Hi, I'm Theresa

[Theresag]

Hi, I'm a very overweight 52 year old lady from South Africa. I seriously want to do the Camino next year. Any tips are getting started in training. Also I would liek to do the Camino France, any south africans out there, can tell me of the best booking routes to get there (is it better to fly to Paris or Barcelona???). Looking forward to hearing from you

 

[karennz2012]

Hi Theresa
I am also walking the Camino next year, on Camino Frances, leaving SJPP late April - my first time too.
Im sure all the veterans on the forum will give you lots of advice. Ive already got lots of advice from lurking about here.
Good luck with your planning and training
karen

 

[jpflavin1]

Theresa:

Hello and welcome to the forum. I will leave the travel question to your fellow South Africans on the forum. As far as steps to prepare yourself you have already taken the first one. The only other one I would offer, at this point, is just start walking everyday. Get good shoes, walk distances you are comfortable with and keep building on that.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

You might buy a pair of walking sandals from an outdoor shop. They are not as heavy as shoes or boots and you are less likely to develop blisters. Start walking in them until your fitness is kicking in. They won't be wasted as I use sandals on the Camino whenever I can and only use boots in rain or over difficult terrain.

As you get fitter buy and break in either walking shoes or boots. Check the FAQ's on this issue. You will find that there is disagreement about what is best; walking the Camino is much an art as a science.

You need to walk with a day pack so that water and food are both on your back and to hand duriing the journey. As you get fitter slowly add more weight.

It is better to walk every day and build up slowly than doing long, mad walks over the weekend.

Coming from SA will be expensive so you don't want to have to give up because you have not got yourself to an adequate standard of fitness.

Don't worry if you are not walking the km/mileage that the Camino requires by the time you start the journey; few of us have the time during the day to achieve that. When you are on the Camino you will build up the stamina. You will also find that you will continue to lose weight so bring a belt for your trousers; we all need one.

The important thing to stress Theresa is that many of us are not super fit, a number of us have health issues, but we still can walk the Camino because we did some preparation to make sure we did it.

If you find yourself struggling don't give up. If you need motivation buy a metal scallop shell from http://www.pilgrimsupplies.org/ (I am a friend of the website owner but receive nothing from him!), put it on during the practice walks and swear, next year I will wear this on the Camino Francés and keep persevering.

If you need more help that is why we lurk here.

 

[ksam]

Theresa, Welcome!
There is as you already know a wealth of info on the forum. Truthfully, some of my favorite walkers on the Camino...come from SA!! You will do well, truly you will. You've already gotten terrific advice on this thread..just keep reading and listening (including to your own body!)

Also..try Sil's blog...after all she has one of the best I've ever read...and she is from SA!! In fact I believe she is currently...on the Camino Frances.

Even a walk like this, is taken one single step at a time. Nothing more.

Keep posting, it's going to be exciting to see your adventure unfold

Buen Camino Perigrino,

Karin

PS. SIls blog is http://amawalker.blogspot.com

 

[sunsurf]

Hi Theresa
I am also from South Africa (Cape Town), the same age as you and also planning my first Camino for June 2012. However, I plan to do the first part of Via Podiensis - starting in Le Puy and ending in Figeac. I have already bought my air ticket to Paris ; will fly out on 6 June and start on Sunday 10 June in Le Puy (if God's will).
I find this blog extremely useful and interesting and can only agree with Karen - Sill has so much info (she is from Durban) , also on ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT packing!
And now we just have to walk every day...

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi, I'm a very overweight 52 year old lady from South Africa. I seriously want to do the Camino next year. Any tips are getting started in training. Also I would liek to do the Camino France, any south africans out there, can tell me of the best booking routes to get there (is it better to fly to Paris or Barcelona???). Looking forward to hearing from you

Hi Theresa,
You've got great advise so far and I can only echo that. Don't get too stressed about the fitness just do what you can realistically. Because I wasn't fit (meant to get fit and thin but life and my husbands cooking got in the way ) I started walking the Camino very slowly and 'walked into' fitness gradually over the course of the journey.
I didn't set any huge daily targets/distances and was very content with such micro goals as get up, get dressed, eat, start walking, make it up the next hill, take the next step etc.... anything else was icing on the cake. As a result every day was a 'win' for me and when I eventually walked into Santiago it was as a result of all those little wins adding up and delivering the 'big one'.
If you want a weight loss incentive/visual aid - weigh your camino pack and then use that figure/image as as your weight loss target/motivator. The incentive is if you achieve it then it's like walking the Camino pack free.......pilgrim bliss :lol:

 

[dougfitz]

Hi, I'm a very overweight 52 year old lady from South Africa. I seriously want to do the Camino next year. Any tips are getting started in training. Also I would liek to do the Camino France, any south africans out there, can tell me of the best booking routes to get there (is it better to fly to Paris or Barcelona???). Looking forward to hearing from you

There are a variety of training programs around, but one I have found useful is the Canberra International Walking Weekend program at http://www.aussiewalk.com.au/training.htm. Start with the 10km distance program and then do the 20km distance program. That will take 16 weeks, so you should have plenty of time, but do start, and don't leave it until the very end.

My sister recently completed the 10km program in preparation for the Camino Salvado in West Australia, and she was able to fit that in around her work and other commitments. She found the 20km program a bit more difficult to fit in, so she didn't work all the way through that. With properly fitting shoes, she was able to do the 25+ km days easily. Note, though, that we were generally carrying only a day pack on this trip.

Getting feet tough and muscles toned is important, but if you are carrying extra weight, getting that down would also be a good objective so you are not loading up your heart and lower joints unnecessarily.

I hope your preparation is successful, and look forward to seeing your story.

Regards,