Reality training..

So today, I'm about 2 months away from getting on the plane to France to start my Camino.  

It's starting to feel real.  Especially my left knee.  

After years of little or no injuries, I'm now starting to hurt.  I have arthritis in my left big toe but that is manageable and I'll get a cortisone shot before I leave.

But I came home from a February trip to Oaxaca with shinsplints. This is a classic overtraining injury.  I need to rest- not train- for the next few weeks. And my left knee has arthritis and I need a cortizone shot there as well.

So it looks like I need to delay my May start until June to allow me time to rest from shinsplints and start training again. I'd like to get to at least one 10 mile day in before I take off. 

                 

 

My foot doctor reminds that walking the Camino is actually different than training.  Here at home, I go out for 3 or 4 or 5 miles and then am busy for the rest of my day.

On the Camino, there is NOTHING else to do but walk. 

 pilgrim hostels - albergues - kick you out early each morning to get the place ready for the afternoon's next batch of pilgrims.  

So you get up and walk a few kilometers and stop for a coffee and maybe a snack. Then you walk for an hour or two and stop to take photos or visit a church or stop and stretch. 

Then you walk for a few hours and stop for lunch.  Its an all-day event of small chunks of walking.  

New pilgrims talk all the time about training and getting ready for the Camino. 

But experienced pilgrims know that while training is good, after 10-14 days of daily walking, your body will settle in and become accustomed to the effort.

The Camino trains you.

So it's now a June Camino.  

I'll have to say goodbye to the May Camino group as they will finish their Camino before I begin mine. But I'm sure I can hook up with new folks for my June dates.

 


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