Have anyone done some " training" before taking on camino

[hieronimus]

We staring our camino on 24 of Aprill, since two weeks ago we strated walking medium distances every day ( 10 - 12 km). From the begining of this week we walk with fully loaden backpacks (8- 9 kg) for about two houres daily, in order to break our boots, legs and backs. So far so good. We have not yet experience walking in the rain ( autum has been warm and dry so far). My question is : have any one done some pre camino training, and how usefull it was at the end ? We have only 28 days to complete our camino, that is why we do what we do now.

jeremy

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi Jeremy

Walking preparation is a good thing imho. I walked regularly including some all day walks with full kit. It isn't possible to replicate 28 days of walking 8 hours a day without actually doing it but it is helpful in obviating problems.

Good luck

John

 

[Sansthing]

I'm in my 60's and unfit, so I did a 16-week training programme of exercises and walking with a gradual build-up to 8 hours of walking with a full pack by the end. I find exercises very boring but forced myself to do it and I think it payed off. I walked from Roncesvalles to Santiago in 35 days and had no trouble with my feet or legs until the last 3 days when I unfortunately got tendonitis in one leg.

I saw many, much younger pilgrims really struggling much earlier on and most of them said they had done no preparation. Details of the training programme are in my blog, should anyone be interested. I know my Camino was a great deal more enjoyable because of this.

Sandra :arrow:

 

[fiddletree]

I didn't do any training, but I was already pretty fit before I started, and except for some joint pain adjusting to the backpack and bad blisters, I was fine.

It depends on your body and how fit you already are. However, make sure your boots are well broken in, your clothes (socks especially!!!!) dry very quickly, and nothing on your clothing, boots, or pack rub you in a bad way. My walking trousers had a little rough spot on the band and rubbed the skin on my hip off, and I would have noticed that if I took a good hike in them with my pack on before I started.

28 days should be plenty to finish, with possibly time to spare, even if you take it relatively slowly.

 

[skilsaw]

Walking with your pack in preparation for a camino is very beneficial.
I have been walking a couple times per week since January and can feel my fitness improve.

The trails I have been walking are steeper and rougher than anything on the camino so there is lots of lifting the legs from the knees. But none of my walks have been longer than 3 1/2 hours.

Twenty eight days is enough time to walk the Camino. In 2004 I walked from St. Jean Pied du Port in 28 days averaging 28 kms per day.

Good Luck on your perparations and best wishes for an excellent Camino.
David, Victoria, Canada

 

[AJ]

I usually commence my training programme about 6-8 weeks before the Camino. I start by having lunch at 12.30 instead of 12 with one glass of tinto instead of a glass of water. Then, slowly I move to 1pm with 2 glasses of tinto. I generally find that by my departure date I have no trouble eating lunch at 3.30 with a full bottle of tinto.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

AJ - that was a "laugh out loud" post. Don't you think you should start training far earlier before your departure date? Indeed you could coach others. Sign me up.

 

[goonerpilgrim]

I usually commence my training programme about 6-8 weeks before the Camino. I start by having lunch at 12.30 instead of 12 with one glass of tinto instead of a glass of water. Then, slowly I move to 1pm with 2 glasses of tinto. I generally find that by my departure date I have no trouble eating lunch at 3.30 with a full bottle of tinto.

:lol: Brilliant! "Laugh out loud" comment, indeed!

With my Camino now less than a month away, I've increased my hiking distance and its frequency from 4 times a week to 6, which will be my norm, allowing my body a 'rest day' per week to wander about the largest cities on the Francés.


¡Buen Camino! :arrow:

 

[KiwiNomad06]

For the 3-4 months before I left home, I tried to fit in as many long (5-6 hour) walks as I could, and 'invented' a couple of long circuits near home that had some decent sized hills in them. I had heard that the first few days out of Le Puy en Velay had some big ascents and descents- and they did- but I was pleased to find my hill practice stood me in good stead here. I still ended up with feet that knew they were getting an unaccustomed pounding when I switched to walking every day on the Chemin.... but at least my muscles were quite used to walking, so they never gave me too many complaints.
I was embarrassed about walking around on local paths/tracks with a loaded pack on. I did it a few times- mostly at dusk/dawn so I wasn't noticed by the neighbours!!! And each time I went out and realised how heavy my pack was, I managed to weed something else out of my pack as being not so 'essential' after all. If I had done a few more long walks with a fully laden pack, I am certain I would have got rid of a few more things that I ended up discarding as I walked. But then I wouldn't have benefited from the on-Chemin/Camino realisations about what simple needs I really had.
Margaret

 

[annakappa]

With the excuse that our dog needs a walk, we do a 6 km circuit every day of the year. It's fairly rough ground going between one coffee plantation and another. When we have more time, we walk a beautiful higher loop. Once in a while, especially before leaving for a Camino, we try to do a hike every week. I have never walked with my pack here. (I would really feel stupid). So as far a stamina and muscle problems, we seemed to be OK. I had a very badly fitted pair of boots the first time, which resulted in many blisters. The last two times, I had one mini blister (my own fault), so I think one really has to get to know ones limitations as far as feet are concerned. In general, I found that the worst sufferers, as far as blisters and leg problems are concerned, were among the younger crowd, probably because they immagined that they were fit and therefore didn't need the preparation that we elder generation knew that we needed! My husband has now walked the Camino with me on three different occasions. The first time, only a short one (8 days), second time Najera/Santiago and last year Roncevalles to Santiago. I think he is an exception in that he has never had even one blister! Anne

 

[alipilgrim]

For my second Camino, I did very little training other than some hill walks to get used to elevations (living in Florida it was hard to find hills!) but I started in Logrono where the Frances becomes relatively flat, and was careful to walk several short days until I felt capable of walking 20-25kms+. The Frances is very good for this, you can walk 10, 12, 15km and find a nice albergue to stay at without any problem. Just listen to your body if you don't have adequate time to train, it will let you know if you're doing too much.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

In general, I found that the worst sufferers, as far as blisters and leg problems are concerned, were among the younger crowd, probably because they immagined that they were fit and therefore didn't need the preparation that we elder generation knew that we needed! Anne

I wonder if it's also partly that we older ones tend to know we have to pace ourselves..... but some of the young ones seem to feel the need to walk long distances eg 30+km a day, and to keep that up even when they develop serious blisters. Thus they just keep adding painfully to the blisters.... I remember seeing some awfully sore looking blisters in Hontanas, where some people were trying to get across the Meseta quickly.
Margaret

 

[hel&scott]

Guilty as sin for being one of the foot worn on our first camino - despite well worn in gear, good training and never having had blisters from years of tramping in NZ. I think its the heat and constant wear. We now always grease our feet before setting off for the day and haven't been bothered since. Sounds a bit weird but you don't need a lot of foot cream and it really saves a lot of problems.

 

[Anamya]

Really useful posts, guys!

I'm going to Santiago next year, but as I'm quite sedentary, I started my trainning last week. I started walking a 3,5km distance, with no backpack, but i intend to make it longer, harder and add things to the backpack each week.

I believe that, in one year, not just i'll be phisically ready, but also much healthier! The Camino gave me a 'reason' to think more about my way of life... Maybe the first of many changes ^^

 

[cecelia]

Anamya said:

I'm going to Santiago next year, but as I'm quite sedentary, I started my training last week.

As long as you're doing some training I recommend that you try to find a spot to do some uphill practice on unpaved paths too if you can. Having said that it's more about endurance than any particular spot being difficult so a few longer walks are helpful practice.What you're wanting your body to be happy about is walking for several hours a day - day after day after day. But - most of us don't have time to walk the equivalent of the camino before we actually go.
Many people find that they feel stronger as they walk.
Buen camino
Cecelia

 

[Hayley]

We have two Beagles here at home since December 2008, we usually walk with them twice a day (3hours or more in total)
I thought I was fit ( I'm 19 !) but the first few weeks I got sooo tired after walking the dogs.
Luckily, I don't get tired anymore. We change scenery frequently, exploring paths in our neighbourhood we've never been on before ( I now know I got my adventurous side from mommy ) In September we did a 12 km hike in the Ardens (Belgium) and found it astonishingly easy ^^
I've been going to the gym since December 2009 and although I'm not thin, I'm well fit !
Next week I'm doing my first 4day hike (I only did dayhiking), if that goes well, I'm pretty confident I can do the Camino (even though 4 days is nothing in compared to 30 days, I know)

Main advice: Don't just assume you're fit :wink: Going on hikes at least three times a week and a long hike in the weekends will give you plenty of training if you don't have the money or time for gym or anything. Oh, and don't forget your backpack !

 

[LTfit]

Got new hiking boots so decided to break them in over the week-end. Ending up walking for 5 hours and although I consider myself fairly fit (fitness, bike and spin) was surprised that I my legs were stiff and sore for about a day after.

Athough I understand the Principle of Specificity from exercise science - my body proved once again, that it is correct.

The Specificity Principle simply states that exercising a certain body part or component of the body primarily develops that part. Logical of course so...a runner should train by running, a swimmer by swimming and a cyclist by cycling, etc. While it's helpful to have a good base of fitness by cross-training, if you want to be better at your sport, you need to train specifically for that sport.

Therefore to train for the Camino you need to walk (but I guess you know that already :wink: )!

Cheers,
LT

 

[ksam]

I have never walked with my pack here. (I would really feel stupid). So as far a stamina and muscle problems, we seemed to be OK.

I too felt kinda weird walking near my home on the park trails with a full pack as opposed to a small day pack. But..I honestly felt it was worth it. I would stand in the pantry door and fling in whatever large cans I could grab to add weight. The rest of my hiking/camino buddies laughed at me..cause you never know what I'd have in there...green beans, sweet potaotes, spaghetti sauce, tuna....but...it was all worth it. My pack weight never bothered me and of the four of us..my feet were the most trouble free!

So..train train train...and try to do it with a weighted pack if you can! I suppose I'm always ready for any natural disaster...hike with me and you won't go hungry!
:lol: Karin

 

[KiwiNomad06]

If it was in my neighbourhood, it was definitely dawn/dusk I chose to walk with my loaded pack. But I live in a very flat town- on flood plains. The nearest hilly track - in the Manawatu Gorge- has become a local track of choice for many people 'training', whether it be for one day on NZ's 'Tongariro Crossing' or four days on our 'Milford Track or the next marathon or whatever. So when people saw me with my large pack on that track, they guessed I was 'training for something', and sometimes being able to tell them about how I planned to walk in France and Spain was great conversation starter.... even though I hardly believed it was something I could really manage at the time!
Margaret

 

[SabsP]

Am on a diet ( seeing a dietician/ nutricionist ) and lost now almost 11 kilos in six months ( now back into normal bmi ). It helped me enormously in my training. Taking the decision of going to a nutricionist was mainly a question of health and getting fitter overall but the goal of the Camino gave me an extra boost.
So off to my next countrywalk this weekend. I live in such a nice rural part of Belgium where I literally can step out of my frontdoor and make incredible nice walks.

 

[londonesbii]

I did the leg from Leon to Santiago in 2003 and hope to do the French part from Paris this summer. However, my first day in 2003 was walking the 8Km out of Leon on concrete and tarmac. Do NOT assume boots walked in on Northern European woodlands/footpaths will not cause trouble in much hotter conditions with much harder surfaces. After covering 57Km in two days, my feet were so bad I couldn't walk for three days and did the rest of the camino in my activity sandals. (Sadly having bussed it over the mountains on a day when I couldn't walk - many refugios only let you stay one night even if you're in no real state to go on).
Londonesbii