Thank you Camino Angel

[ysabelthepilgrim]

Hello everyone

Today was very difficult for me on day 4 of the Portuguese Coastal. Today’s walk was unbelievably beautiful as we took the Literal, however I have been having problems all day with feet soreness.

We were about 4km away from Caminha when the pain started to become excruciating and I knew it wasn’t right for me to continue walking with it. I tried to use the Uber app on my phone but it told me that Uber was unavailable in my area. It all became too much for me and I was in so much pain I just sat on the side of the road and cried while my dad tried to find another way to get to Caminha.

I felt completely broken until a British man on a bicycle came up to us and told us that we were right by a metro station and that the next train to Caminha was soon. He also told us some great words of advice, that it’s stupid to push yourself too hard, and to have a rest day tomorrow. My dad and I are also British and we were totally astonished because the odds of a Brit in such a small Portuguese village finding us at this low point of our journey is so small. Also for him to tell us exactly what we needed to do just felt like we are being guided on our journey.

Dear Camino Angel, I told you “thank you”but I don’t think that fully expressed my gratitude.

I have been struggling with motivation, but every Bom Caminho, smile or hello from fellow pilgrims and people on the street gives me a burst of energy that makes me think, “I can do this.”

Thank you to everyone I have met so far in this journey, I will see you all soon, but for now I will rest.

Ysabel

 

[Rebekah Scott]

If you can get through those first four days, you can make it! Onward and upward!

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hello everyone

Today was very difficult for me on day 4 of the Portuguese Coastal. Today’s walk was unbelievably beautiful as we took the Literal, however I have been having problems all day with feet soreness.

We were about 4km away from Caminha when the pain started to become excruciating and I knew it wasn’t right for me to continue walking with it. I tried to use the Uber app on my phone but it told me that Uber was unavailable in my area. It all became too much for me and I was in so much pain I just sat on the side of the road and cried while my dad tried to find another way to get to Caminha.

I felt completely broken until a British man on a bicycle came up to us and told us that we were right by a metro station and that the next train to Caminha was soon. He also told us some great words of advice, that it’s stupid to push yourself too hard, and to have a rest day tomorrow. My dad and I are also British and we were totally astonished because the odds of a Brit in such a small Portuguese village finding us at this low point of our journey is so small. Also for him to tell us exactly what we needed to do just felt like we are being guided on our journey.

Dear Camino Angel, I told you “thank you”but I don’t think that fully expressed my gratitude.

I have been struggling with motivation, but every Bom Caminho, smile or hello from fellow pilgrims and people on the street gives me a burst of energy that makes me think, “I can do this.”

Thank you to everyone I have met so far in this journey, I will see you all soon, but for now I will rest.

Ysabel

There is an oft used saying "the Camino will provide" - well all I can say is that in your case it provided in Spades. Hopefully you will be able to continue in a couple of days. I support your angel's comments - don't push yourself beyond the normal. For others with foot problems - stop every two/three hours; take off footwear and socks and let the feet cool down. Buen Camino.

 

[Pilgrim1960]

Pilgrimage is a test of many different disciplines. The hardest for me is the discipline of doing nothing and waiting. Make sure your shoes are extra big and your heart too- you will get through it!

 

[Wendy Werneth]

There is an oft used saying "the Camino will provide" - well all I can say is that in your case it provided in Spades. Hopefully you will be able to continue in a couple of days. I support your angel's comments - don't push yourself beyond the normal. For others with foot problems - stop every two/three hours; take off footwear and socks and let the feet cool down. Buen Camino.

I second letting the feet cool down, and I recommend not just taking off socks and shoes but also soaking them in cool water when possible. I actually carry a collapsible basin on Camino that I use as a foot bath, but streams and lavadouros (traditional places for doing laundry) also provide good foot bathing opportunities, and on the coastal you have the ocean too.

That level of pain suggests you are dealing with plantar fascitis or some other condition, not just typical soreness. Please see a podiatrist when you can; you may need personalized insoles.

 

[Pilgrim1960]

I will be a bit contrarian here. I never took a shower in the morning and made every effort to keep my feet dry. Feet will absorb enormous amounts of water. I used merino wool socks and I massaged and used - excuse me but I used vics vaporub to massage. The reason I did this was that it acts as an anti fungicide. Really doing a deep massage was very important for me. Emphasizing the calve muscle also.
Good luck

 

[BossyMae]

Hello everyone

Today was very difficult for me on day 4 of the Portuguese Coastal. Today’s walk was unbelievably beautiful as we took the Literal, however I have been having problems all day with feet soreness.

We were about 4km away from Caminha when the pain started to become excruciating and I knew it wasn’t right for me to continue walking with it. I tried to use the Uber app on my phone but it told me that Uber was unavailable in my area. It all became too much for me and I was in so much pain I just sat on the side of the road and cried while my dad tried to find another way to get to Caminha.

I felt completely broken until a British man on a bicycle came up to us and told us that we were right by a metro station and that the next train to Caminha was soon. He also told us some great words of advice, that it’s stupid to push yourself too hard, and to have a rest day tomorrow. My dad and I are also British and we were totally astonished because the odds of a Brit in such a small Portuguese village finding us at this low point of our journey is so small. Also for him to tell us exactly what we needed to do just felt like we are being guided on our journey.

Dear Camino Angel, I told you “thank you”but I don’t think that fully expressed my gratitude.

I have been struggling with motivation, but every Bom Caminho, smile or hello from fellow pilgrims and people on the street gives me a burst of energy that makes me think, “I can do this.”

Thank you to everyone I have met so far in this journey, I will see you all soon, but for now I will rest.

Ysabel

Ysabel,

I completely sympathize with you. I recently completed my 3rd Camino, the last being the coastal Camino Portugués you are doing. On previous Caminos my feet looked so normal but hurt so bad, it was unreal! I never had a blister. I grew to loathe walking on granite cobblestones but still love how beautiful they are.

DO follow the advice to stop every 8 - 10 km, remove shoes and socks. Rest, massage and cool feet for 15 min or so. That was a complete game-changer for me.
Also, make sure your footwear is not too tightly laced as that translates into pressure on the feet.

If you can, limit your daily distance to 17-18 km. If your pack is too heavy, consider sending non-essentials forward each day. Depending on the location of your foot pain, silicone metatarsal pads placed just behind the ball of the foot may help.

You have what you need to complete your pilgrimage. Camino Angels and taking care of yourself by making adjustments to your regimen are components of your toolbox.
You are right: you can do it.

Bom Caminho/Buen Camino!

Heidi

 

[danielle aird]

Hello everyone

Today was very difficult for me on day 4 of the Portuguese Coastal. Today’s walk was unbelievably beautiful as we took the Literal, however I have been having problems all day with feet soreness.

We were about 4km away from Caminha when the pain started to become excruciating and I knew it wasn’t right for me to continue walking with it. I tried to use the Uber app on my phone but it told me that Uber was unavailable in my area. It all became too much for me and I was in so much pain I just sat on the side of the road and cried while my dad tried to find another way to get to Caminha.

I felt completely broken until a British man on a bicycle came up to us and told us that we were right by a metro station and that the next train to Caminha was soon. He also told us some great words of advice, that it’s stupid to push yourself too hard, and to have a rest day tomorrow. My dad and I are also British and we were totally astonished because the odds of a Brit in such a small Portuguese village finding us at this low point of our journey is so small. Also for him to tell us exactly what we needed to do just felt like we are being guided on our journey.

Dear Camino Angel, I told you “thank you”but I don’t think that fully expressed my gratitude.

I have been struggling with motivation, but every Bom Caminho, smile or hello from fellow pilgrims and people on the street gives me a burst of energy that makes me think, “I can do this.”

Thank you to everyone I have met so far in this journey, I will see you all soon, but for now I will rest.

Ysabel

Last year, I injured my foot and had the good fortune of meeting a woman named Camino (her real name) from Vigo. Camino, who walked the Camino about ten years ago, now dedicates her time to helping pilgrims in difficulty. She drives along the camino and, stops at pubs or other stops along the way, looking for people who need help. For a few nights in a row, she drove me from one place to another so I could be with my walking partner at night. She was also helping a pilgrim from Mallorca at the time; I remember that she drove him to the airport as he was too injured to go on. This year, I returned to the camino and we arranged to meet in Redecilla. Along with a few other hiking partners gathered along the way, we stayed in the same hostels (she explained her mission to the hosts and they always welcomed her). In the morning, those of us who were "pilgrims" walked to our next destination while Camino found others to help, sometimes loading their bikes in her van. We enjoyed her company in the evenings and her tales of whom she had been able to help that day, sometimes loading a cyclist's bike into the back of her van. Yes, there are a few camino angels along the way...

 

[Kathy F.]

Thanks for writing so honestly about your experience.

There are angels all around us. Usually we are too focused on other things to notice. But angels on the Camino, when our focus is pretty limited, are especially observable.

Each act of kindness from a person we meet along the Way is a nudge for each of us to treat another the way we were treated - the best way of paying back that kindness.

Your grace and humility is all the thanks a Camino Angel needs.

. . . ok, maybe a cold beer and a tortilla wouldn't be turned down. And be gentler on yourself (don't try to keep up with others, especially Dads).

 

[Saint Mike II]

I will be a bit contrarian here. I never took a shower in the morning and made every effort to keep my feet dry. Feet will absorb enormous amounts of water. I used merino wool socks and I massaged and used - excuse me but I used vics vaporub to massage. The reason I did this was that it acts as an anti fungicide. Really doing a deep massage was very important for me. Emphasizing the calve muscle also.
Good luck

I also second the "no shower"in the morning. Usual practice was to shower and wash clothes at the end of the day's walk. Walk around in my Keens sandels so that the feet and the boots had a rest from each other. Cheers

 

[peha]

I also second the "no shower"in the morning. Usual practice was to shower and wash clothes at the end of the day's walk. Walk around in my Keens sandels so that the feet and the boots had a rest from each other. Cheers

When I couldn't take another step after the 1st 2 days of the Norte. My Angel was a wonderful family walking together. The dad would take all their back packs to their next destination each morning. Then he ran back to meet them on the camino everyday. ( Marathon runner).
He took me to my next destination ( which happened to be theirs). Then that evening I got to regroup with them for a fabulous week of friendship and backpacking
They truely were the most kind, funloving friends I met in the entire 6 weeks. My Camino Angels.

 

[James X]

I second letting the feet cool down, and I recommend not just taking off socks and shoes but also soaking them in cool water when possible. I actually carry a collapsible basin on Camino that I use as a foot bath, but streams and lavadouros (traditional places for doing laundry) also provide good foot bathing opportunities, and on the coastal you have the ocean too.

That level of pain suggests you are dealing with plantar fascitis or some other condition, not just typical soreness. Please see a podiatrist when you can; you may need personalized insoles.

This is superb advice, another variation I have done on this (on the advice of a physiotherapist) is to go into a supermarket half way (or at one third intervals on a long day) and buy a bag of ice (plentiful and cheap) and a strong carrier bag and add some water and make an ice bath for your feet. Bathe and rest your feet for as long as you can and then dry off and put on a fresh pair of socks. It's like starting afresh. I also repeat the ice bath at the end of the day