Fast walker : end of June

[Pilgrim frances]

Has anyone done the Camino Frances walking 40 - 50 kilometers a day???

What happens when you reach your destination at around 7pm - 8pm?? Any rooms left at that time of day?

Thanks for all info!

[Covey]

The normal baggage mule pilgrims only ever meet the 40 - 50kms a day pilgrims once!! Briefly!!

I met a Hungarian girl two years ago who only had very limited time off from work and was having to average 40kms a day to get from St Jean to Santiago. She looked totally done in when I met her in Logrono, and I cannot really see how she could have been enjoying herself, but stranger things have happened.

Walking the Camino is more than just eating up the distance between your start point and Santiago. It is about the people you meet along the way, the friendships you form, and the experiences you share together.

At 40 -50kms a day you will miss all that and unless you are walking with another marathon runner, you will be alone for most of the time. Certainly this year, all the official albergues will be full by 6pm, and most of the private albergues by 8pm.

There are no prizes for coming first on the Camino!! We all walk it our own way, simply because it is our Camino and not a race. Two years ago I met a Canadian lady who was walking the Camino Frances. She could only manage 10 -12kms a day at that point because she had an artificial leg having lost her leg to cancer when she was 14. She was finding the going pretty tough and nobody had the time to slow down and walk with her. I had been averaging 30kms a day and then spent a week walking 10 -12kms a day to keep her company. Strange things happen unexpectedly on the Camino and the courage she showed was a very humbling experience for this Old Soldier.

[Sil]

I used to be a race walker - could do a 50km in under 7 hours with no problems. But the terrain on the camino is often challenging, very rocky, steep shale , river boulders, gravel pits or mud. If you do want to cover 40km - 50km per day, I would suggest you follow the cyclists' routes. There are many places on the camino where the original, authentic trails have become the tarred roads between villages and new, off road paths have been created to take walking pilgrims off the roads. These have become the cylcists' alternatives and I'm sure you could manage those distances on those roads.

[Covey]

I have often wondered where the "original trails" actually were on the Camino. I had assumed that the original pilgrims followed drovers tracks because they would go from water hole to water hole along the way to where ever the markets were.

The modern Camino Frances route has had variations even in the few years I have been walking it, which have more to do with economic tourism than any desire to follow the ancient Way. The Meseta has the appearance of more natural routes which cut through the countryside rather than track the roads, and I enjoy the ability to get away from the tarmac for a day or so.

Even so, 50kms a day with a pack on your back is not for the faint hearted! A race walker's body would become accustomed to the stress, but when you see the number of stress injuries picked up by those walking 20+kms a day, trying for 40+ a day is really only for the super fit.

My humble advice always is to listen to your body. When you feel pain, then your body is telling you, Enough.

[Sil]

My friend John did his first camino Frances at age 71, in 21 days: averaging 36km per day. He did a few shorter days and a number of long (60km) days - even jogging at times on the long straight stretches. He claims jogging every now and then relaxes his muscles! He is only 164cm tall and carries a day pack that never weighs more than 4kg.

[Covey]

I have done Azura to Santiago on two occasions which is 40+kms in a day, but safe in the knowledge that once in Santiago, I did not have to walk the following day!!

At the "young" age of 62 there is hope for us all yet, if a 71 year old can do it in 21 days!! My problem is St Jean to Roncesvalles. I am sure those hills are getting steeper each year, and each year it takes a little longer! Maybe I should give up the Gin and Tonics, but on the other hand..................

[Pilgrim frances]

Thank you all for your sound advice. I don't actually think that I am solid enough to do 50k a day for a long period of time.... and yes you are right : I would miss out on so much more along the route. I will opt for a safe 30k a day for my first walk (along with a 'safe' rest day) and if so inclined, will do it again at a faster pace later on. Thank you so much for the insite on the challenge of the paths and this story of the original route interests me greatly. I shall study the question.

@ Covey : mmmmm, forgot about the gin and T thing... that's sure to slow me down
@ Sil: please congratulate John for me... what an exploit!

But mainly, you are right in saying that there is more to it than just eating up the miles. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this great phrase that I will carry with me along The Way.

Merci. Merci. Merci

[Covey]

My problems start about 30 minutes outside St Jean when my stomach says " OK, so we have walked a bit, now its time for Starbucks and Muffins"

It takes about 4 days before your system has got used to the fact there are no comforting muffins in the morning, and that the owner of ones body has given up the comforts of a computer screen and a comfortable chair for the delights of dawn starts, strong coffee (hot chocolate is much better for you really!) a lumpy mattress at night and indifferent food.

By the time you are sitting in the main square of Logrono, you do not even notice that your Gin & Tonic cost €11 and there are still 25 days to go till Santiago!!

[jeraldfler]

Re fast

I think faster is relative though