seniors on the French Camino, starting September 9th

[Panama Francis]

My husband and I (we're almost 70) will walk our first Camino (French way) starting on September 9, 2017. We are excited and apprehensive and curious and anxious and happy and terrified - all at the same time! We live in Panama, Central America and have been walking daily 2 to 3 miles with longer 5 mile walks sprinkled in. Today we started our intensive training....up at 6:30am, walked 5 miles, taking an hour or two break for breakfast; walking another 5 miles, with a couple hour break; then walking the final 5 miles later in the afternoon. Trying to simulate what our average day will be like on the Camino. We plan to ship our luggage as my husband has an iffy back so we're using our much lighter day packs for essentials. I'd appreciate any advice, especially from older pilgrims, and would love to connect with other folks who plan to walk the same time we do. Many thanks

 

[mspath]

Panama Frances,

Welcome to the Forum!

Your current walking routine should certainly help both you and your husband as you start across the Pyrenees in September!

Do check out the many other tips in these special posts written by many veteran pilgrims aged over 60 during the recent past.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/60-and-over-on-the-camino.12014/

What matters is to DO IT!

As pilgrims said in the MiddleAges Ultreia! or Further!

Happy research, Carpe diem and Buen camino to your husband and youself!

 

[C clearly]

Today we started our intensive training.

Welcome to the forum, and to your new training phase! That walking sounds like good preparation. One caution I would give, is not to risk injury by overtraining at the beginning. If you have been doing up to 5 mile walks, perhaps you should increase that more gradually rather than jumping to 15 miles in a day. In the last week or two, many of us like to ease off a bit again.

we're using our much lighter day packs for essentials.

In my opinion, your day pack should still be a properly fitted and fully supported pack - with padded shoulder straps, hip belt and chest strap. With water, rain gear, odds and ends, you could easily be carrying 3 kg, and a flimsy little day pack will quickly become annoying or worse.
Where do you plan to start walking, and how much time do you have?

P.S. As a not-even-70-year-old, you don't really qualify as an "older pilgrim" around here!

 

[nycwalking]

Nope, you are not older pilgrims, just middle-aged elders. Try not to walk a camino before your camino by over training. Have the time of your lives.
Buen camino.

 

[Panama Francis]

Welcome to the forum, and to your new training phase! That walking sounds like good preparation. One caution I would give, is not to risk injury by overtraining at the beginning. If you have been doing up to 5 mile walks, perhaps you should increase that more gradually rather than jumping to 15 miles in a day. In the last week or two, many of us like to ease off a bit again.

In my opinion, your day pack should still be a properly fitted and fully supported pack - with padded shoulder straps, hip belt and chest strap. With water, rain gear, odds and ends, you could easily be carrying 3 kg, and a flimsy little day pack will quickly become annoying or worse.
Where do you plan to start walking, and how much time do you have?

P.S. As a not-even-70-year-old, you don't really qualify as an "older pilgrim" around here!

We'll start in Roncesvalles on September 10 and hope (pray!) to arrive in Santiago on October 16. That puts our pace at 12 to 15 miles a day. Per your recommendation about day packs...we got ours at REI and they seem to meet your description

 

[jo webber]

Hi. My husband and I will be walking from Orisson to Roncesvalles the same day. We will walk slow as I have a bad back as well.

I trained for several months and am now not training at all. Rest the mussels, have a list of all the last minute things to do.

When I talked about a day pack, the forum gave me very good advise. Wear your normal pack with very little in it. Send ahead a bag with the things you won't need until you stop for the day.

 

[Panama Francis]

Hi. My husband and I will be walking from Orisson to Roncesvalles the same day. We will walk slow as I have a bad back as well.

I trained for several months and am now not training at all. Rest the mussels, have a list of all the last minute things to do.

When I talked about a day pack, the forum gave me very good advise. Wear your normal pack with very little in it. Send ahead a bag with the things you won't need until you stop for the day.

Hope to see you on the Camino!!!

 

[jo webber]

Hope to see you on the Camino!!!

I have a blue Osprey back pack, with a dull red streamer that has white palm trees on it.

 

[Mike Savage]

Welcome Panama Francis!

Safe travels and Buen Camino!

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @Panama Francis, welcome to the forum. Wishing you and your husband a Buen Camino and a very memorable experience.

 

[trecile]

Try to get a reservation at Orisson to break up that first day.

 

[Deleted member 32363]

My husband and I (we're almost 70) will walk our first Camino (French way) starting on September 9, 2017."
My C.C. got hacked, booking my April 24th Camino, total trip cancelled by C.C. company! (I turn 71 on Camino!) My Re vamped Plans, so far, for my 3rd camino, is Sept 5 flight from India.

 

[brianne fitzgerald]

Nope, you are not older pilgrims, just middle-aged elders. Try not to walk a camino before your camino by over training. Have the time of your lives.
Buen camino.

I agree with NYC walking. I walked the Frances in 2016 @ 67 and will embark on Del Norte in one week. The joy and beauty is that you can rest when you need to. It is hard not to over think this, but if you can manage this you will be blessed 100 fold and your life will never be the same in a very good way

 

[naplesdon]

I am 72 and this will be my 8th year on various Caminos. For my training I walk 3 to 5 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week for more than a month leading up to going to Spain. Don't over do it. When I am on the Camino I walk from 5 to 7 hours 5 to 6 days a week, from 7am until noon/one which is about when the albergues are opening. I walk in 2 hour shifts, stop and remove my boots, air my feet out and change my socks if they are wet. I pick a couple of rest day each week to have time to explore historic sites, good restaurants, museums, or just soak up the city life. Some of these rest days may be ones when I stay for 2 nights others may be one where I only travel 5km. Ultreya.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Yesterday we welcomed in de "Huiskamer"first floor of the Pilgrimoffice a gentleman from South-Africa
and his age was 81years old he walked in 34 days from SJPdP .
When you stay in good health you have many years to go to walk .

Wish you well and a Buen Camino , Peter .

 

[Victoria65]

I love this thread! It is making me feel so young at age 67! My hubby and I were 64 and 65 and living in Boquete Panama when we started our first Camino training. I agree with the posts above, I was over jealous in my training and wound up at both an acupuncturist and a chiropractor a month before our Camino. Best advice ever, don't over-do. Now as a "middle-aged elder" I leave for my first solo camino in one week. I am taking a break (except for yoga) for this last week. Buen Camino to you and your husband

 

[naplesdon]

I love this thread! I was over jealous in my training and wound up at both an acupuncturist and a chiropractor a month before our Camino. Best advice ever, don't over-do. I am taking a break (except for yoga) for this last week. Buen Camino to you and your husband

I assume you meant "zealous" must be that spell checking thing again. You are right, 70 is the new 40; and your advice to take a break from exercising before your trip is very wise advice. Buen Camino.

 

[Victoria65]

I assume you meant "zealous" must be that spell checking thing again. You are right, 70 is the new 40; and your advice to take a break from exercising before your trip is very wise advice. Buen Camino.

Not only did I truly misspell the word, but I have to also admit that once again I missed the fact that the original post was from 2017! Second time I've done this. 40 year old brain?

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Not only did I truly misspell the word, but I have to also admit that once again I missed the fact that the original post was from 2017! Second time I've done this. 40 year old brain?

Whats a year.

 

[Jackieduda]

We'll start in Roncesvalles on September 10 and hope (pray!) to arrive in Santiago on October 16. That puts our pace at 12 to 15 miles a day. Per your recommendation about day packs...we got ours at REI and they seem to meet your description

Hello to my new “elder”friends! I too am 68 and feeling happy/terrified. I will depart sjpp on sept 6 or 7 and i am sure we will meet along the way. My advice...read through the posts here as much as possible...they are a wealth of very useful information. And take it easy and enjoy! See you there!
Jackie

 

[Turtle Walker]

My husband and I (we're almost 70) will walk our first Camino (French way) starting on September 9, 2017. We are excited and apprehensive and curious and anxious and happy and terrified - all at the same time! We live in Panama, Central America and have been walking daily 2 to 3 miles with longer 5 mile walks sprinkled in. Today we started our intensive training....up at 6:30am, walked 5 miles, taking an hour or two break for breakfast; walking another 5 miles, with a couple hour break; then walking the final 5 miles later in the afternoon. Trying to simulate what our average day will be like on the Camino. We plan to ship our luggage as my husband has an iffy back so we're using our much lighter day packs for essentials. I'd appreciate any advice, especially from older pilgrims, and would love to connect with other folks who plan to walk the same time we do. Many thanks

I begin my Camino one day before you. I look forward to meeting you on the road. I am two years your junior and I am planning to follow the advise of my body, resting when tired, eating when hungry, retiring to sleep early enough to allow adequate recuperation, etc.

My husband and I (we're almost 70) will walk our first Camino (French way) starting on September 9, 2017. We are excited and apprehensive and curious and anxious and happy and terrified - all at the same time! We live in Panama, Central America and have been walking daily 2 to 3 miles with longer 5 mile walks sprinkled in. Today we started our intensive training....up at 6:30am, walked 5 miles, taking an hour or two break for breakfast; walking another 5 miles, with a couple hour break; then walking the final 5 miles later in the afternoon. Trying to simulate what our average day will be like on the Camino. We plan to ship our luggage as my husband has an iffy back so we're using our much lighter day packs for essentials. I'd appreciate any advice, especially from older pilgrims, and would love to connect with other folks who plan to walk the same time we do. Many thanks

I begin my Camino one day before you. I look forward to meeting you on the road. I am two years your junior and I am planning to follow the advise of my body, resting when tired, eating when hungry, retiring to sleep early enough to allow adequate recuperation, etc.