Training for the Camino

[Reynolds, Laurie]

I have walked twice from Roncesvalles to Santiago and I think my training
for the second camino was much more effective.  For the first, I did a lot
of real hikes on hiking trails, with elevation gain (well, as much as I can
find in central Illinois).  I came home with the foot equivalent of carpal
tunnel (?), basically a repetitive stress injury from so many endless hours
of foot strikes.  For the second camino, I worked up to 20 miles once a week
on a flat paved bike bath.  My feet did much better.  There's really not
that much elevation gain on any given day's walk on the camino, with one or
two exceptions, but nearly every day has some stretch on pavement and that
can really be brutal on your feet.  For me at least, it was the repetition
of the foot strike that I needed to prepare for, and I arrived in Santiago
with feet and legs feeling good this last May.  Buen camino!  Laurie