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The only way you can train for 30km+ days is to build yourself up to 30km+ days. Your practice walks are 10-15km, so you need to start doing 15-20km days, then 20-25km days and so on. And you need to be doing these practice walks back to back, day after day in order to really build the endurance. Are you able to do these long walks every day at home? And are you practicing on a lot of different terrain, from flat, to rocky, to mountainous? Are your walks EVERY DAY? If not - then as this poster said - I wouldn't attempt to do a 30km+ day right away.I think the key (for me anyway!) is not to attempt it the first few days of a Camino. After a week - or even 10 days nowadays - of walking 20 to 25 km a day then I‘m fine to go 30km+
It is not just the distance, it is also the terrain, as no doubt you’ll have noticed. The weather can make it more difficult also, of course…
While I’m not a fan of really long days (38 Km was my longest and my shin splints were arguing with me), I can share one element that I wish I had trained more for. Even though I took the stairs instead of the elevators at work, the stairs did not prepare my body for inclines and declines. I wish I had purposely practiced on more hilly terrain.I'm interested in what kind of training do those of you who routinely walk 30-40km stages do?
I have about 5 weeks until I begin my Camino on the San Salvador and then continue on to Santiago on the Primitivo.
I'm strongly considering walking the San Salvador in 4 days since that would give me a little more flexibility with the Primitivo. It seems the way to do that is to add about 9km to day 1 and walk to Pola de Gordón instead of stopping in La Robla. But, that makes for a very long 36km first day! (And 32km into Oviedo on day 4).
I'm completely comfortable with my shoes and equipment. I have my pack down to 13lbs. without food or water - down from about 17lbs on my first Camino. I'm also fairly fit, and have the cardio part down.
But, my practice walks are all in the 10-15km range. I do these without stopping and at a fairly good pace (6km/hour), and I'm fine. On previous Caminos, 20km was a short day, 25km typical, and 30+ long. Of course, some long days were great, and some short days were slogs - you never know. I'm just trying to figure out how to reduce the slog days and prepare myself for potentially a few 30-35km days! Thanks!
Yes! I agree that it’s good to consider the first 10 days on the Camino as training for the rest also. Practice hills is what the last group of friends told me to recommend to others for their expeditions on El Camino de Costa Rica. They had been very diligent about training for about 6 months but mostly on flat well kept terrain and when they faced the steep and muddy rainforest paths or even gravel roads they felt it was a significantly different challenge even in the fresh cool mountain and high valley air. The Camino de Costa Rica is a good sequence once you’ve done the various routes to Compostela. But train on hills!While I’m not a fan of really long days (38 Km was my longest and my shin splints were arguing with me), I can share one element that I wish I had trained more for. Even though I took the stairs instead of the elevators at work, the stairs did not prepare my body for inclines and declines. I wish I had purposely practiced on more hilly terrain.
Now the funny part of this was that by the time I reached Portomarin, I was getting used to the ups and downs of hills. BUT, the STAIRS in Portomarin and Sarria (leading up to the municipal Albergue) were challenging to be sure. And I wasn't the only one that felt this. At the top of the stairs in Sarria, I sat and enjoyed a few beers during the evening and I watched each and every Pilgrim turn the corner at the bottom of that long stairway and STOP DEAD!! I heard them exclaim “Stairs!” In many different languages!!
Practice hills!!
Oooh - I really like this idea! A good, hard workout without it just being a straight 30km walk. Thanks for the idea!Hi, to eliminate boredom and fatigue of exercising too much, I started incorporating some running into my routine. 3 miles of walking, 3 mile runs, and 3 miles w my backpack, all at one session. 2 or 3 times a week, 2 or 3 weeks before I left. If u r fit then u will b OK.
After the currently planned 5 days for the San Salvador, I have 12 days for the Primitivo. I don't have any rest days in there, so "gaining" a day by covering the San Salvador in 4 days would allow for a rest day somewhere along the way.Bob
no easy answers to this one! I think for training I'd test out a couple of weekend hikes where you do about 30-35km the first day and then at least 25km the day after. And see how that feels
That first day out of Leon is more like 38km but it's easy gentle walking all the way. The last stage into Oviedo starts easy on the flat, but you have to traverse some hilly bits before you reach the city, so allow sufficient time for your pace to slow in the last part.
You haven't said how many days you are allowing for the Primitivo, but one option might be to look at saving some time at the other end: lots of people do Arzua to Santiago in one day (again about 38km) - and you'll definitely have found your camino legs by then!
Cheers, tom
EDIT - Actually, thinking about it, 5 days was a good workout for me and I'd already walked the Vadiniense to get to Leon. If you try and do it 'cold' in 4 days, those middle two days will be tough - there are some seriously up and down sections involved
Non sequitur. If you have a sensitive nose, you can smell roses equally well at 5 km/h as at 3 km/h. In fact, if you walk 6 km/h you will have more time to stop and smell them at a standstill.I never walk that far or that fast ... I like the smell of roses
I regularly walk 30-40 km stages and never train for those distances. At home I walk about 12-15 km daily with my dog and do Ashtanga Yoga 4x per week, that's it.I'm interested in what kind of training do those of you who routinely walk 30-40km stages do?
I have about 5 weeks until I begin my Camino on the San Salvador and then continue on to Santiago on the Primitivo.
I'm strongly considering walking the San Salvador in 4 days since that would give me a little more flexibility with the Primitivo. It seems the way to do that is to add about 9km to day 1 and walk to Pola de Gordón instead of stopping in La Robla. But, that makes for a very long 36km first day! (And 32km into Oviedo on day 4).
I'm completely comfortable with my shoes and equipment. I have my pack down to 13lbs. without food or water - down from about 17lbs on my first Camino. I'm also fairly fit, and have the cardio part down.
But, my practice walks are all in the 10-15km range. I do these without stopping and at a fairly good pace (6km/hour), and I'm fine. On previous Caminos, 20km was a short day, 25km typical, and 30+ long. Of course, some long days were great, and some short days were slogs - you never know. I'm just trying to figure out how to reduce the slog days and prepare myself for potentially a few 30-35km days! Thanks!
Thank you for the encouragement!!! I was just reading through @peregrina2000 blog and literally said out loud, "What am I doing?". Then your message came in and gave me fresh hope that I can do this in 4 days.I regularly walk 30-40 km stages and never train for those distances. At home I walk about 12-15 km daily with my dog and do Ashtanga Yoga 4x per week, that's it.
When I walked my first Camino in 2010 I had no idea how far nor how fast I could walk. Soon enough I learned that I was able to walk long stages, recovered fast and that my normal tempo is faster than most. With this knowledge, I could gage my subsequent Caminos.
Last June I walked the Salvador in 4 days (to Pola de Gordon on the first day) followed by the Primitivo. The first stage is long but the terrain easier than the following days. The Salvador is also a great preparation for the Primitivo.
Saying all this does not mean that your body can handle it but I am a 65 year old woman
Comfortable shoes, some training...I think this is all you need, BobI'm interested in what kind of training do those of you who routinely walk 30-40km stages do?
I have about 5 weeks until I begin my Camino on the San Salvador and then continue on to Santiago on the Primitivo.
I'm strongly considering walking the San Salvador in 4 days since that would give me a little more flexibility with the Primitivo. It seems the way to do that is to add about 9km to day 1 and walk to Pola de Gordón instead of stopping in La Robla. But, that makes for a very long 36km first day! (And 32km into Oviedo on day 4).
I'm completely comfortable with my shoes and equipment. I have my pack down to 13lbs. without food or water - down from about 17lbs on my first Camino. I'm also fairly fit, and have the cardio part down.
But, my practice walks are all in the 10-15km range. I do these without stopping and at a fairly good pace (6km/hour), and I'm fine. On previous Caminos, 20km was a short day, 25km typical, and 30+ long. Of course, some long days were great, and some short days were slogs - you never know. I'm just trying to figure out how to reduce the slog days and prepare myself for potentially a few 30-35km days! Thanks!
My practice walks before my camino were typicaly 4k with a few 10k walks just before I left to get the gear settled in. I was 58 years old and had a heart condition. Typical distances I walked on the Camino were 25k to a few 40k. From what you have said above you don't need to train any more than you have, you will be fine. As I've said in other threads like this, don't walk your Camino before you walk your Camino.I'm interested in what kind of training do those of you who routinely walk 30-40km stages do?
I have about 5 weeks until I begin my Camino on the San Salvador and then continue on to Santiago on the Primitivo.
I'm strongly considering walking the San Salvador in 4 days since that would give me a little more flexibility with the Primitivo. It seems the way to do that is to add about 9km to day 1 and walk to Pola de Gordón instead of stopping in La Robla. But, that makes for a very long 36km first day! (And 32km into Oviedo on day 4).
I'm completely comfortable with my shoes and equipment. I have my pack down to 13lbs. without food or water - down from about 17lbs on my first Camino. I'm also fairly fit, and have the cardio part down.
But, my practice walks are all in the 10-15km range. I do these without stopping and at a fairly good pace (6km/hour), and I'm fine. On previous Caminos, 20km was a short day, 25km typical, and 30+ long. Of course, some long days were great, and some short days were slogs - you never know. I'm just trying to figure out how to reduce the slog days and prepare myself for potentially a few 30-35km days! Thanks!
Spot onAs I've said in other threads like this, don't walk your Camino before you walk your Camino.
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