Going up - or going down!

[annakappa]

So much is written about the various difficulties of walking up some of the steeper inclines, but not much is taken into consideration that once you get up, you have to get down the other side and this is usually where one might sustain an injury: banging your big toe to the extent that you usually loose the nail, knee problems, tendinitis, just to name 3.
Some of the more tricky descents are into Zubiri, going down from El Alto del Perdón , descending into El Acebo, each one because of the surface: loose rocks and gravel making the descent tricky. You should treat these descents with respect! Pause and retire your boot laces, so as to keep the foot from sliding forward and take it easy! Anne

 

[Pieces]

I so much prefer the ups...

 

[tyrrek]

I prefer the downs, probably because I'm an unfit smoker,which makes the ups difficult. What surprises me about this forum in general is how little we talk about the surface. For me uphill or downhill were both a nightmare if the surface was large sharp stones that seemed to stick into your feet, despite having decent boots. On my second Camino Frances I had North Face boots that protected my feet well, but the soles started to crack before the end so I got a refund after walking 450 miles in them! Hoorah! Buen Camino!

 

[Thengel1]

The extreme ups certainly take a toll ( Valcarlos to Roncesvalles, anyone), but as someone who is in terrible physical condition, I found as long as I go slow, I can handle most climbs ok.

The descent in Acebo on the other hand. Look, the road is narrow and twisty, in the interests of safety I cannot encourage people to use it. But it is a near thing. There were many times on the descent I bitterly regretted not staying on the road.

The descent into Zubiri I actually didn't find that bad, though it if had been wet, it would have been a very different story.

 

[wayfarer]

I must say I enjoy them both equaly.

 

[Thengel1]

On a somewhat related topic, was anyone else annoyed by those ads for taxis on the way down, particularly in spots that were no where near a road. I wished I had a phone and enough Spanish to call the number and say:

"Hello, I am looking at your ad here and would really like a taxi. Where am I? Oh, I am standing on 45 degree slope that you might be able to get a taxi up, if the taxi was an SUV and was the size of a Mini Cooper. How soon can I expect you?"

 

[colinPeter]

The steep decent after Castrojeriz, on the new paved section is a "killer".
Actually, I saw a woman doing the uphill, out of Castrojeriz "backwards", I guess the low reverse gear theory, looked a bit strange, but it was her way.
However, I must admit that I sometimes "traverse" (zig zag) some steeper sections, longer but less intense.

 

[annakappa]

The steep decent after Castrojeriz, on the new paved section is a "killer".
.

Yes, I meant to mention that one too. Now that it's been paved, it's worse than it was before! Anne

 

[KinkyOne]

@Thengel1 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Althought I was (I'm 43 now) doing several sports in my early years, swimming for 9 years for example and all the way to climbing, until I broke my knees when falling (climbing), heh, and I'm a heavy smoker for past 25 years, I also don't like uphills particularly. But I use walking poles. Enough was already said why and how that helps one. And then I kind of discovered one more thing to ease it when going uphill - do as longest steps as your joints allows you to. But walk a bit slower. I found out that in this way I'm much faster and loosing far less strength as before. Of course that goes with walking poles in zig-zag position to the legs. And deep, completely calm breathing in the rhythm of walking. Steady pace. This way I was walking from Rabanal del Camino to Foncebadon (5,8km) in 45 minutes, althought on the meseta my pace was about 4,5km/hr...

As far as downhill is concerned, whether it is to Roncesvalles, Zubiri, Uterga, Itero de la Vega, Acebo or Cee, just use your walking poles and if the steepness is still too much for you then go zig-zag. Because I have broken knees I was trying to plan my stages so that I never start/end the stage with the steep downhill. That might really help because at the end of the day your knees (and muscles) are already tired and in those moments most of the injuries occure. It's almost the same with the start on downhill, because your body is not yet warm enough to sustain the stress of walking steep downhill.

Hope some of that would help.

Ultreia!

 

[pattymo97206]

Love this topic! My challenges..overweight, asthma, OA in both knees, chronic low back pain. The climbs were tough, but manageable if I went slow and I did, believe me. Used my rescue inhalers just twice on the ascents. The descents were the hardest because of my knees and my fear of slipping and falling (did I mention osteoporosis?), which didn't happen. I did what I would do going down steep ski runs..traversed and that made it easier. My favorite descent was from Cruz de Fero to Molinaseca...long, steep, remote, beautiful. I did that whole day from Rabanal to Molineseca alone and it was powerful..how can one feel exhausted yet filled with energy, strength and confidence. My most memorable day on the Camino.

 

[pattymo97206]

An Addendum to my earlier comment....my trekking poles were invaluable the whole way, especially on the descents. I used them every step of the way.

 

[zilla.kzilla]

My first day was Roncevalles to Zubiri. Any companions I'd had left me behind as I was so slow. Down into Zubiri wad the scariest of my life. My feet felt like 20 lb weights, my legs like jelly, and it was almost 6 pm when a friendly man on the bridge offered me his last pension room. Thank you Jose! I've been doing shorter days since then, taking the bus a couple of times, experienced Spanish healthcare for infected blisters, and generally tried just about every experience available on the Camino. Loving all of it! You will find the ways necessary to adapt to "your Camino" which may not be the one you planned for all those months.

 

[Olivares]

Ann-- I only wish I had read your words of wisdom BEFORE heading out to the Camino for the first time in May 2011. The descent into Zubiri was the worst walking section I had ever experienced anywhere. I placed all the blame on me because I was going way faster than I should had. I did not take breaks either. I only thank my walking stick for saving me so many times from rolling downhill. I remember getting to the Puente de la Rabia in Zubiri and literally dropping on my ass about to passed out. Definitely took it as a Lesson Learned from that point forward, which made the descent from Altos del Perdon easier and smarter.

 

[na2than]

all three of the downs mentioned by the OP are well worth a moment's caution. check laces ,packs etc.The one into Molinesca(acebo) was the worst for me...until i got to Sarria.On leaving town there is a steep short concrete downhill...only 200 meteres long.That was where my knee chose to give out on me...

 

[na2than]

Love this topic! My challenges..overweight, asthma, OA in both knees, chronic low back pain. The climbs were tough, but manageable if I went slow and I did, believe me. Used my rescue inhalers just twice on the ascents. The descents were the hardest because of my knees and my fear of slipping and falling (did I mention osteoporosis?), which didn't happen. I did what I would do going down steep ski runs..traversed and that made it easier. My favorite descent was from Cruz de Fero to Molinaseca...long, steep, remote, beautiful. I did that whole day from Rabanal to Molineseca alone and it was powerful..how can one feel exhausted yet filled with energy, strength and confidence. My most memorable day on the Camino.

i did the same walk...in august 38c heat...booked into the hotel by the bridge and swam in the river....heaven

 

[Deleted member 3000]

One taxi phone number said it all:

666 (46 50 22, if those are really needed)

The Devil!!!!

 

[Anniesantiago]

The ups were easier than the downs for me. Much more irritating than taxi numbers, which didn't bother me at all, was the 'Pro-Life" graffiti sprayed and written all over houses, walls, and otherwise beautiful old rocks.

Oh yes, and the piggy-women's toilet paper trail was pretty disgusting.

I picked up dirty tp on several stages, filling many plastic shopping sacks. People would thumbs up me, but nobody offered to help. I like to believe maybe they did it next day though.

 

[Deleted member 22638]

Preferred going uphill rather than downhill (new nail still growing ) -

 

[createspace]

I didn't have trekking poles and loved the quiet. I was so tired of people trying to tell me to use trekking poles as they nursed their sore ankles, knees, and blistered feet as I walked without injury. Don't get me started with the clacking clacking clacking along the way. Zig zag helps but watching where you place your feet is essential. I walked from St. Jean to Santiago in 31 days and I'm 57. The Camino is usually up and hill or down a hill on a rocky surface. I found the rocky surfaces more of a problem than whether I was walking up or down. The constant uneven surface was a surprise to me. I recommend a heavier boot to handle the uneven pavements.

 

[Thornley]

The worst for the knees , ankles mind and survival is the short walk in and out of Conques [ Le Puy ].
We followed some rain and you are actually in the gully on the decent.

Not far behind is the rise of 500m in 3km leaving Monistrol d'Allier.
There is a ***rope hand rail beside the **short concrete path to get you to the Chapelle de le Madeleine.
If raining this 4 km walk is very dangerous but the view when reaching Montaure is sensational.

Part of a famous prayer in Australia is " Age shell not weary them" , but as my time is getting closer i can see the following [1] delight in the bar @ Ruitelan , relaxed watching the tired pilgrims / or day packers walk past followed by a [2] good sleep.
[3] Late to rise as only 6 per room and [4 ] a beautiful very slow walk to La Faba or maybe Laguna de Castilla which opened in 08 and was very nice indeed .It again has a lovely bar and outlook
Imagine that Pieces , all day for 5 km or 8 km and still on the way up

Shoes off, get the book out, smell the roses, carafe of wine with olives and bread [ if you follow italians you know this is the ritual early in the day] and may there be a safe camino's to all :arrow:
David

 

[Sue M]

I walked with 2 poles instead of one this time and the sciatica was much less painful. Sorry about the clacking. Also I walked in sandals and didn't get a single blister. No socks. Last time I wore double socks and walking boots and had terrible blisters and tendonitis. Just shows that different things work for different people!

 

[peregrina2000]

Ah, this post brings back some (now funny) memories. On my first Camino in 2000, when my female walking partner and I started down the descent from Alto de Perdon, we saw a flasher in the bushes. This was my first encounter with this (I've now had 3 or 4 more on different caminos), and we were pretty panicked. So we really flew down that awful descent, and paid the price for many weeks with huge blisters on our big toes and others.

I think I KNEW that I should do what annakappa recommends, but I was too eager to get down that hill to pay any attention. Not only did I learn Anne's lesson the hard way, but I also learned that flashers are unlikely to do anything more than "flash." So the running probably wasn't necessary.