Re: Anyone else get shot down?
Mystic, you say you are overweight.
That can mean a lot of things.
I'm usually about 20 pounds overweight when I start each year, and lose that 20 while walking.
This year it's closer to 30 - menopause is not my friend.
On the other hand, I've watched many people who are what I would call extremely obese walk the Camino. I've also people do it on crutches, in wheelchairs, and in one case last year, saw a lovely young man with what appeared to be severe cerebral palsy walking. He struggled to walk, but carried his own pack and by God, he made it!
One lady I met a couple of years ago simply went at her own pace. She carried a telephone, and when she knew it was time to stop.. she stopped for the day. She got the telephone number of the local taxi at each albergue and had no problems calling if she needed a a ride. She did NOT push herself beyond her limits, but did push to go a little further each day. In the beginning, she started with 7 kilometers. Each day she'd increase a bit. Six weeks later, toward the end of the Camino she was walking full 20-15 k stages, had lost a LOT of weight, and was in much better health.
This is YOUR Camino!
It's ok to go short stages.
It's ok to call a cab rather than hurt yourself.
It is ok to pay for bag transport.
It's ok to listen to your body.
It's even ok to break the Camino up into different YEARS.
For instance, this year I hope to finish the Via de la Plata, which I had to give up early because of my own poor planning. People warned me not to try to walk in summer. I am one of those hard headed kids that had to touch the stove. I learned. They were right. But now I'm going back to finish it.
You will be fine, as long as it is what you WANT to do!
Buen Camino!
Annie