First timer

[hannajo]

Hi..I'm Jo from Canberra Australia...just learned about the Camino this year and feel challenged to do part of the walk probably April/May....a bit stiff in hips at 61....any clues from practised pilgrims?

 

[giorgio]

hallo hannajo,
am 65 now and have discovered the CF by chance 10 years ago. Haven't stopped since to walk on the various Santiago trails in France Spain and Italy...once you get the bug it's very hard to stay home.....
Don't worry about your age, in april/may you'll meet quite a few a lot older than you....
No need for any special training...just start walking, every day a little more, that's all it takes
Ciao from Italy
Giorgio

 

[TerryB]

Hello Jo,
Only 'a little stiffness in the hips'? I waited until retirement at 65 before doing anything. What is important is to get out walking. every day if you can, if not every other day. I built up to being able to walk 15 kilometers in hilly terrain with a 7 kilo pack. And then do the same the next day, and the next!! Fortunately I live surrounded by hills and it is easy to find a 1 in 5 slope to walk up AND DOWN. Walking downhill in practice is a must. Far harder on the aged knees and hips than going steadily uphill.
Get yourself a good pack, good boots and socks and get going! Be aware though that it will not just be a 'one off'. Once a pilgrim always a pilgrim.

Buen Camino
Tio Tel

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Annajo
I only get stiff in the hips when I am carrying too much weight.
Lighten up the pack and see if that helps.

reb

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Jo,
Myself and my friend Frances walked the CF from SJPP to Santiago in April this year. Despite great plans to get fit and loose weight life and work intervened and I was an unfit, overweight, scared 50 year old pilgrim with a pair of dodgy knees setting out. But once we got our pace (4km an hour up hill, down dale in snow,rain or shine) and didn't try to 'force it' we were just fine.
Like the snail we made progress slowly but we made it, and with only a few blisters to show for it.
A large a gin and tonic or glass or two of local wine provided the only benediction we needed for a good nights sleep and took away most aches and pains as well. But the best medicine of all was the laughter and no day was without suppressed giggles, raucous gaffaws and exhausted wheezy chuckles.
There's an Irish saying "the auld dog for the road and the pup for the gutter!", so what you might lack in fitness or physical health will be compensated for by other skills and life experience you bring to your journey.
Nell (an auld dog!)

 

[hannajo]

Thank you all for your great encouragement......Felt so excited I set off to walk round one of the city lakes yesterday....7.5 kms....and took me 1 hr 40 mins with little rest stops and photos. My hips were OK (at least no after effects) though my face was like a turkey....left it too late in the morning....was too hot. Will aim to walk round lake twice. Have also taken up swimming so that should help too. Thanks Nell pilgrim ...you made my laugh!
Watch this space.
Jo

 

[Rose Louise]

Hi Hannajo

You are doing well, now you need to head for the hills, walking on the flat is the easy part.
Cheers and Buen Camino. Rose Louise

 

[skilsaw]

A classic mistake is to start training early, and then loose interest.
Didn't notice the time of year you are going, but suggest you start with 3 or 4 kms two or 3 times a week. After a couple of weeks, add a 10 walk on the weekend.

Vary your route so you don't get bored.
Walk on the flats and in the hills,
Walk on pavement and trails.

When you have a pack, carry it on your walks with 6 to 8 kgs load.

Build up to walking 25 kms per day with your pack, two days in a row (Saturday and Sunday for those who are not retired)

Have Fun!
Read this forum for motivation and suggestions.
Let us know how you are progressing.

And, Oh Yes... Have Fun.

David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi Jo,

When you have a pack, carry it on your walks with 6 to 8 kgs load..............
Build up to walking 25 kms per day with your pack, two days in a row (Saturday and Sunday for those who are not retired)................
And, Oh Yes... Have Fun.
David, Victoria, Canada.

I think David is quite right about carrying the pack, but the weight needs to be added gradually. Then the lighter the better, without leaving truly important stuff behind. There are plenty of lists and advice elsewhere on the forum.
I would find 25km too daunting, certainly at present, and could easily get discouraged. However, from a slow start, I can now walk about 7+km with only minor stops (eg. to look at the view) and at about 4km per hour. I can look to walking about 15km a day to start and then see how we go. I know that this might mean some careful thinking about 'stages' etc and a need to pay out for accomodation if there is no albergue in my achievable distance. It will also influence which Camino is for us; part of the Primitivo in 2010 and the Inglés in 2011 we hope. Neither of us feel led to the Francés.
Just for the record I am 61 and am married to TerryB (see above) and, yes David, walking is fun not just a need to prepare.
You encourage me Jo as you seem to be walking the same as me, also a first timer. (Terry walked alone in May 09.) Look forward to hearing more from you
Buen Camino,
Tia Valeria

 

[Caminando]

Hi H

Good advice already given above.

I suggest that your age is just fine - I'd have to say that as I'm the same age. We're against age aren't we? We dont agree with it, right? We're old *hippies, right?, and we reset the dial.

I say dont exercise and thus get bored - just start your camino very easily, and slowly increase the distance to what YOU think is right.

The Way will loosen your hips, as will a light pack, correctly positioned by the loadbearing waistband. Weight is not taken by the shoulders. Many take around 8 kgs, so aim for that -it's not heavy. Boots with soles which are impervious to sharp, marble sized stones will help walking posture a lot. The CF has a lot of surfaces like that.

*hey, less of the 'old'.

:arrow:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you don't exercise some leading up to the pilgrimage, you will regret it! It is also true that only walking 20 km a day in full pack for two weeks will train you for walking 20 km a day in full pack for two weeks, so plan to condition and build up at the beginning of your trek. Take it easy for the first two weeks, then be sure that you do not push past your limits when you are beginning to feel good and strong. It is further true that you do not have to be in Lance Armstrong's physical condition to walk a pilgrimage.

 

[BobM]

Hi Jo. I am Bobm, the friend ofJennie & Graeme that you spoke to on Monday. All the very best for your camino. I did the first one in May/june 2007, and I know what a big leap it was into the unknown for me. But it turned out to be one of the truly memorable experiences of my life.

This forum is an excellent source of advice and support . No other website comes even close, so you are in a good place here, among good people.

Also, the atmosphere/support on the camino itself is quite wonderful. It is not "just a long walk", there is something extra that is special about it that you will certainly discover for yourself.

If I had only one piece of advice to offer, it would be to travel as light as possible.

Anyway, I hope this is useful. If you want to track down my experiences, do a search on "bobm"

Bob M

 

[hannajo]

Hi all
Just an update of my progress thus far.......have done three 7 kms stints......one five km stint with back pack...was OK but was too hot. A 7 km stint with small pack pack through rough country. More recently a 5 km climb with small back pack up the lower part of Mt Kosiusko from Thredbo.....got the chair lift back down.....took 15 minutes to come down and three hours to walk up!!!. AND surprise surprise hips were fine and I had no after effects. So ready now to do a 15-20km trek, but when???

Wondering now whether to walk from St JPP or start at Burgos and miss some of those hills/mountains.

Jo

 

[alexwalker]

Hi Jo,

Last year, I started in Pamplona: Very nice, with a flight in to Barcelona, bus to Pamplona (5 1/2 hours), went to the mun. albergue and got my credential and a bed the same evening, and just started walking next morning.

I understand that one of the hardest passages is the very first day from SJpdP to Roncesvalles (25 kms, with a possible stopover at Orrison, where you must book in advance only) so that could be tough. By starting in Pamplona, I avoided that and got a light start to my Camino.

I just checked my camino planner for you and found that the longest stretch without an albergue was between Carrion de los Condes and Calzadilla de la Cuesa (17.1 km., flat terrain). Other than that there are just a few etapes that are more than 10 kms. Other than that, albergues are found all over. I am absolutely sure you can do it.

I don't know how much time you have, but I would suggest you do not get into the pressure of walking 20-25-30 kms/day: Walk your distance and relax.

And do some planning of the stages: Here is a great and fun place to do it: http://www.godesalco.com/plan

You will find out the distance between your planned stops, elevation, indication of ascents/descents , remaining distance, etc. Very helpful and inspiring when you sit in your armchair doing planning

You can print out the whole camino with your own suggestions for stops, laminate the sheets and take them with you on the walk. I did, and it helped me a lot.

Buen Camino!

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hello again Jo,
Your training sounds like its going really well.
Starting from Pamplona has advantages especially if you don't have that much time or have serious physical issues re hips etc. The climb up to Alto del Perdon is not exactly a' walk in the park' so you have a satisfying, but doable, challenge on your first day.
However if you have the time, and are anyway reasonably fit, I personally wouldn't miss out on the opportunity to cross the Pyrenees. Thought I didn't have a perfect crossing by any means I found it a wonderful launch to my Camino. I'm a bit of a 'nervous Nelly' and somehow the fact that 'I'd done it' was empowering. In fact I drew on that experience to 'recharge' whenever I got a bit nervous e.g. before Meseta,Cruz de Ferro, deciding to take on the detour to Yuso,Suso and Cana, O'Cebreiro, .....actually nearly every day when I think of it .
Oddly enough my crossing also gave reassurance to my family as in "well she's done the Pyrenees she'll be OK" sort of thing.
Its also gorgeous by the way-even in snow and sleet!
Good luck with your training, and rest assured you are already way fitter than I was when I 'did it'!
Nell

 

[BobM]

I don't know how much time you have, but I would suggest you do not get into the pressure of walking 20-25-30 kms/day: Walk your distance and relax.

And do some planning of the stages: Here is a great and fun place to do it: http://www.godesalco.com/plan

You will find out the distance between your planned stops, elevation, indication of ascents/descents , remaining distance, etc. Very helpful and inspiring when you sit in your armchair doing planning

I certainly agree that it is important to find one's own pace and daily tolerance. That's easy for individuals walking alone, but even groups walking together find ways for individuals to handle it.

Sometimes faster members will walk ahead and wait for others at coffee stops. Occasionally you find singers! Once I even walked a stage with ex-Legionnaires who sang the most wonderful marching songs. Very exhilarating!

I used Brierley's A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago. It's excellent for planning stages. It gives standard distances for each stage, plus "corrected" distances to allow for the extra ups/downs and associated difficulty of hilly terrain.

Just to give two examples: Stage 1 from SJPDP to Roncesvalles is nominally 24.8km, but corrected for terrain it is 31.7km. Stage 2 from Roncesvalles to Larrasaona is nominally 27.7km, but corrected for terrain it is 29.0 km. That's very useful once you know your average walking pace and how much time you want to walk each day. For me, walking 6 hours/day was optimum.

One useful thing to do on training walks is to calculate your own preferred walking pace. I would try to do at least one walk fully loaded of the distance you would like to cover in a day. That will give a good estimate of your own pace so you can plan stages.

Other guides give times for stages, which serves the same end. In fact, in rugged mountains (not the Casmino), distance is faily irrelevant, it is time that counts.

The downside of popular guides like Brierley's is that everyone does the same stages, so pilgrims tend to bunch up in the same places at the end of each day. I eventually got "out of synch" with the standard stages and stayed in smaller, more tranquil places where possible.

Anyway, I hope this is useful.

Bob M

 

[hannajo]

Thanks guys for all your continued encouragement....just so good to be involved with such a positive community of people...had already started following your blog Nell...great stuff.

Jo

 

[hannajo]

Re: First timer - five weeks to go.

Just an update on my progress with only five weeks to go now. I just about have my backpack sorted out but probably could do with being a bit lighter just everything seems so essential! Done lots of walking and find the water bladder thing very useful though a bit difficult to put back into back pack after refilling. May resort to a bottle. I stayed with my sister in north of UK for a few days and tested myself out walking up and down the hills. My Oh my!! On the second day I walked about 17 kms with lots of killer hills to boot so am quite pleased with myself. My goal is to walk an average of 15 kms a day. Was quite stiff next day though but feet were OK. I couldnt help thinkin....'and I have to do this every day'!!!

Still have anxieties about accomodation and language barriers but starting to get my head around some key phrases...like how to ask for a glass of wine and a bed. That's all you need to know really, isn't it!!??

A Question! I am starting at Burgos and have booked into a hotel as bus from Bilbao may get in too late for Alberque. Thought I'd have next day sight seeing in Burgos and stay in Alberque that night to start Camino next morning. Will this be a problem for hospitalero at Alberque....I fugure you got to start somewhere.

Jo

 

[timr]

Hi
Last year I started from Burgos in May. I flew from Dublin to Santander and got the bus onward and had booked a cheap hotel (attached to the bus station) online, because I felt I wouldn't be able to stay in the albergue because I hadn't walked. I went across in the afternoon to get my credencial stamped at the albergue and the rather elderly lady hospitalera was quite "upset" that I wasn't going to stay for the night!! I went for a "look around" it is a fine modern building and clearly was not full - I guess that is the key. I can see a problem in a non-walker depriving a walker of a place.
Later in the year I went again and walked from Lourdes and finished up in Burgos so did get to stay in the albergue eventually. I had to leave very early the following morning to get my bus to Valladolid for the plane home and this caused some problems, as the albergue doesn't open the doors before eight "no exceptions", but the same lady swore me to secrecy and showed me how to let myself out - via a route that was far from obvious or intuitive!!
I'm 55. I did lots of walking for three months before I left (ie10,15,20km 4 or 5 times a week,) NEVER with a backpack - it feels stupid in the city!! I think it helped. I carried 9kg, plus water when I walked. I'm sure that helped.
If you have time, would highly recommend the stage from SJPP to Roncesvalles. If you go steadily, it is not so bad as it looks on paper! But against that would recommend not rushing, so if time is limited, Pamplona or Burgos good places to start. I loved the meseta, it seems you either love it or hate it, so was very glad to have started the first time in Burgos.
Tim

 

[Anniesantiago]

Regarding the bladder vs bottle ... I would say leave the bladder at home if you're walking the Frances. Did I already say that? It is absolutely unnecessary! There are fountains all along the way. Just carry an 8 ounce bottle and refill your belly and your bottle at each fountain.. and you'll be fine and not carry all that extra weight.

 

[amriwalking9496]

Hi I'm Irma from Chico California and I too am a first timer. My walk will begin on April 12th of 2010. I love all the advice. Maybe I'll see you on El Camino

 

[hannajo]

Thank you Tim and Annie. My anxiety load is getting lighter....yes I think I will ditch the bladder....someone had recommended it but I think it will be too much hastle re-filling it and trying to fit the thing back in my sack.

Not long for you now Irma...sort of feels like we're going to jump off a cliff or something Ha Ha. Peace be with you and strength for the journey.

Jo

 

[BobM]

I agree about leaving the bladder, although I did see a few people using them. It is not even necessary to take those proper aluminium water bottles that some walkers carry. Some of the cheaper bladders have poor seams that can fail, another reason to be wary of the cheapos.

I used two small plastic bottles of water bought from a supermarket in SJPDP and just refilled them at the many water fountains on the camino. My pack has outside bottle holders, so access on the move was very easy.

The common plastic bottles are a little lighter than the metal bottles, so you save a little weight as well.

Anyway, good luck to everyone starting their caminos soon.

Bob M

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi there,
I'm with BobM and Annie on bottle V bladder, just reuse the bottles they are easy to fill and you have a visible gauge of just how much fluid you've taken in (really important as you can get dehydrated really easily if you're a bit knackered and loose track of fluid intake) and how much fluid you've left.
That lack of visual gauge was one the main reasons I abandoned the bladder method....but I'm must confess vanity was also involved. Whenever I used it Frances said I looked like a) a 'sucky calf' or b) a rather pink version of Munch's 'The Scream' .....neither is a good look and the latter was actually rather frightening for other pilgrims.
Nell

 

[hannajo]

I have to report I have abandoned the bladder though I rather miss the suck as you walk experience. It did raise some odd looks from people passing by though. I am now fumbling a bit with the bottle and need somewhere to stick it without carrying the thing. My side pockets on back back are too out of reach and I dont want to keep stopping every time I want a 'swig'. I agree Nell about needing to see how much is left. When I was using the bladder, sucking one day till my ears nearly popped, it finally dawned that the well had run dry. Am going into town tomorrow to see if I can find a solution.
Love your sense of humour Nell. :lol:

Jo

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Jo,
I can't remember where on the forum it was but someone had discovered a simple bottle carrying gadget that fastened onto the shoulder strap of your backpack so your water was within easy reach and it seemed that it could be fitted to the right, left or indeed both sides. Does anyone else remember that as it wasn't too long ago?
Alternatively there are some holster type gizmos that carry two half Iitre bottles at hip level, but I'm not sure how they would interfere with the waist strap of your pack-and you will need to be using a waist strap over the distance and with the weight you're carrying. The only people I saw using these 'holsters' last year had smaller packs with no waist straps or day packs-does anyone have experience of using such a device with a bigger packs?
Nell

 

[hannajo]

Well the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry!! My plans have changed and can now only do two weeks walk so have changed starting point from Burgos to St Jean and finish at Burgos :shock: :shock:

Question: I have just received my Pilgrims record from the UK Confraternity which states Burgos as my starting point......can I change this or do I have to get another Pilgrims Record which doesn't seem reasonable.

I am also in a panic now about whether I will make it up the mountain.

Jo

 

[hannajo]

Oh...does anyone know if the taxi/bus picks up from Orrison...I managed to get the last bed there to crash out before embarking on the rest of the climb but would be good if there is a choice.

Jo

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Question: I have just received my Pilgrims record from the UK Confraternity which states Burgos as my starting point......can I change this or do I have to get another Pilgrims Record which doesn't seem reasonable.

I am also in a panic now about whether I will make it up the mountain.

Jo

Hola Jo

Just change it yourself. The key thing to use albergues and eventually receive a Compostela is that you simply have a credencial. Wherever you start simply get a sello there.

As for the mountain - you will be fine. Start early and take your time and all will be well. Promise!