Fitness Level Help!

[Slowandsteady]

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for my Camino in the beginning of May and I am worried about my fitness level. I am a real couch potato average walk 3 miles three times a day and maybe a long walk 10 miles on the weekend. I have done a few snowshoe hikes this winter and can walk 9 miles ok . What should I concentrate on, or should I be ok a just train on the go?

 

[Kanga]

@Slowandsteady you will be fine. 9 miles a day is plenty of exercise - that is far more than many who tackle the Camino Frances OK.

I keep my pack under 7kg and expect the first two weeks to be "work".

On the CF the first few days are strenuous and I prefer to plan to break the walk from St Jean to Roncesvalles into two days.

 

[Geodoc]

I'm heading out in June and do about 6-8 miles every other day with a full pack, with the plan on moving it up to 15 miles before I head out.. At least once a week I do elevation (about 2000' - I climb a small mountain that's 1,000' tall with a 2 mile hike on one side and a 1 mile hike on the other). My big dread is having the body fail on the walk due to not being ready.

Having said that, any hiking is better than none

 

[Deleted member 397]

one of the many reasons I don't like the CF is the first day..it is very strenuous and long. I walked from Le Puy and still found it taxing. Many starting from SJPD are full of enthusiasm and some go full bore..take it easy or even better take 2 days

 

[RJM]

if you can walk 9 miles in a clip you can walk the Camino Frances
light pack, light pack, light pack....and hydrate
do not overdue it at the beginning, stretching, take breaks, fuel your body

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

one of the many reasons I don't like the CF is the first day..it is very strenuous and long. I walked from Le Puy and still found it taxing. Many starting from SJPD are full of enthusiasm and some go full bore..take it easy or even better take 2 days

When you don't like the first day , begin your walk to Santiago "the second day"
It's not all Sunshine , hard day's are also a part off the Camino .

 

[nycwalking]

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for my Camino in the beginning of May and I am worried about my fitness level. I am a real couch potato average walk 3 miles three times a day and maybe a long walk 10 miles on the weekend. I have done a few snowshoe hikes this winter and can walk 9 miles ok . What should I concentrate on, or should I be ok a just train on the go?

You’ll be just fine.

Buen camino

 

[mspath]

Hiking 20 k up the 1060 meter Ibaneta pass via the Valcarlos route the first time in 2004 at 65 to the monastery at Roncevalles was one of the most difficult days on the Camino and certainly the most physically exhausting day of my adult life then to date. I was pooped! Although I had hiked throughout the summer in preparation for the trip, nothing had prepared me for such an effort. Beneath a deep blue sky and brilliant sun I gasped and ached while my pack weighed like bricks.

After hiking about 5 hours I finally staggered over the pass into a picnic area filled with a munching mob; they had arrived by bus and cars! Never will I forget the look that one très correct French woman drinking champagne from a crystal flute, no plastic for her, gave me as I trudged past exhausted! ET would have been better received. A kindly couple from Scotland offered me the best ever cup of tea from their thermos. Refreshed I continued on to the monastery, happy that the path was now slightly downhill....Eventually I made it to Santiago walking all the way.

On that first of 10 caminos I learned the hard way that this is NOT a walk in the park! ... What matters is to DO IT while you can!

Margaret

 

[Walli Walker]

Wonderful, mspath, simply wonderful. X

 

[FLEUR]

@mspath you are so right! Do it while you can, grin and bear it. At the end it's a wonderful sense of achievement, the biggest reward ever.

 

[HeidiL]

When we walked the first time, we decided to do as the Spanish (before That Film) - start in Roncesvalles. That's a fully acceptable way to avoid wearing out on the first day.

 

[Dorpie]

Welcome to the forum @Slowandsteady

It appears your idea of couch potato and mine is a bit different, I'd say owning, let alone using snowshoes automatically disqualifies you from the title

I'm troubled when people post on the site about fitness worries because for me the Camino is about freeing yourself from worry and complication in life, not creating a whole new thing that I can feel I'm doing "wrong". Having said that your walk will be a lot more pleasant if you have a basic level of fitness and understanding of what you are capable of, so I'm certainly not advocating going in completely unprepared but this doesn't sound like you.

So unless you have a particularly tight schedule I'd say stop worrying and train on the go. As the great cyclist Greg Le Mond said "It never gets easier, you just go faster." though for walkers faster could perhaps be replaced by farther.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

 

[Hurry Krishna]

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for my Camino in the beginning of May and I am worried about my fitness level. I am a real couch potato average walk 3 miles three times a day and maybe a long walk 10 miles on the weekend. I have done a few snowshoe hikes this winter and can walk 9 miles ok . What should I concentrate on, or should I be ok a just train on the go?

I don’t think it will be a problem for you at all in terms of fitness. Depending on where you are starting the first day or two can be quite stressful. But you get used to 20k or more walks pretty quickly. Buen Camino

 

[Craig Towers]

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for my Camino in the beginning of May and I am worried about my fitness level. I am a real couch potato average walk 3 miles three times a day and maybe a long walk 10 miles on the weekend. I have done a few snowshoe hikes this winter and can walk 9 miles ok . What should I concentrate on, or should I be ok a just train on the go?

I’d think the main issue you might want to focus on is toughening up your feet. Just so they withstand the constant daily walking. You will do the daily distance I’m sure. But the day in day out walking gets those blisters going. Wear your boots all day not just on hikes. Soak your feet in a bucket of cold tea. Tannin supposedly hardens skin. Take care of your feet on hike. Take off and dry socks at lunch break. Good luck.

 

[Linda Fantillo]

I am just short of 69. Having done three Caminos ( loved every moment of it) I realized that after worrying about not being fit/ready to walk the first time, that I was able to walk for two hours or so, rest - have a coffee, have breakfast, sit down for a water break and watch the world go by - whatever - depending on the time of day, weather, availabilty of cafes for morning coffee etc. The point being that after two hours or so and a little break - I was easily able to walk another two hours and by that time it was probably lunch time and so had another break. After that I was usually on the last stretch to my destination for the day. I think if you are comfortable with your pack weight and have got your footwear/sock situation sorted out, you will be just fine. There is no rule that says you are walking the whole day without breaks. You will be fine!

 

[JudeD]

T
Two years ago we walked from SJPdP to Roncesvalles on our first day and the weather was glorious and we three 70 something year olds found it tough but exhilarating at the same time. Last year same time of year (August) however the weather was horrendous with horizontal wind and rain and Peter almost turned back. So this year we are staying at Orrison to break up the long tough going, and not really sure why we hadn't planned to do this previously! I think what others have said about light backpacks and well broken in shoes are more important than fitness.

 

[Duffman]

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for my Camino in the beginning of May and I am worried about my fitness level. I am a real couch potato average walk 3 miles three times a day and maybe a long walk 10 miles on the weekend. I have done a few snowshoe hikes this winter and can walk 9 miles ok . What should I concentrate on, or should I be ok a just train on the go?

I was up to four hours of sustained walking in mountains and flats on both weekend days for a few weeks prior to leaving, plus an hour of walking a steep mountain trail each workday lunch. My philosophy was to loose weight and get in the best shape possible. I also wanted to work out the kinks in both my body and gear, especially socks and boots, before leaving.