One of the best lessons the Camino teaches us is our limitations.
On my first Camino I rushed out of a bedbug town after a full day's walking, and walked another stage, only to end up with severe shin splints, which nearly ended my walking.
Whose fault was it? My own; for not listening to my body and either stopping or taking a bus/taxi.
We have pain for a reason. It is a warning to stop BEFORE we are injured.
I can't tell you how many pilgrims I met along the way who insisted on continuing instead of resting. Their excuses ran from "I only have "x" number of days," to "I'll just walk it out."
Most ended up going home early.
Better to stop and rest a day or two... bus to a big town and be a tourist... than to go home injured, in my opinion, and from my own experience. I'm not saying that's what happened to the pilgrims in this thread... just that it happens.
This last Camino, I stopped and rested whenever I felt any type of pain. I walked for three months and had a great time.
I met a lovely but very overweight pilgrim whose M.O. was simply to walk until she felt she couldn't walk any longer, whether that was 15 kilometers or only 7. She'd then take a taxi to the next town, with no apologies or regret. I think she was smart. In the end, I saw her in Santiago. She made it, and at the end of her walk was making at least 20 k per day. She knew her limitations, recognized her body's warnings, listened, and acted accordingly... and she made it. By the way, she looked slimmer and much healthier in Santiago as well.
Know your limitations and if you don't know them, learn to listen to your body's signals.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :lol:
