can you help me do last 113kms? ... fast

[mateo tenerife]

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

 

[spursfan]

2 days should be plenty - 6km per hour, 9+ hours per day plus modest breaks

I covered 42km on my last day and arrived about 2pm

Just check times of sunrise and sunset - no need to walk on Sunday evening or during darkness

 

[mateo tenerife]

Spursfan,

THANKS for the encouragement! I am finding the logistics to be harder than the kilometers of traveling as I call albergues that I discover that they are closed until April. My main goal in starting out a tad on Sunday is to break up the kms, so I can enjoy a little more along the way with breaks. I can comfortably walk 10km/h without a pack, so I too was figuring 6km/h. Someone just contacted me about doing the stretch from Lugo (camino viejo or something) and then hooking into the French trail ... it gets me started earlier on Sunday if I want to do some kms and it saves me 10kms ... but fewer albergues too until I hit the French trail.

THANKS for the input,

Mateo

 

[spursfan]

60km from Sarria is Lobreiro with a basic albergue said to be open all year with 20 places (petra folla 981 507 351) - from Brierley

CSJ 2010 Leboreiro H in nearby Coto Casa de Somoza 10 rooms 981 507 372

 

[mateo tenerife]

Spursfan,

THANKS for this VERY helpful information!

Out of curiosity, on your 42km/day ... Did you do it with a rucksack with sleeping bag?

Mateo

 

[spursfan]

I was carrying my rucksack with sleeping bag - about 4kg in total plus water

 

[mateo tenerife]

... great work spurs fan, I am going to see if it is possible to stay in places where I can get some heat & blankets so I can cruise more lightly ... and also not have to invest in a good light warm sleeping bag. -Mateo

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Before Melide in the Lobreiro area, there is a bar "Two German Guys" that operates a newly renovated motel across the street on the highway. Since it gets highway traffic, it is always open.

Google map coordinates: 42.88521,-7.957023

For about 35E you get bed, blankets, towels, and a shower, plus a decent bar and restaurant. You can walk the road into Melide starting early the next morning; just keep left on the wide shoulder.

 

[mateo tenerife]

Falcon269,

THANKS for this info! What a name for a cafe! ... it has to be fun if nothing else!

Mateo

 

[dougfitz]

Lets see if I have this correct - 133km at least in three days, and you plan to treat 113km of the Camino as a two day ultra-marathon but without a support crew, backing up after a championship race walking road event. Your potted history doesn't seem to have any multi-day experience, or anything over a straight marathon.

I admire your optimism. Good luck, and let us know how you go, whatever the outcome.

 

[mateo tenerife]

Doug,

Are you offering to come help crew for me? ... if it is any consolation, my coach who trains me each week and knows my limitations better than I (he was a world ranked 50KM race walker), likes the idea. :shock:

Mateo

PS I am doing a 20KM race to warm up for the camino. :wink:

 

[skilsaw]

If you know at the start you only have two 55 km days back to back you can use the same sort of mind games that get you through a marathon.

Don't over plan this. but it appears you may have already.

 

[mateo tenerife]

Skilsaw,

Yes, I agree with the mental part of an endurance event!! I am planning to go at least 50% slower than I would at race pace. It is that balance of 1.) fearful respect of the distance (which should lead to thorough planning ahead of time - but this a North American way of thinking beat into my head - the Spanish ultra-endurance athletes that I train with do NOT normally get all concerned about the details & planning) and 2.) the mental/spiritual part that says in a dogged determined fashion, "I can do this with God's help" when actually in the event! I am looking forward to the Camino so much!! It will be hard to wait another week+.

Mateo

 

[dougfitz]

Doug,

Are you offering to come help crew for me? ... if it is any consolation, my coach who trains me each week and knows my limitations better than I (he was a world ranked 50KM race walker), likes the idea. :shock:

Mateo

PS I am doing a 20KM race to warm up for the camino. :wink:

Mateo, I figured it was more likely to be that than the 50km. Would love to be back in Spain, although I much prefer to be competing than doing crew. Or I could be the shadow in the trees with the yellow paddles

 

[mateo tenerife]

Doug,

It is fun to meet a person who actually understands what race walking is and Australia has some great race walkers. I actually in all honesty fear 20KMs with judges more than 50KMS/day on the camino!

Mateo

 

[dougfitz]

Doug,

It is fun to meet a person who actually understands what race walking is and Australia has some great race walkers. I actually in all honesty fear 20KMs with judges more than 50KMS/day on the camino!

Mateo

It is a niche discipline. The club I walk with here in Canberra has about 30 regular walkers out of 80 members compared to nearly 30 times that for the Veterans Athletics Club and an even greater number in the general athletics community. It's also hard to keep kids interested in race walking after they finish LAs when there are many more 'glamorous' sports to participate in unless you are doing really well at race walking. Otherwise, its people like me, old codgers who took up the sport in later life when their knees started to give trouble.

I used the club's summer season track walks as part of my preparation for the Camino in 2010, alongside preparation for the Canberra Two Day Walk - one of the multi-day events on both the IVV and IML calendars. I attempted the 42km/30km combination on the weekend before travelling to Spain. I blistered badly on the 42km, did about 10km the following day and called it quits so that I didn't aggravate the blister too much before heading out. Succeeded in completing the combination (42/30) last year without difficulty.

Good luck for the 20k, and for your camino.

Regards,

 

[mateo tenerife]

Doug,

Wow! You have some great race walk experiences! It is impossible to find longer races in the Islands (better in the mainland, but not that many), so I mainly do 5 -10KM judged walks and jump into 5-6 marathons each season and race walk it. I think it is gait that is best suited for LONG distances ... but I plan to do the Camino mixing it up with Nordic walking & running to give the muscles a change.

Matt

 

[mateo tenerife]

THANK YOU you all for your help! I have my credentials in hand from the local OBISPADO here on our Island. After many calls (and realizing it is harder to do the camino logistically in the "off season"), I have the following Camino Trip Plan. Starting in LUGO and taking the PRIMITIVE and merging into the FRENCH was best for me with the time that I have. I will be traveling light with a running backpack with 1.5L water bladder, that is light enough to move quickly & big enough to carry everything for a day's trip. I will pack gels & power bars to down each hour. I will send my main pack (without important doc.s) ahead each day. I will stay in pensions, so I can get a good nights sleep (and many/most albergues are still closed or only open for large groups). I will let you know how it all goes!

Mateo

SUNDAY, 4 march:

- 10:15 compete in 20KM racewalk championships in morning

- good meal & long nap

- 16:00 - 18:30, Monbus, 902.29.29.00 (12E) from Pontevedra -> Lugo (monbus)

... sleep & hydrate

Hostal Mar De Plata Ronda de la Muralla, 5 -6 1º, 27001 Lugo‬ (RESERVED)

982 22 89 10   982 22 10 73 (Fax)   650 11 63 47 (Móvil) 25e indiv.

- facturar backpack with FREIRE (981.58.81.11) at bus station,

- leave before 21:00 on Sunday (or on Monday after 7:00)

- stamp passport somewhere in LUGO & visit cathedral

- get to bed early

MONDAY, 5 march:

- facturar backpack with FREIRE (981.58.81.11) at bus station,

- on Monday after 7:00, or leave before 21:00 on Sunday

- wake & start early

- get to San Roman mid morning -breakfast & stamp

- join Camino Francés at Palas de Rei (63km approx on the Francés to Santiago)

- get to MELIDE 16:00 -19:00, (53KMs, 9 hours actual walking/running)

~~ another 52kms to Santiago

- pick up backpack at Pizzaria Xoldra, Avda lugo, 25 981.50.79.06

- coordinate with pizzeria, drop off on Mon. night or leave for Tues.

- Pensión Berenguela Calle del Cantón San Roque, 5, 15800 Melide

- 981 50 54 17 , RESERVED, hab. Indiv., 30E

- visit Melide sights

- dinner at pulperia Ezequiel

TUESDAY, 6 march:

- wake & start early early (53 kms to Santiago arriving 16:00-17:00)

- leave backpack at Pizzaria Xoldra or Pension (or leave the night before)

- Arzua, Pedrouzo and get to Santiago arriving 16:00-18:00

- get to cathedral before the diploma office closes at 20:00

- pick up backpack at FREIRE office at bus station

- Hostal Pumar C/ Galera, 28, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, RESERVED, 981 56 35 21

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola Mateo,
Hope you made it to Santiago.
Your other threads are locked :cry:
Can you post on the Primitivo section about how you found the Primitivo? New bars/closures etcc
We will be there ourselves later in the year, also heading through Lugo and San Roman to Palas de Rei, so any info helps.
Thanks

 

[dougfitz]

Mateo,
I hope your preparations set you up well for both a successful race walk and your camino. All the best for the weekend and next week.

Regards,

 

[Pieces]

no offence, but I get tired just looking at the scheduele, but that may be the point..

i quite comfortably walked a 50km days and a few close days, with my backpac, no scheduele and leisurely lunchbreaks, and i never did any racing...

if you are doing it just to do it (walk that distance in that amount of time) it sounds like a good plan, if you do it to experience the camino maybe you will find you raced past it...

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola Pieces,
Mateo's race is before he walks the Camino, as I read it. Then he has limited time to actually walk the Way before he has to return home so needed a short and swift route.

 

[mmm042]

Go, Mateo, Go! I'm a competitive runner and endurance athlete (marathons, ultramarathons, adventure races) who heard of the Camino in fall 2009, shortly before I was heading to Spain. Because of work constraints (I was going to Spain for business), I only had 3.5 days to cover 109km from Ourense to Santiago, so I knew I'd have to run the whole thing. I had no time to prepare (I wasn't training distance at the time, so my long run was probably only about 13 miles), so I came up with a conservative plan that's pretty much what you're doing.

* Carried a Camelbak with water, gels, etc. Sent the rest ahead to a pension via cab.
* Did a fairly strict regimen of running 10 mins., then walking 2 mins.

I had no problems whatsoever, although I was definitely very sore when I reached Santiago -- there are some KILLER hills/mountains, especially between Ourense and Oseira. But it's definitely doable. People will look at you strangely, just so you know, but so what? If I hadn't have run those 109km (my only option at the time), I'd never have experienced what I did, fallen in love with the Camino and been on my current journey to write about it in any/every form and get the message out.

Buena suerte, and tell us how it goes!

Melanie

P.S. Oh, it definitely helped to ice my legs every night at the pension. Plus I brought along one of those "Stick" roller devices to roll out my muscles every night -- another great idea.

 

[Pieces]

I realise that Tia

my point was that one can still walk 60 km in a day and stop for lunch or to enjoy the view

 

[Tia Valeria]

Sorry if i misunderstood you Pieces.
I am a '20km is a longish day' person, with breaks to enjoy the view, café con leche, meal etc.
The thought of walking 40 or 60km just amazes me at whatever speed.

 

[dougfitz]

Sorry if i misunderstood you Pieces.
I am a '20km is a longish day' person, with breaks to enjoy the view, café con leche, meal etc.
The thought of walking 40 or 60km just amazes me at whatever speed.

So 20km in under two hours isn't going to be your style!

Only one competitor from the Canary Islands competing in the 20km race walking event on Sunday.

Is this you Mateo?
Dorsal_Pos_ T. Oficial_Nombre________________________Categoría_Federación_________
164___15___1:48:48_JOSE OSVALDO FERNANDEZ ALVAREZ_M40______CAI GC CajaCanarias P.Cat._Event Descr______________________Licencia
3_____20Km Promesa y Veterano Hombres__GC-5340

What a great effort. Fifteenth overall and 3rd in age category.

I hope your Camino is going as well.

Regards,

 

[mateo tenerife]

Hello all! I am just starting to get unpacked and settle back into the normal routine. I had a great experience on the camino. THANK YOU all for your help! I wrote down some notes & observations from my time.

Mateo


SUNDAY, 4 MARCH 2012
- I was disqualified (along with most of the other foreign athletes ... Irish, British, Guatamaltecas, etc. … hhmmm? ) in the Spanish/Portugese National Championships of Race Walking at kilometer 9 of the 20km, but it at least gave me fresher legs for the camino
- Took taxi to Pontevedra bus station & took 16:00 bus to Lugo and arrived at 18:30
- In Lugo, dropped off bags at hostel, visited Roman Wall & cathedral, got tapas, dropped off duffle bag with bus company around 20:30 to go to pizzaria in Melide

MONDAY, 5 MARCH 2012
- Woke at 5:30, ate breakfast (oatmeal, nuts, banana & 1 liter of water) & checked out of hostel
- Started camino at 6:30 and it was freeeeezing for me, a little over 0C with frost on everything … I might have given up if it had been freezing rain to start ☺
- I had a little difficulty getting onto the camino (had headlamp) and had not leaned trail markers well yet
- Sunrise was around 7:30 and it was great to see it while on the camino and realized for the first time that it was a perfectly clear cloudless sky!
- I loved the primitive, never saw another pilgrim all day
- I learned quickly that a pilgrim carries a stick to scare off farm dogs ☺
- I was only able to get two stamps all day long (and a few more in Melide), nearly everything was closed being a Monday or not open for the “pilgrim season”
- A nice campesina gave me 1.5 liters which I drank without stopping right in front of her, which gave her a shock. ☺
- I did a comfy pace with frequent photo stops , ate & drank as I went (nuts, dried fruit, gels, Powerbars, apple & banana)
- I stopped for 20 minutes to call family, clean out shoes and to shed neck scarf, sock cap, long gloves, headlamp & reverse red lamp after walking lunch.
- I wore through the heel of my left sock … a bad sign of rubbing … I bought a pair of socks from a campesina and doubled them up on the left foot.
- Met very nice hippies with 5-7 dogs who had done the camino, found a house they liked and moved from Burgos to the camino in a pueblo. They offered me beer & tea. ☺
- I was lost for 15 – 30 minutes where the trail was mismarked.
- I arrived in Melide with the reality that a good big blister was forming on my left heel (though I had already worn those shoes to Nordic Walk a marathon) … unsure why?
- I arrived in Melide at 17:30 and quickly found the nice pension (finished in just 2010), went to pizzaria to get my duffle bag, showered up and went to pharmacy to buy some second skin for my blister.
- Visited church & got a stamp & priest gave me incorrect advice to start camino from Melide (like the incorrect advice the well intended pension owner)
- I ate at the pizzaria instead of the pulperia (which opened later) so I could get to bed early
- I was fatigued the first day, but nothing like the fatigue after a marathon, more like a hard half marathon fatigue

TUESDAY, 6 MARCH 2012
- I woke at 6:00 with a sore blister and a weird bruise under the ankle on that same foot (probably caused by walking slightly differently to adjust to blister)
- I drained the blister and put on second skin & padded around bruise to avoid contact with shoe
- I was a little stiff moving about, but not bad.
- I left my duffle bag with the pension owner who took it later in the morning to the pizzaria.
- On starting, I quickly realized I was given bad advice to getting on the camino and took 20+ minutes & at least 2kms walking to finally get on route … a downer way to start off
- I finally got on my way at 7:30 & enjoyed another sunrise on a cloudless day and an hour later I met my first pilgrim, (I woke her in an albergue) when trying to find a stamp … then met my first pilgrims on the camino (German couple) … during the rest of the day to Santiago, I saw a total of 16 pilgrims
- Many more bars/cafes were open & “life” on the camino frances and got lots of stamps, cokes, water & sports drinks
- About midday, it rained lightly for 1 hour & I pulled out a rain jacket/poncho … and started to get a blister on the ball of my right foot.
- I was starting to get some sore muscles by the last 20kms to Santiago, but could handle the hills on the last kms to Santiago, but felt it the next day in my quads
- The kms in those industrial zone near Santiago were very blah.
- I felt like a dumb pilgrim when I would have to ask for directions to the cathedral when I got within a km or two.
- I arrived later than I wanted to 18:30 (17:30 was my goal, but my bad departure from Melide & lots of stops to get stamps to fill my entire credentials slowed me down).
- I had to rush to get everything done, pilgrims’ office had moved and no one knew where it was, but I arrived in time … I was 40th to arrive that day.
- At the cathedral, the sepulcra was closed and the gates to the main steps closed too and I was bummed I could not touch foreheads with master Mateo & put my hand in the groove with bars blocking it, but I had done all that a decade ago
- I hugged Santiago & saw his remains, walked the cathedral, sat for a few moments, went to a gift shop & zoomed out in taxi to the bus station.
- Getting my duffle bag from the bus station was an awful 30 minute negotiation with the bus company & security staff. The bus driver had left it in the general “bag check” and not the bus company office and the general bag check had closed for the day & would not open until the next day … we finally got the unfriendly security guard to open it for me.
- I took a taxi to the pension near the cathedral, cleaned up, unpacked & then the fatigue hit me.
- I crawled to a nearby restaurant for pasta & paella & crashed to bed.

WEDNESDAY, 7 MARCH 2012
- I was very sore (muscles) in the morning … it felt kind of like the morning after doing my first marathon.
- I drained blisters and they healed quickly.
- I walked (slowly) back to the cathedral to enjoy it more, rushed back to pension, buying a few tartas de Santiagos at a grocery store, then grabbed a taxi to the bus station, bus to the airport and Ryan Air got me back to the Canary Islands




OBSERVATIONS
- I would not been able to prepare/plan this trip without your help – THANK YOU!
- If I only had two days to do the camino, I would absolutely do it the same way that I did (but if I get another 2 days free in the future, I will do another route if I can).
- It was a great time to pray, think & observe.
- I was bummed that all the churches along the camino were closed & that I did not have enough time to find a person in the pueblo with the key to open it
- I was fine with a lot of asphalt as it let me get kms done quickly and then to spend more time taking photos at other sections.
- It would have been a lot more adventure during the camino to not have known Spanish, or would have missed conversations with the locals and the planning (much done by phone calls) might not have been possible.
- Using two sticks and Nordic Walking it really made it doable.
- The “dry” Gallego winter meant dry trails.
- Some locals seemed less than excited to see pilgrims.
- I was able to fill my entire credentials book (it was hard) and Ryan Air finished it off with a stamp in the airport.
- I felt it was a comfy pace 50kms+ a day with a light running backpack, but the accumulated affect of two days meant sore muscles. (I ran into a young S. American guy who said he had done four 40kms/days to finish the camino from Pamplona, so some people can push through it.)
- I would definitely call ahead for everything if going in March as much was not opened for the season though they advertised differently on web pages, etc.
- I look forward to doing the whole French route some day!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Congratulations on your camino. Hope to see you in Santiago in the future. The entire Camino Frances sounds like a challenge you won't resist

 

[mateo tenerife]

JohnnieWalker,

Maybe we will hook up some day. You have a great blog.

Mateo

 

[mateo tenerife]

It has been some time since my wonderful camino experience. I did a mountain race last weekend, Transvulcania, and it brought back memories of the camino as I used about the same gear. I have had Tenerife friends recently get back from the camino - great experiences - and they are already planning a second trip.

I would love to consider doing the last 100kms from a new direction/route when I am back in Galicia - probably January 2014. I will have to read posts on doing it in January and plan my new winter adventure with God in the camino!

 

[JabbaPapa]

I've never done two 65 KM days in a row, but I have done a 65 followed by a 50ish ... and yeah, it's tiring...

(could NOT do that now, knee has given up sadly)

It's a very different kind of walking to your usual, as I'm sure you're fully aware after your first run ...

I'm not sure what shoes you're using, but I find heavier hiker/army boots to be better for this kind of speed hiking on semi-rough terrain -- but whatever, the shoes you're comfortable with are likely the best choice for you, just some food for thought ...

 

[mateo tenerife]

I just did a mountain race with New Balance Minimalist shoes and have just bought a pair of minimalist trail New Balance shoes with nubby Vibram soles. It is not the same as Vibram 5 fingers, but pretty close. I love the lightness and the ability to feel the trail without pain of going bare foot, but I did take time to adjust to them after using bulky super support shoes. I wouldn't go back to the old shoes, but everyone is different. However, a boot might be the best option in wet cold conditions, so wearing boots and bringing minimalist shoes in the pack might be an option for January on the Camino for me.