Training and Packing for The Camino

     Wig here. Laura wants me to state this every time I add something to her blog so you don't mistake my poor attitude and gibberish remarks as hers.

     Well, we depart tomorrow and Laura just got home from work. Now, the vacation can begin.  This trip actually began exactly the day after we returned from our last Camino on May 5 of last year. We thought we could try it out in the Fall now that we had done it in Spring with its mud, wind, rain and snow. Fall ought to be an improvement with blistering heat, dehydration, intense body odor and short tempers. In addition, she proclaimed that we are not using a baggage transport service like we did last year. We are also bringing seven OLD friends, misery really loves company. 

     I have been following the Camino Forum trying to get real time info and tips from experienced Camino pilgrims. Everyone has always got something to say about everything. It seems that each of them has experienced the wrong way of doing certain things and now feels they have the perfect solution to every situation. One of these is training. They stressed preparing a year ahead, walking an average of 5 miles twice a week and a weekend hike of 10 miles or more. If we had followed them we would be crippled with shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee and ankle tendinitis before the trip even began. As health care workers, we did our training the scientific way. We had knee surgery, rubbed healing ointments all over our joints, had cortisone injections into our knees and hips, and took copious amounts of antiinflammatories. If we had more sufficient training time, we would have undergone full knee and hip replacements.

     Another important point that all experienced peregrinos swear by is the 10% rule. One cannot downplay the biblical significance of ones backpack never exceeding 10% of their body weight. This we took very seriously and shared within our trip mates. Laura had lost 35 pounds and proclaimed success with her 14 pound backpack. I, on the other hand, have hardly lost any weight and binged on everything edible the last couple of weeks to make sure I hit my target. Success as I ended up with an 18 pound pack and can carry more with my new current weight. Don't you love these rules when you can rearrange them to your advantage?