😎
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I’ve just arrived in Ireland prior to my Camino. We will meet up for a beer in St Jean, as we arranged. By that time you will have processed all this great advice, and I assure you that you will be champing at the bit, raring to go! I notice that the weather is looking favourable.
 
Millions of pilgrims have completed the Camino, many in worse physical condition than you. Remember that you always have options. Though many of us like the sense of freedom that carrying everything that we need with us at all times gives us - we can stop for the day whenever we want, others feel comfort in knowing that they can send their things ahead. You can bring a very light duffel bag to offload heavier items and send them ahead on days that are more difficult. This bag from Osprey isn't a duffel, but it's lightweight and sturdy and could be a good option for the task, while you wear your well fitted backpack as a day pack.


My advice too, don't carry a heavy bag.

Also agree, walk 20km rather than 30km per day and take fewer rest days.
It works for me and friends and were 10 years your senior.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Hi Toronto GMan. I'm not sure I have much to add to all of the above wisdom but do want to send some encouragement. If you can do 1 1/2 hours on a torturous treadmill you can definitely walk for a day at a time on the camino!

For me an hour on a treadmill would seem impossible! Granted - the first time I got up from my office chair and walked, with little preparation in 2003, I thought I might die walking up the hill out of SJPP! But I didn't - and the muscle memory remained for the next three caminos, making that hill one of my favourite parts of the journey. (On my last camino I was 70 and walked over 400 km in France before getting to SJPP. Now 79 and at least one more camino coming up next spring). I'm pretty darned sure you can do this if I can! Although maybe not - I'm a west coast Canadian and maybe you city boys….?)

The camino is completely different from a treadmill.. No one is pacing you. You can march up the hills or you can doddle. You can stop and turn around and look at how far you've come. You can stop every few steps if you want to smell the flowers or sit in the grass. After this first day you can stop for coffee or a freshly squeezed orange juice (or even a caña) and chat with your fellow pilgrims…..It's not a race and it's not a competition - unless you make it that - so you can just do what feels right to you.

It is seriously important NOT to push yourself in the beginning as others have mentioned. If you can avoid getting sucked into the bed race and whatever other competition you feel, you'll enjoy yourself so much more! From my limited observation, it seems that those who end up with bad blisters, shin splints and whatever other other injuries, are people who push themselves too hard when their bodies aren't ready for it. Blisters and injuries are not inevitable! You'll find you develop endurance as you go and will end feeling so much stronger than when you started.

Pay attention to your feet. If you feel a hot spot, don't wait until it's a blister - stop and put a bandage or a piece of moleskin or something on it. Your feet, legs and body are doing a lot for you on this trip. Treat them well. Keep yourself well-hydrated and if that backpack weighs more than about 10 or 15 percent of your body weight even when it has a litre of water, some nuts and an orange or apple in it - it's too heavy. Get rid of some of that stuff.

Get off that treadmill and go and walk up a hill somewhere. Stop and enjoy the view. The camino is more about endurance than it is about the difficulty of any one moment. If you take it easy as you go, you may not want those rest days - just fit a short day in every now and again. Or consider taking a rest day when you first arrive and are jetlagged! Always your choice. Make it your camino.

You've got this Toronto boy!! Buen camino!! I wish you the very best!!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Do you have any flexibility in time availability?

I hit 66 this week. And am just finishing a 1,200 km Camino. I can't walk 30 km days and don't even try.

Most days over the last month were around 20 kms. Slow and steady...

I saw a guy recently try to do 35 kms right out of the gate. He we went home injured....

Best not to 'rush' a Camino.

If you are short of time, start closer.

And get your pack as light as possible. Mine is 7kg + food and water. Next time I'll aim for 6kg.

Bottom line?
If I can do it, unfit, overweight, hardly any training....you can!!
Happy happy birthday!! Thank you for asking the time!
 
I walked the Camino last fall at 68 (turned 69 while in Burgos). My training consisted of workouts on an elliptical to build muscle strength in my legs during the colder months and walking 4-5 hours several days a week in Spring and Summer with an almost full pack. Some of those walks were around the neighborhoods and others were on a flat rail-to-trail. Summers here at hot and humid which helped me practice staying hydrated. Those 5-hour hikes also helped form calluses on my feet which lowered the risk of blisters. I did one hiking trail but fell and scratched up my leg so decided risk of injury too high for that type of trail.

Although there are a few rugged sections on the Camino Frances, they are a small percentage of the distance. Having good leg muscles, reasonable pack weight and taking my time on those rugged sections worked for me. Walking for 5 hours was probably the most important preparation to enjoying the journey.
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
You will do great!! I did not get nearly the training I hoped in and never walked with the bag before. It is challenging, but you get to go at your own pace. Your rest days will be nice as I did not have that, but the few shorter days I had invigorated my walking. Do lighten up the bag as much as possible. In the summer you do not need a sleeping bag- only take your walking shoes and a "sandal" not extra. no need for pants or a jacket- just one long sleeve. A lighter bag pays dividends. and stay off the "dreadmill" with that bag ha ha that is enough to crush anyone's dreams, but the beauty of the Camino- people, spirituality and Spain will keep you sustained.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
5/26-7/2 is 38 days. Averaging 25 per (which is reasonable) you complete the pilgrimage in 32. That allows six rest days (which I never take). I like to keep walking…you get into a rhythm and enjoy the company of people familiar to you. If you do that, the average is less than 21 per day. Better just to find places somewhere between 20-30 k, and just walk… you generally arrive in town in the afternoon with some time to look around. Take only the basics and do more washing. Weight is the killer. You don’t need to account for more than clothing (layer for warmth, leave the puffy at home), water bottle and hygiene. You can make pharmacy purchases along the way, should needs exist. After you get over the Pyrenees (big first day, consider stopping in Orisson or Borda), you will slowly adjust…5 days or so. Walk your own pace and Buen Camino!
 
Hi...
....just off the treadmill with my (very) full pack and following about 2 1/2 hours. I was struck at how challenging this really is!
I just.keep looking at my stages I hope to be able to achieve....Seven 25 -30 km days, 3 days of rest, Logroño, Burgos, Léon.
Okay, no pressure, but I REALLY would love to walk into Santiago on 2July, starting 26May from SJPP.
Will turn 6 5, hopefully on top of the mountain with Tomas near.the Cruz de Fero!
How about some encouragement? Feeling pretty shaky right now!
Strip down the weight of the backpack if possible. Get custom inlay soles by ortopedic engineer if possible. Walk OUTDOORS everyday if possible. Experiment with water bladder and electrolytes if possible,

Start on your camino beeing utterly sensitive for overachieving oneself the first two weeks approximately. Listen closely for early signs of discomfort and make smaller changes there and then.

Nerves is good. It means you are reflected and ready for uncertainty. Rest assured.
You will arrive with memories for life.

First Camino is special.
FCFA9516-DF3E-4D02-B091-70D753A792BB.jpeg
Ultreia!🙏🏼
 
Yes, you can do it!! Everybody can IF they listen to their body and feet!!
My mantra has always been 'start slow then taper off". It has carried me for some 340+ days on various routes. Along with ' I will do discomfort; i will not do misery"
buen camino--you will love it taking time to enjoy every step and scene.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.

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