walking the Camino with a less-athletic spouse

[4d3fect]

We're beginning to consider walking part, or all, of the Camino Frances in the foreseeable future. Married American couple, '60s. I've walked mail routes for years and feel up to it, my wife has had Jones fractures, ankle fractures (the Xray looks like she has drywall screws installed!) and atm has her foot up on ice. Says she's up to it. I have doubts as you may imagine, but would like to try this. Any thoughts you'd care to share would be most welcome.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Take bus and taxi fare? There are a lot of parallel pilgrims on nearby transportation as one party keeps walking. It won't be unusual.

 

[Agnogel]

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...yrenees-for-the-not-so-fit.28995/#post-242589
Hi and welcome to the forum on the link is a post from my self for the start at St Jean, Contary to the film The Way that was shot on mostly good ground the camino runs right across rural Spain on old pathways that the wether has ereoded to leave it very uneven, your foot goes one way and your ankle and knees go another its by no means a walk in the park, Other forum members will addvise you of the better starting places that are a better walking surface for your wife
Buen Camino

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola and welcome. There are other options too which may be better for your wife than parts of the Francés.

After a trial on a part Camino (2010) we walked a short route the first time for me (Inglés 2011) and then the Primitivo the following year. Walking from Ferrol (Inglés) has some steep hills, but the walking is not too rough underfoot. From Lugo (Primitivo) has some hills and probably smoother walking, coming out to join the Francés at either Palas de Rei or Melide (longer days after Ferreira). Both routes qualify for the Compostela at 100+kms.
It is possible to send your pack ahead, and to make your own stages on either of these as needed. Also to taxi to accomodation and then back to the pick up point to continue walking to make the longer stages manageable. Choosing the Palas de Rei option gives a short day from Ferreira. Our day is usually 15 to 20kms so we need more days than most guides advise. We took 9 days for the 5 day Inglés and 21 days from Tineo to Santiago, with some rough tracks in the mountains - 8 days from Lugo itself.
There is a wealth of info here and it is also worth reading threads like Walking with a Companion so that you can work out the pattern of walking that works for you as a couple.
Buen camino

 

[ebrandt]

In addition to picking a do-able route and being willing to be "parallel pilgrims (I love that phrase!), I think preparation is really a big deal is you have joint/muscle issues. I smashed my ankle in 2001 and have some significant issues. I consulted my orthopedic doctor before walking and use a compression brace he recommended to keep my ankle swelling down. He also recommended taking an anti-inflammatory every day to control swelling and joint pain which I did. I also did a lot of prep. I started walking to and from work every day (about 7 miles round trip) carrying a day pack and I did yoga twice a week to work on balance. I really think the prep helped build up my walking muscles so that the strain on my ankle was not so great.

One more thing on the "parallel pilgrims" point (I just wanted to use that again!) -- we met lots of folks who started together but didn't end up actually walking as a couple. They would meet up for lunch or in the afternoon at the albergue and each did their pace, often linking up with a group of similarly situated pilgrims. Although my husband and I walked "together" we often went hours without talking. Sometimes with one or the other of us ahead or behind. That was fine. We met a guy from NJ who was 75 and who skyped with his wife in the US multiple times each day about all kinds of stuff -- there's lots of wifi so if you aren't together you still should be able to keep in touch with each other about where you are.

Good luck -- Buen Camino!

 

[tyrrek]

Hi!

If you both go with a very flexible attitude you'll have a great time. See how the walking goes and if it's not working out for whatever reason, just change plans. You could continue to follow the route partly by foot and partly by bus. You could even take a week off and visit Seville or somewhere, then rejoin your Camino family closer to the end!

Try to avoid the kind of expectations that could lead to one of you feeling they had 'let the other down', or worse, injure yourselves trying not to. Just agree to have an adventure in Spain. Together. Then take it from there.

Buen Camino!

 

[GLAUW]

We're beginning to consider walking part, or all, of the Camino Frances in the foreseeable future. Married American couple, '60s. I've walked mail routes for years and feel up to it, my wife has had Jones fractures, ankle fractures (the Xray looks like she has drywall screws installed!) and atm has her foot up on ice. Says she's up to it. I have doubts as you may imagine, but would like to try this. Any thoughts you'd care to share would be most welcome.

Thanks for looking.

Hi,
Just want you to know, my wife has had operation on her ankle, due to a fall years ago, hence my trepidation before embarking on our first Camino (29th Aug to 2nd of Sept 2014)
We just finished our "walk", from Sarria to SDC, and my advise to you is to take your time
It is okay to finish last,as there are no winners or losers out there, enjoy every moment of your walk, and be mindful as to why you are doing the Camino
I am an avid camera buff, so I take lots of pictures of the experience while my wife trotted behind, so we played catch-up, and a nice smile at the end of the day
She is not holding me up and I have so much space
Take care and buon Camino
George

 

[Olivares]

Do not even consider doing the Camino without doing first dry-runs at home. Pick a route of say 20-25 Kms, pack your gear and go. Do that 5 days in a row. If she does well, she is ready. If she does not, then you know what you need to do.

A lot of people think they can do the Camino because they can walk 15+ Kms. The Camino involves so much more than that. It is walking long distance day after day, while staying on a different place every night , sleeping on strange beds, eating at irregular hours, and dealing with foot discomfort, varied topography, and unpredictable weather. That all said and done, it can be a lot of fun and she can certainly walk portions and bus/train/ taxi ahead. It will require planning, but it is doable.

 

[4d3fect]

Thank you for your considerate and illuminating posts. We have only begun pondering; yet I feel I have already found the best place for help in this regard. I must add, my OP was made in haste. I do not mean to besmirch the light of my life (24 yrs this Nov) but before embarking on this voyage, I insist on dispensing with..how shall I say this..unhelpful illusions.

 

[4d3fect]

Also, thanks to Ivar (Olivares?) for allowing me to become a member. I hope I can return the favour by way of helping others on this forum and on El Camino in the future.

 

[alexwalker]

Also, thanks to Ivar (Olivares?) for allowing me to become a member. I hope I can return the favour by way of helping others on this forum and on El Camino in the future.

There is also an option to donate a small sum to keep this forum running in order to help us all, for those who can afford it, that is.

I am constantly considering how to bring my girlfriend (Heck, she is 62: Old woman friend!) to the Camino, with her bad knees. Maybe turn her into a busegrino while I walk? I SO want her to experience the Camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Do not even consider doing the Camino without doing first dry-runs at home. Pick a route of say 20-25 Kms, pack your gear and go. Do that 5 days in a row. If she does well, she is ready. If she does not, then you know what you need to do.

A lot of people think they can do the Camino because they can walk 15+ Kms. The Camino involves so much more than that. It is walking long distance day after day, while staying on a different place every night , sleeping on strange beds, eating at irregular hours, and dealing with foot discomfort, varied topography, and unpredictable weather. That all said and done, it can be a lot of fun and she can certainly walk portions and bus/train/ taxi ahead. It will require planning, but it is doable.

We walk approx 10-12 kms as practise and never aim to walk over 20kms on the camino, so @Olivares practise walks are OTT for me personally. The longest day I finally did walk was 24km and that was after 2 weeks of actual Camino walking. Within the 100km our stages were all under 15kms to ensure being able to walk without having to taxi. On 2 long stretches before Lugo we took a taxi for 10kms and a bus for a similar distance to avoid two near 30km days. Our feet were fine, we mostly ate menu del dia at lunchtime and made sandwiches or looked for snacks in the early evening and went to bed early. Easier in private albergues/hostales than municipal ones, but suited our needs.

So while Olivares advice will suit most pilgrims for those of us who walk shorter distances maybe the 'rule of thumb' is to be able to walk between 2/3 and 3/4 of your daily Camino aim with the full weight you will expect to carry daily (on a hot day). Reckon the kms daily, the number of days needed; add in some 'rest days' - sightseeing or actually resting up with some walking around to avoid stiffening up; add in a day or two for bad weather, extra short days. Then plan your personal stages and enjoy your Camino.

I would also say don't make plans around a prospective 'Camino family' whose expectations of speed and distances per day could wreck your own walking pattern and lead to stress type injury.
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I must add, my OP was made in haste. I do not mean to besmirch the light of my life (24 yrs this Nov) but before embarking on this voyage, I insist on dispensing with..how shall I say this..unhelpful illusions.

The collective enthusiasm of the Forum can lead to over-optimism! You correctly identify that there are unhelpful illusions. Not everyone can do it. Everyone can set expectations that lead to success. No one can ever "fail" on an endeavor for which he can set the criteria. It is a matter of setting the correct criteria. Your spouse's foot injury may mean that she can push through the pain only for an hour or two (once the foot is worked in, perhaps the amount of time will increase). You may be capable of pressing on for many more hours when she is done for the day. Your choice will be whether you throttle back your expectations, or your spouse keeps up with you using transportation aids. You need honest discussions on how you will handle the choice. If you will resent being held back, get that on the table. If she will be irritated by you pushing on, discuss it. In twenty-four years you probably have become accustomed to compromise. Discuss the compromise before you leave; on-the-camino is not the right place for the issue to come up first! Just like the camino is not the right place to discover that your boots don't fit, it is a poor place to first confront emotions. Buen camino. You both can enjoy it, I think.

 

[4d3fect]

Well said, Falcon, and thanks all. Before knowing anything else, and subject to budgetary/time restraints, we may end up doing a portion of the camino and doing that rather piecemeal. Also, to be clear, I am not without fault as a companion and human being. (unpossible! they said) --Historically a very light sleeper, and prone to occasional bouts of claustrophobia--guess you could say I have a rather large bubble of personal space. ..small selection from a list of defieciencies I must continue to work on.