Second Most Asked Question…Training
I was raised between two brothers who were collegiate and professional athletes. I don’t think I EVER remember a day when one of them (or BOTH of them) weren’t training. Training meant getting up every day and making progress in one way or another toward a goal. Prices, my maiden name, train.
The Camino issued a primeval call to my psychic and we began pressing toward our goal of walking the Camino from the earliest months of our “summons” to walk. Ernest is the equipment tech. He investigated, read, studied one piece of equipment that we would need after another. He began with boots and quickly shifted to backpacks;rain gear; GPS systems;smartwool;socks. What is offered to trekkers in the way of equipment is vast, competitive, individualized, and always improving. So this is Ernest’s bailiwick. I follow his advice to a “T” but I prefer the color pink…no, its not offered.
I began the physical training agenda. Ernest had a ,desperately needed, left knee replacement in May. (A HUGE shout-out to Georgia Bone and Joint and Ernest’s buddy, Dr Jack Powell, for literally changing our lives. ) By August we began to walk without a pack for two miles a day. (This is where the boots and packs and other equipment began to stand the test of comfortability and functionality.) By September, I was walking with a 5 lb pack and in October, Ernest began packing and walking. We were careful to walk almost daily and varied our distances and terrain. I don’t remember when we advanced to an 18 lb pack but it has been over 3 months. We always walked long over the weekend to the tune of 11 to 13 miles a day. Now our routine is over 5 miles a day with an 18 lb pack and we do it in 100 minutes. We stop at the local coffee shop on the square, The Leaf and Bean,in Newnan and then walk the two blocks to our home.
Now the $10M question is: Are we ready? I have no idea. Sometimes I feel like we are headed to the Olympics and we trained for city trials. Ernest read that only 10% of the pilgrims train at all so then I feel GREATLY encouraged but then I realize that only 15% of the pilgrims finish in Santiago. UGGG
But, we are tired of training and we are almost headed out the door to Europe…let our adventure begin
Buen Camino!
