Katherine Radeka
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Francés (2023)
Camino Portuguese (2024)
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We're now about six weeks out and I'd like to check in with some experienced folks on what else / how much more we should do.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
We live at over 7,200 ft and the highest we will be on the Argonnes this year will be about 3,900 feet in elevation. In some ways living at elevation it is an advantage, but training of any kind is valuable no matter what elevation you live at! Still many (like us) have walked with very little training and its still ok. Just take it easy and know that you will be sore and tired at the end of the first few days no matter what. Some of the most fit people I know have injured themselves early in the game by pressing their bodies too hard.I'll be starting out from SJPP two days after you and am also entering that "home stretch" of pre-Camino prep, so will be following this thread with interest. (Slightly envious that you seem to have elevation options for training where you live - those are nonexistent here in flat New Orleans, and there's only so much I can do on staircases and treadmills.) Buen Camino to you!
Hi! I had planned to walk the Camino Francés in 2018 but ended up injuring my knee in training and having to bail out. I'd really like to avoid that this time.
This time my husband is joining me, and he has low tolerance for pain. Walking to get into shape on the Camino isn't an option as he'd probably quit if he's that uncomfortable. We plan to start on May 4 from SJPP, and we've already booked Orisson to break up that first long stage.
So we've been training on the weekends since November by very slowly increasing distance, elevation and pack weight. So far, so good: no joint pain, no blisters. But training during the week has proven to be nearly impossible with my schedule and his. I think we've managed one short midweek walk.
Our longest walk so far was two weeks ago, 18 km. Then we started splitting the distance between Sat / Sun: last week we walked 7 km on Sat and then 14 km on Sunday. Highest elevation has been 1600' with fully loaded packs.
We effectively have four weekends left to train because the weekend before we leave is super-busy with events, and then we fly out the following weekend. So the current plan has us going 2.5 weeks between our last hiking weekend and the start of the Camino.
We're now about six weeks out and I'd like to check in with some experienced folks on what else / how much more we should do.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
Before you leave you two should discuss what you will do if one of you doesn't want to continue but the other does.This time my husband is joining me, and he has low tolerance for pain. Walking to get into shape on the Camino isn't an option as he'd probably quit if he's that uncomfortable.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
Before you leave you two should discuss what you will do if one of you doesn't want to continue but the other does.
Besides the obvious of one or both of you going home a possibility would be a bailout plan where the non-walker takes a course in Spanish or cooking or something. Or a stay behind cultural exploration of a city for a few days before moving ahead to join the walker at another city or large town.
This doesn't respond to your question, I'm sorry. From what you said it looks to me that there may a fair possibility that this may happen and a calm discussion of this at home looks better for everyone than a louder discussion in an albergue.
I do, though, wish a buen camino to you both.
Yes, we're fortunate to live at the mouth of the Columbia Gorge so lots of options for hill training. The downside is that we have to carry all of our water and food for the day for the type of trails we like to do. No fountains in wilderness areas. Since you'll probably faster, I'm sure we'll cross paths.I'll be starting out from SJPP two days after you and am also entering that "home stretch" of pre-Camino prep, so will be following this thread with interest. (Slightly envious that you seem to have elevation options for training where you live - those are nonexistent here in flat New Orleans, and there's only so much I can do on staircases and treadmills.) Buen Camino to you!
Thank you. I think we'll plan to do this over Easter weekend - we can both take extra time that week (and seems appropriate somehow to do a "mini pilgrimage" that weekend).Do you have 4 consecutive days in which you can walk at least 12 km? (16 would be better though)
It's important to know how your feet handle walking a long distance over several consecutive days. People who say that they never get blisters during weekend hikes often will have problems when their feet are subjected to walking day after day.
Really just go on as long of a walk as you can fit into your schedule - at least once a week. Back to back is even better. At home, I get up early every Sunday and walk from my house to my husbands work - which is 17.25 miles from home (27.7 km). The rest of the week I do a loop around my neighborhood trails which is just about 6 miles (9.6km). Practice with a half filled pack then a fully filled pack. Don't forget to stay hydrated!Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
Join a gym and train during the week.Hi! I had planned to walk the Camino Francés in 2018 but ended up injuring my knee in training and having to bail out. I'd really like to avoid that this time.
This time my husband is joining me, and he has low tolerance for pain. Walking to get into shape on the Camino isn't an option as he'd probably quit if he's that uncomfortable. We plan to start on May 4 from SJPP, and we've already booked Orisson to break up that first long stage.
So we've been training on the weekends since November by very slowly increasing distance, elevation and pack weight. So far, so good: no joint pain, no blisters. But training during the week has proven to be nearly impossible with my schedule and his. I think we've managed one short midweek walk.
Our longest walk so far was two weeks ago, 18 km. Then we started splitting the distance between Sat / Sun: last week we walked 7 km on Sat and then 14 km on Sunday. Highest elevation has been 1600' with fully loaded packs.
We effectively have four weekends left to train because the weekend before we leave is super-busy with events, and then we fly out the following weekend. So the current plan has us going 2.5 weeks between our last hiking weekend and the start of the Camino.
We're now about six weeks out and I'd like to check in with some experienced folks on what else / how much more we should do.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
Hi! I had planned to walk the Camino Francés in 2018 but ended up injuring my knee in training and having to bail out. I'd really like to avoid that this time.
This time my husband is joining me, and he has low tolerance for pain. Walking to get into shape on the Camino isn't an option as he'd probably quit if he's that uncomfortable. We plan to start on May 4 from SJPP, and we've already booked Orisson to break up that first long stage.
So we've been training on the weekends since November by very slowly increasing distance, elevation and pack weight. So far, so good: no joint pain, no blisters. But training during the week has proven to be nearly impossible with my schedule and his. I think we've managed one short midweek walk.
Our longest walk so far was two weeks ago, 18 km. Then we started splitting the distance between Sat / Sun: last week we walked 7 km on Sat and then 14 km on Sunday. Highest elevation has been 1600' with fully loaded packs.
We effectively have four weekends left to train because the weekend before we leave is super-busy with events, and then we fly out the following weekend. So the current plan has us going 2.5 weeks between our last hiking weekend and the start of the Camino.
We're now about six weeks out and I'd like to check in with some experienced folks on what else / how much more we should do.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
fitness in preparation for Camino is a positive thing to do, but you need to be deliberate about how you proceed. You have enough time to make a significant increase from where you are now, without frantically pushing yourself too hard and beyond your body's ability to recuperate from each exercise session. That same deliberation will help prevent injury as well. Be consistent and patient. If you would like other more specific guidelines and suggestions, send me a PM.
This is a guide I had posted a while back.
As to training, there are really two different parts to focus on:
1. Cardiovascular fitness.
2. Muscle strengthening.
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability for your heart and lungs to supply oxygenated blood to your muscles during exercise under load, and your muscles ability to use that oxygen efficiently so they can produce energy.
Exercises should be used which will allow you to hit a target heart rate zone, over a for a period of time during exercising, which provides the needed aerobic effort for conditioning. This is a website which will help you calculate what your target heart rate zones will be.
https://www.lifespanfitness.com/fitness/resources/target-heart-rate-calculator
Treadmills at incline, running, walking at a faster than normal pace, walking up hills, rowing machines, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, riding a bicycle at a faster than normal pace, swimming, etc. are all examples of effective aerobic exercises when used to achieve target heart rates.
Keep in mind that as your fitness level improves, it will take a more sustained effort to hit the same heart rate zones. That is why using target zones is so effective. They don't change relative to fitness level. Someone extremely out of shape does not exercise as hard as someone who is extremely fit to reach their target.
Muscle strength is a function of how much maximum force your muscles can exert against resistance. Exercises for strength will also provide a temporary aerobic effect, but the main goal is to increase your capability to function while under resistance.
Think about having to lift the weight of your body, with a pack, with each step going up the Pyrenees. Or being able to lift and carry a load. Or the constant resistance of your body weight and pack to your shoulders and to the 'core' muscles in your back and abdomen.
Some basic strengthening exercises for home include push-ups, lunges, squats and planks. A google search will show you the way to do these exercises.
Other conditioning issues involve things like ankles, feet, and flexibility. Do a search on this forum for posts about exercises to help prevent shin splints and to help prevent plantars fasciitis.
As your departure date nears and you've been involved in your fitness regimen for the next 6 weeks or so, rather than your routine exercise schedule, put on the clothing and footwear you will be using on Camino, load up your pack, and spend the next several days in a row walking. See how you feel and at what pace you are able to best sustain yourself. That will give you a baseline estimate to calculate logistical issues surrounding the question of how many days it may take to walk your Camino.
More than anything else, enjoy the entire process of getting ready for Camino. Write down your reasons for doing your camino: list your personal goals for doing Camino, and what type of experience you are hoping for. If you become discouraged with your preparations, or feel anxious and overwhelmed, or get a bit of cold feet about leaving home for the camino, or simply to refresh your resolve anew, review what you have written to yourself.
So very helpful- and reassuring! I'm a month out from leaving for my Camino..excited but nervous about fitness level. This is really constructive advice. Thanksfitness in preparation for Camino is a positive thing to do, but you need to be deliberate about how you proceed. You have enough time to make a significant increase from where you are now, without frantically pushing yourself too hard and beyond your body's ability to recuperate from each exercise session. That same deliberation will help prevent injury as well. Be consistent and patient. If you would like other more specific guidelines and suggestions, send me a PM.
This is a guide I had posted a while back.
As to training, there are really two different parts to focus on:
1. Cardiovascular fitness.
2. Muscle strengthening.
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability for your heart and lungs to supply oxygenated blood to your muscles during exercise under load, and your muscles ability to use that oxygen efficiently so they can produce energy.
Exercises should be used which will allow you to hit a target heart rate zone, over a for a period of time during exercising, which provides the needed aerobic effort for conditioning. This is a website which will help you calculate what your target heart rate zones will be.
https://www.lifespanfitness.com/fitness/resources/target-heart-rate-calculator
Treadmills at incline, running, walking at a faster than normal pace, walking up hills, rowing machines, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, riding a bicycle at a faster than normal pace, swimming, etc. are all examples of effective aerobic exercises when used to achieve target heart rates.
Keep in mind that as your fitness level improves, it will take a more sustained effort to hit the same heart rate zones. That is why using target zones is so effective. They don't change relative to fitness level. Someone extremely out of shape does not exercise as hard as someone who is extremely fit to reach their target.
Muscle strength is a function of how much maximum force your muscles can exert against resistance. Exercises for strength will also provide a temporary aerobic effect, but the main goal is to increase your capability to function while under resistance.
Think about having to lift the weight of your body, with a pack, with each step going up the Pyrenees. Or being able to lift and carry a load. Or the constant resistance of your body weight and pack to your shoulders and to the 'core' muscles in your back and abdomen.
Some basic strengthening exercises for home include push-ups, lunges, squats and planks. A google search will show you the way to do these exercises.
Other conditioning issues involve things like ankles, feet, and flexibility. Do a search on this forum for posts about exercises to help prevent shin splints and to help prevent plantars fasciitis.
As your departure date nears and you've been involved in your fitness regimen for the next 6 weeks or so, rather than your routine exercise schedule, put on the clothing and footwear you will be using on Camino, load up your pack, and spend the next several days in a row walking. See how you feel and at what pace you are able to best sustain yourself. That will give you a baseline estimate to calculate logistical issues surrounding the question of how many days it may take to walk your Camino.
More than anything else, enjoy the entire process of getting ready for Camino. Write down your reasons for doing your camino: list your personal goals for doing Camino, and what type of experience you are hoping for. If you become discouraged with your preparations, or feel anxious and overwhelmed, or get a bit of cold feet about leaving home for the camino, or simply to refresh your resolve anew, review what you have written to yourself.
My two cents: Great idea to wear a loaded pack on your walks. Don’t be overly concerned about miles walked on specific days. Nor do you need to be overly concerned about doing really, really long walks prior to your Camino. If you can consistently do 30-40 miles per week (48-65km) you will be very prepared for the CaminoHi! I had planned to walk the Camino Francés in 2018 but ended up injuring my knee in training and having to bail out. I'd really like to avoid that this time.
This time my husband is joining me, and he has low tolerance for pain. Walking to get into shape on the Camino isn't an option as he'd probably quit if he's that uncomfortable. We plan to start on May 4 from SJPP, and we've already booked Orisson to break up that first long stage.
So we've been training on the weekends since November by very slowly increasing distance, elevation and pack weight. So far, so good: no joint pain, no blisters. But training during the week has proven to be nearly impossible with my schedule and his. I think we've managed one short midweek walk.
Our longest walk so far was two weeks ago, 18 km. Then we started splitting the distance between Sat / Sun: last week we walked 7 km on Sat and then 14 km on Sunday. Highest elevation has been 1600' with fully loaded packs.
We effectively have four weekends left to train because the weekend before we leave is super-busy with events, and then we fly out the following weekend. So the current plan has us going 2.5 weeks between our last hiking weekend and the start of the Camino.
We're now about six weeks out and I'd like to check in with some experienced folks on what else / how much more we should do.
Questions:
--What do you think our longest walk / max elevation should be before we leave?
--Should we try to get some training in on city streets / asphalt paths?
--Should we try to get new boots or insoles before we leave (we have about 500 miles on the boots we have now)?
--If we can add only one midweek walk, should we try to do it on Friday to increase number of consecutive days?
--Should we take an extra day off to do another walk to compensate for the weekend that we're busy?
Whew! Very reassuring.. thanjs so much for your valuable two cents!My two cents: Great idea to wear a loaded pack on your walks. Don’t be overly concerned about miles walked on specific days. Nor do you need to be overly concerned about doing really, really long walks prior to your Camino. If you can consistently do 30-40 miles per week (48-65km) you will be very prepared for the Camino
a calm discussion of this at home looks better for everyone than a louder discussion in an albergue.
Also, the type of hiking that I do, and which it sounds like you also do, on rough trails with lots of hills, is a lot more strenuous than much of the Camino, which is a lot of smooth gravel tracks and country lanes. There are a few notable exceptions, of course. Yes, some walks on asphalt or gravel would be good. When I do them, the miles are very quick and easy compared to the boulder hopping, clambering over windfalls, and scaling mountains that I do on trails around here. Don’t worry about altitude; it isn’t a factor on the Camino. Hill climbing is a factor, but not altitude. If you can do a 1,000’ climb without too much problem, I think you’re good.
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