Running the Camino

[OCperegrino]

My wife and I are starting the Camino in Sarria in late August. I am a triathlete and plan on running a few sections of the route in the mornings. As a devout Catholic I find endurance training and trail running a very spiritual activity. Does anyone have any recommendations? I definitely have plans to walk and socialize with my fellow pilgrims for large portions too.

 

[Felipe]

Do you plan to run with your backpacks? I can't imagine this...well, I suppose it is possible.
The path could be quite crowded in the early hours of the morning, because everybody leave albergues between 6-8 hours (even earlier in Summer). After a couple of hours, walkers tend to be more spaced out.
Anyway, this should not be a particular problem. Just be careful.
Buen camino!

 

[OCperegrino]

Thanks for the advice Felipe - I am taking a light backpack and will ask my wife to carry the heavy gear buen Camino !

 

[Deleted member 67185]

My wife and I are starting the Camino in Sarria in late August. I am a triathlete and plan on running a few sections of the route in the mornings. As a devout Catholic I find endurance training and trail running a very spiritual activity. Does anyone have any recommendations? I definitely have plans to walk and socialize with my fellow pilgrims for large portions too.

Recommendations for what, exactly? Run when you wish, walk when you will, and interact with others as you please

 

[jo webber]

How much weight can your wife carry? Mile after mile and day after day?
Sending your pack ahead might be a better plan.

 

[grayland]

It is actually not uncommon.
I have seen many people running stages of various Camino routes.
I don't think you will surprise too many people....especially from Sarria. Lots of unusual sightings on that last section of the CF.

 

[Silverbarista]

Thanks for the advice Felipe - I am taking a light backpack and will ask my wife to carry the heavy gear buen Camino !

what will she say?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have seen pilgrims go for a run after finishing walking for the day.

Jenny did it:
https://jennyjourney.wordpress.com/

 

[Jersey]

I walked for a bit with a guy from my neck of the woods ( New York City ) I think we were in Fonfria so he had walked 600km already? He had a bad experience with blisters & compeed.
Dr visit. Two days laid up and on antibiotics.
Anyway it turned out the guy has run 8 marathons.
And yet still he ran into problems. I told him he would have been better off running the Camino

 

[OCperegrino]

I don

How much weight can your wife carry? Mile after mile and day after day?
Sending your pack ahead might be a better plan.

that was a little Camino humor - there is no way I could get my wife to carry my pack! We will definitely have it sent ahead. Thanks Jo

 

[Tigger]

My wife and I are starting the Camino in Sarria in late August. I am a triathlete and plan on running a few sections of the route in the mornings. As a devout Catholic I find endurance training and trail running a very spiritual activity. Does anyone have any recommendations? I definitely have plans to walk and socialize with my fellow pilgrims for large portions too.

Just so you know, that if anyone is going to run the Camino, I want to be the boss, OK?

 

[AlexanderAZ]

In February I was out on a 15 mile loop hike and a long distance runner ran up behind me. Said he was on his 2nd loop of the day as he was training for a 75 mile wilderness race in a week. He stopped to talk because he saw the Buen Camino patch on my backpack. Said he was going to do Camino Frances this May. Specifically, he was doing to run from SJPdP to Santiago in two weeks. Yes, 14 days. No idea if he made it but it did seem averaging just under 40miles per day didn't phase him. Everyone has their own version of a Camino. OP, do your's whatever way you want.

 

[hel&scott]

Thanks for the advice Felipe - I am taking a light backpack and will ask my wife to carry the heavy gear buen Camino !

I carried Scotts gear when he got shin splints, I'll never forget the look he got after from an albergue keeper who helped us off with our packs one day. He stood there, a pack in each hand dramatically weighing up the difference, and then launched into a long tirade about how lucky Scott was to have a woman to walk beside him and how he shouldn't abuse the privilege. The scene was enhanced by the fact that Scott couldn't understand Spanish and so had me and several other helpful pilgrims ad libbing a translation. Scott made up for it by doing all the laundry and cooking one of his amazing meals (and doing the washing up).

I respectfully suggest that you take less gear and carrying it yourself, rather then use your wife as your pack horse.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I see there are a number of previous posts on running the Camino including from member Amado - a Filipino priest who ran and walked from Lourdes to Santiago - barefoot!

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @OCperegrino i think it has been pointed out but just to reinforce Aug will be peak season particularly in those two or three hours after sunrise. If you were to "run straight through " those crowded areas you will not be popular. So be prepared to adjust your running style to fit in with the larger groups.
I also support getting your pack or at least the heaviest one, transported. You will a lot more popular with your wife that way! Buen Camino

 

[OCperegrino]

This is great advice, thanks Saint Mike . Yes, I will have my pack sent ahead.

 

[Kanga]

@Tigger, groan...

 

[Aptrail]

My wife and I are starting the Camino in Sarria in late August. I am a triathlete and plan on running a few sections of the route in the mornings. As a devout Catholic I find endurance training and trail running a very spiritual activity. Does anyone have any recommendations? I definitely have plans to walk and socialize with my fellow pilgrims for large portions too.

Greetings OC.

And, in particular greeting from a fellow Pilgrim, runner, ultra runner, ultralight backpacker and fast packer. Last August and September I did the CF in 26 days. Two of those days were 42 K plus, which you will recognize as a marathon. NEVER did I feel like I was rushing. Some said to me that I was in a hurry or that I couldn't enjoy the sights or have a spiritual experience. But I did. I fell into a rhythm that felt natural for me and I was comfortable. I carried a light pack by backpacking standards and it never felt burdensome. The negative consequence was that I didn´t develop a “Camino family“ because I passed through groups. You may not have that problem if you are meeting your wife at more common or “normal“ distances. (For me, Sario to Compostela was 2 days.) But I did have amazing conversations and deeply spiritual connection with a bunch of people, even if most were only for a day or two. It felt right to me to do what my body was telling me to do. I did the Camino August/Sept and never encountered any traffic too heavy to run comfortably. And, it is not a race, it is a personal journey where you happen to be running. In fact, I loved it so much I am thinking of going back and walking/running/ fast packing El Norte this Sept/October. Or I may go hike/fast pack the 100 mile wilderness in ME. In any case, blessings and Buen Camino. Remember as they say about the AT, its your hike. Hike your hike. Camine tu propio camino! Best. Loren