Training in winter

[revrenjen]

The real title of this post should be "I may live in Nebraska but I am still a wimp." I will be walking next May and June, which means serious training needs to occur in Nebraska's frigid, often snowy winter. I usually spend winter sprinting from car to building bundled from head to toe, not out walking for miles. I truly hate the cold.

To make things even more complicated, I'm a local church pastor, so doing any serious training during Lent (Easter is April 24 next year) is unlikely. That means January, February and early March. Brrrrr!

While I am a reasonably fit 59 year old, I'm still, well, 59. I feel the need to train, especially for endurance. I work out regularly at the Y, but the idea of trudging for hours in the treadmill makes my eyes cross. Any wisdom about winter training, besides dressing in layers.

Also, when in the training process do you add your pack? I assume you gradually increase the weight, but any particular way?

Thanks, as always, for your very helpful answers.

Blessings--
Rene

[geraldkelly]

Hi Rene

I see you haven't had any replies so I'll have a go at answering your questions.

You say you're "a reasonably fit 59 year old" and on the basis of that I think you're gonna be fine. You don't say if you've ever hiked long distances with a pack so I'll assume you haven't. In which case I'd get a bit of practice at that before you go. Ideally you should have all your gear bought by now (by which I mean pack and boots, since you'll be walking in early summer you won't need much else) because it's important that you have your boots worn in and you know how much weight you can carry without difficulty.

If you look around the forum there's loads of discussions and advice on footwear and packing. It's important to get both of those things right. The number one mistake first-timers make is bringing far too much stuff. The number two mistake is wearing brand new boots.

As for physical preparation, well, I never do any myself, but if it's your first time it's a good idea to get some experience before you go. My first time I had to give up after two days because I hurt my knee (on the first day - Leon to Mazarife - flat as a pancake). So, expect disasters initially! If I was you I'd pack my pack (no point waiting) and pull my boots on and walk about 3 hours at a leisurely pace. After that if your pack is too heavy you'll know all about it and if your boots need breaking in you'll know all about that too! So make the adjustments and try again and gradually work your way up to about 6 hours walking. If you can do that comfortably you'll be grand.

Once on the Camino I recommend short stages to start with. When you're walking day after day without a break it's crucial to get your pace right. If you push yourself too hard it'll catch up with you after about a week.

The first week tends to be difficult (especially if you start in St Jean) until you get into your rhythm of getting up early and walking all day. Often you don't get much sleep the first week either with the strange environment and all the snoring. Then you get used to it.

Anyway, Buen Camino! And be careful of frostbite!

Ger

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Rene ~

Sorry to miss your post earlier and thanks to Ger for his good response. I'll also be on the Camino in May/June of next year, am a local church pastor, and just turned 53 years old. I've done the Camino Frances once (2008) and the last 200 kms of the Via de la Plata (this year). In 2008 I trained rigorously and felt well-prepared. This year I did not train at all and still was adequately prepared, over what is arguably more difficult terrain than the Camino Frances. A few things I learned as I compare the differences:

1) Cardio training is not really the issue. A person can walk at their own pace, so there's plenty of time to rest if a person gets tired. Unless you're pushing yourself or are in poor physical shape, it's just not that much of an issue whether you're in fabulous physical shape.
2) That said, this year I noticed that for the first 3-4 days my legs hurt quite a bit when I went to bed at night. My lack of training, while not slowing me down much, resulted in more physical pain than I would have preferred. This was my on-the-Camino-training, of course, as my legs were muscle-ing up for the walk. In 2008 I did not have that kind of pain. Still, it was annoying but not overwhelming and never once made me think I was in over my head, training-wise.
3) The most important training is actually getting used to your boots and your pack. In my first camino I was handicapped by blisters from Day One. It was about 2 weeks before their effects were completely gone. The blisters were a result of a poor choice of boots and socks, as well as wet conditions on the trial. In Burgos I threw out my boots and purchased a new, heavier-duty pair. This meant another round of blisters, but in different places. The blisters meant daily pain and were a very big deal. This year I was used to my boots and used sock liners, which completely eliminated blisters. Same goes for the pack, where primarily you're looking for a good fit so your shoulders and back can take the weight.

So, I guess both Ger and I are suggesting you may not need quite as much training as you might think, except that you and your boots and pack need to be very good friends. To put it another way, your first week or two of the Camino <i>is</i> your training.

As I write this it's unseasonably cold here in Seattle and we've just had 3 inches of snow. We won't be as cold as Nebraska, but I recognize it'd be very difficult to get outside to walk many miles. I know you don't want to walk on the treadmill for 3-4 hours at a time, but you might want to consider this as part of a treadmill training routine: walk in your boots, vary the incline on the treadmill to as steep uphill and downhill as the treadmill allows, walk a faster than usual pace, plan on 2 hours at least, wear your iPod. In around March or April add a fully loaded pack to your routine. When weather permits, head outdoors on as hilly terrain as flat Nebraska allows. The hills are the big thing. Also, I'd encourage you to talk to trainer and do a regular routine on weight machines -- namely squats, leg extensions, and leg presses. I know if I'd done a few weeks of this prior to my camino this year I'd have been free of the first few days of leg pain.

Hope some of this helps in some way. Blessings ~
Sandy

[revrenjen]

Dear Sandy & Ger--

Thanks for your replies. Some of it I have already done--bought new hiking boots and wore them on our Colorado vacation for some fairly strenuous day hikes and (fingers crossed, knock on wood) had no problems with blisters. I've done weight training for years in a sort of half-hearted way, but have kicked it into high gear, with plenty of lunges and squats. And since Nebraska doesn't offer much opportunity for hills, I've added the stair climber to my aerobic routine.

I have a pack but I haven't walked with it yet. I plan to start wearing it in my workouts after the first of the year--hopefully outside for at least one 7 to 9 mile walk each week, and on the stair climber/treadmill on other days. The suggestions about how to use the treadmill are helpful, Sandy. And Ger, thank you for your wise advice about short stages in the beginning--which is what keeps me pondering about whether to start in SJPP, with its loooong first day, or Roncesvalles or even Pamplona.

Sandy, I certainly hope we run into each other next year. It will be like meeting an old friend for the first time.

Buen Camino--
Rene

[Covey]

This year I started from St Jean and had done quite a lot of 20-30km walks before setting off for St Jean. Living in London I can use the Thames Pathway which offers a traffic free pathway, but the downside of it being a riverside walk is that there are no hills! Last year I started from St Jean with no pre-training at all. The reason why I trained this year was to break in new footwear rather than worry about personal fitness.

The first day out of St Jean is reasonably brutal but as it is the first day and we are all keen and enthusiastic, we just about survive it. If St Jean to Roncesvalles came in week 3 we would all take the bus!!!

Really, it is a case of gritting your teeth until you get to Pamplona. Once there, go and have a slap up meal and congratulate yourself on surviving the first leg.

A surprising number start from St Jean having done little or no training at all, but it is your Camino and you walk it your way, at a speed you feel comfortable with and just keep telling yourself "There are no prizes for coming first" Ignore those who seem to be doing incredible distances each day and just stick to what you feel comfortable with. Forget any pain emanating from below the knees and concentrate on enjoying the countryside around you and the companions you find along the way.

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi Huskynerd,
You've had 3 inches of snow and i'm swelterring in 39 celsius heat. Summer is coming. Hello Revrenjen, as a senir citizen and living in flat country i did very little training. I wore my runners i was wearing on the Camino everywhere the few months prior to leaving. I had lots of aches and pains, but the chemists in Spain sell ibuprofeno cinfa 600mg. marvellous stuff, 3 of those a day took the pain away. Just start slowly, the Camino will be your training ground.
Cheers Tanya

[Covey]

Ye Gods! 1800mg of Ibuprofeno per day! That is the maximum daily dose in the Pharmacopia. I usually take one in the evening just before I go to bed which ensures that I do not wake up with any aches and pains in my joints and muscles, but 1800mg per day is not good for more than 3 days at a time.

Try Gin next time!!

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi Covey,
I'm a toughie. Living Downunder all these years have toughened up this Frenchie. I was more worried about overdosing on G&T! They don't use a mesure, they just pour... Delightful, i imbibed happily.

[Covey]

Nobody doubted you strength both inside and out! However ease up on the 600mg x 3 per day as it ain't good for you. The Gin however is very good for us recycled teenagers!! Especially Bombay Saphire!

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi Covey,
I only took the ibuprofeno while walking the Camino. Don't take much at home. Getting a knee replacement in the beginning of the year, so that WILL fix the problem. Bombay Sapphire is very nice but a bit pricey here. They charge extra for the pretty bottle, haha. My current tipple is Houndstooth.
I'll have one now.
Cheers Tanya

[Covey]

Cheers and Bottoms Up!!