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can you help canary islander do the camino ... fast!

mateo tenerife

New Member
Hello! What a great site & I am excited to find so much helpful information. I love the concept of physical activity and spirituality ... I think they go together perfectly! I am an experienced marathoner & olympic style racewalker and American from Indiana who has lived in Spain for 12+ years - 10 years in the Canary Islands.

I visited Galicia and all the main cities (Santiago, etc.) 10 years ago and I am soooo excited to go back in a couple weeks. I compete in Spain's national championship for race walking in Pontevedra and then I have mid-day Sunday through mid-day Wednesday to do what I have always wanted to do - el camino!

Though my dream would be to have an open ended 3 months to start the Camino in Paris and end when I feel like it as I stroll & stop often, but I plan to do it at a very quick near race pace (adjusting time to pack weight). I can comfortably run a 3.5 hour marathon & race walk a 4.5 hour marathon (many in hilly terrain and all sorts of weather - cold, heat, rain, etc.), so 113KMs from Sarria to Santiago is within my physical abilities in a short time ... but I am going to try to do it principally in 2 days plus.

I would GREATLY appreciate any advice & help you could give me (an experienced endurance athlete & newbie camino pilgrim) to get the camino done with the time frame I have to work with? Please no advice like ... "cancel this idea and do the camino right in a few years from now when you have the time!" I really humbly do need your help! Any advice on getting this adventure done in a logical & safe ... and even enjoyable fashion would be sooooo appreciated!

My Plan:
SATURDAY, 3 march:
- Depart Tenerife for Pontevedra with my passport/credentials in hand from local Obispado in the Island.
- spend Saturday loafing & top off my fluids & carbs
SUNDAY,4 march:
- compete in racewalk championships in morning, with a good meal & long nap
- 16:00 - 18:30, bus from Pontevedra - Lugo (monbus) ... sleep & hydrate
- 18:35 - 19:10, bus from Lugo - Sarrio ... rest
- stamp passport somewhere in Sarria
- consider getting to first albergue down the camino (10-20kms down the way, eating as I go) ... I have a headlamp, metal blanket, etc. for the very worst case scenario
MONDAY, 5 march:
- start early and try to get in 60kms+
- eating & hydrating as I go & planning to attire in endurance race clothes (tights, etc.) and not hiker garb, no time to look like a real pilgrim
TUESDAY, 6 march:
- start early and finish last kms in time to get to santiago cathedral before the diploma office closes at 20:00
WEDNESDAY, 7 march:
- sleep in late before taking bus to Santiago airport for flight back to Canaries

Can you please help me! Have any of you done it in this short of time ... or faster?

Mateo from Tenerife
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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