2 WEEKS TO GO AND NO TIME TO PREPARE

[lilloby]

hi its lillian here starting 5 sep and i have had on time to do any walking .My problem is running a b\b is a full time job ,do you think i am mad to be going on the camino for 4 weeks with no real preparation .I have being wearing my walking shoes everywhere and they are comfortable ,if i take it slowly will i be ok nervous walking alone too . :|

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Hi Lillian,
You won't be the first to start without much training! I imagine you would be best to try and take it slowly the first few days, without feeling swept into temptation to walk the same distance as some others. Once your body/muscles have adapted to the regular walking, you will be able to increase your distance. With four weeks to walk, that would mean you might not finish the whole Camino. But you could 'bus' over a bit as some do, or else come back another time and finish... Many Europeans walk the Camino in 'segments' on their annual holidays.

I presume you are not starting from SJPP? To start with that long steep climb without much training might be fairly exhausting!

As for the walking alone bit, you will soon find that it is quite hard to be 'alone' on the Camino Frances. I walked 'alone', but had plenty of company. All the best!
Margaret

 

[skilsaw]

Lillian,
You don't provide us with clues about yourself that would help us judge if you are capable of walking or not. Details like age, height and weight, smoker or non-smoker, medical conditions - diabetes, heart condition, asthma.

(age is not a strong indicator as there are pilgrims 80 years old and older, but these people probably have a very active life style and no other issues.)

So I'll assume you are "average" in every way and have no health issues.

You are probably on your feet, bending and stretching, a lot every day running the B+B. This will help you.

Some pilgrims do the Camino without much preparation and get through without serious problems.
Others, including some who have trained for months, suffer severe blisters, tendonitis, knee and hip pain or general exhaustion. This is often due to trying to go too quickly, particularly at the beginning and during the first week. Aim for 18 to 22 kms per day for the first week, and once your body is accustomed to walking with a pack, you can adjust your distance each day. The only exception to this is the first day, Saint Jean Pied du Port to Roncesvalles, which is up hill and 27 kms. Start early in the morning, walk slowly and methodically, and take a lunch and 2 litres of drinking water.

The only other thing I would suggest is to be very deliberate in keeping your pack weight to about 10% of your body weight, and under no circumstances heavier than 10 kgs. (22 lbs) There are several good threads on this forum that provide lists of what to bring.

You won't have any problem walking alone. There will be lots of people on the trail. At most times you will be able to see another pilgrim if you look foreward or back.

And finally,
Be prepared for the experience of a lifetime. Not in thrilling moments, but in a general peace and sense of wellbeing when you are done.

Ultreia , Onward.
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[annakappa]

Hang on David! If you are suggesting her to take a pack of maybe 10 kgs, that means that she weighs 100kgs!!! No way - that's way over. Lillian - just keep strictly to 10% of your weight- and NO MORE. Anne

 

[anniethenurse]

No worries Lilian!
As said before you won´t be the first one without much preparation. Just take it easy the first week, keep the weight of your rucksack as low as possible and enjoy your walk. You won´t be alone like on the Portuguese, you will be meeting lots of other pilgrims every day walking in the same pace than you are and be able to share your camino with them.
Enjoy you canimo
Buen camino :arrow:
annie

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Lillian,
I was in exactly the same position in April this year I had 'meant to' get fit lose weight etc and it just didn't happen for myself or my walking partner. But it was our awareness of just how unprepared we were physically that actually helped us complete- as we took it slowly and gently (there was no other option!)
By the final week or two ,while we never had a full day of that' effortless flow' one dreams of and each journey was a daily epiphany, our surprise at actually getting there each evening/afternoon did begin to diminish somewhat.
You will be able to judge if you need/want to bus a section or two and get to Santiago, maybe returning to do that part later, or if you will walk as far as you can this time and return to complete. Wishing you joy.
Bonne route

 

[lilloby]

Hi again and thanks a lot for all your kind words of encouragement .I am not overweight and i dont smoke i suppose i am fit from all the running around the house i do during the season,my backpack containes a light sleeping bag and a change of clothes and a few toiletries the weight should be ok,i am starting from st jean and i hope to stay in orrison the first night .My sisters say the may meet up with me in Leon on the 15 sep so i may need to take a bus if i fall behind time,anyone know haw many days from st jean to leon?lillian

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Lillian, It will be so much fun to meet up with your sisters and lovely to have such a shared sisterly memory.
SJPP to Leon should take approx 20 days so you may have to 'trim' some stages out to meet up with your sisters otherwise you will have to walk at 'ramming speed'. Gift yourself time to enjoy each day and take the bus to catch up with your 'schedule' when you need to.
Bonne route
Nell

 

[lilloby]

Thanks Nell,for your kind words ,change of plan i will meet my sisters in pamplona and walk with them to Burgos ,and be there for my sisters birthday ,they must return then to England so i will continue alone .my sister has just lost her husband suddenly and is trying to come to terms with that ,they were togeather for 40 years so it will take some time ,this camino time will be very healing for her i think.buen camino lillian

 

[nellpilgrim]

I am very sorry for your sisters loss Lillian. There were two families we met who were walking the Camino after losing partners/parents and they seemed to find that focused endeavour comforting.
Nell

 

[Priscillian]

Hi Lillian,
Don't laugh but I have prepared for all 4 Caminos by swimming! It strengthens the upper body and gives you a great workout all around. As for walking, the first day should be quite short and the second, even shorter. After that you will get "in the groove".
Where you start from is unimportant but in 4 weeks might I recommend you start from Puente la Reina where the Camino Frances and the Camino Aragones meet? It is not the distance but the amount of "listening to the Camino" that is most important.
You don't want to rush into Santiago anyway, and believe me, that sight of the cathedral is the most incredible of all. Shorten your distance at the beginning. There will always be someone who has walked much further but that doesn't matter.
Buen Camino, Ultrea, y Good Luck!
Tracy Saunders
http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.blogspot.com

 

[chax]

Hi there

I was in your same situation two years ago!! so do not worry, you will not be the first pilgrim without training!! However, i hated myself for the first three day, till my body got used to it !!

I started off with short distances, first day i started for ST. Jean up to Orisson only ... and then the following day only up to Roncesvalles .... but then once your body gets the grip .... you can go up to more than the average walker!!

However, I would still start from St. Jean even though you will not make it up to Santiago De Compostela on time ... but you cannot miss the beautiful scenery there!! It's awesome!! and on the other hand you can continue your camino next time, there is no pressure at all ... it is the journey and the experience that counts!!!

Buen Camino

 

[peregrina nicole]

Hello,
I think that mental toughness is probably more important than physical fitness. You just need to take things one step at a time and listen to what your body is telling you. You can walk quite a distance in one day if you stop and take a proper break now and then. It is very important to have a light back pack. Everyone says this but I can't stress this enough. Lots of things you 'think' you need, you don't. For example, you can get by fine on two changes of clothes (i.e. clothes to walk in and clothes to wear at night). If all of your stuff is quick dry (i.e. no jeans) you can do frequent washes and have things dry either overnight or pinned to your rucksack (saftey pins are handy for sock drying). What you do need to make sure you do is take care of your feet. In hot weather, my feet swell, especially if I am not hydrated enough. I got blister on the Frances and they didn't start to heal properly until I bought a larger pair of walking shoes (in Logrono). A real life saver was buying some unguento peregrino from the albergue in Fromista. This is basically vasoline with essential oils in it. You rub it on your feet. I haven't been able to find more of it, but just plain vasoline works well enough. You can also use Vicks Vapo rub. I used this everyday on the Camino Portugues this August and didn't get a single blister.

 

[andy.d]

Hello,
A real life saver was buying some unguento peregrino from the albergue in Fromista. This is basically vasoline with essential oils in it. You rub it on your feet. I haven't been able to find more of it, but just plain vasoline works well enough. You can also use Vicks Vapo rub. I used this everyday on the Camino Portugues this August and didn't get a single blister.

Horse Udder Cream manufactured in the UK by Equimins sounds bizarre, but is fantastic for feet and sounds a lot like the unguento peregrino,

Andy

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Horse Udder Cream manufactured in the UK by Equimins

Lacking udders on our horses, in the U.S. a similar product available in pharmacies and farm stores is "Bag Balm." The one ounce size is perfect for backpacking: http://www.amazon.com/DAIRY-ASSOCIATION ... 251&sr=8-3