I. When planning to walk to Camino Frances (or any Camino for that matter), you must get yourself into better shape than you are in right now. This means exercise, preferably walking. Time to start? Now. Start small & work your way up.
Use Google Earth or Map Quest to figure out your routes. Plan out a 5k route (a tad over 3 miles) and start walking. Each week, add another km (or mile). At some point, those of you who work will have to limit weekday walks to 2 hours or less, but you do have the weekends, so schedule longer walks for Saturdays & Sundays (or whatever days you have off from work).
As you get closer to your departure date, start walking with your backpack, especially for the longer walks. This is the very best way to find out that your pack is too heavy. If you wait until you are on the Camino, you will either have to leave things behind or mail them (right, Felicity?
)2. Your pack should weigh no more than 20% of your bodyweight & not more than 20 pounds (9.07kg)! Any more than that & you risk injuring your back, knees, & ankles. I was one of those who didn't really listen to this advice & my first few days on the Camino weren't very pleasant. You don't need to bring your closet! 2 or 3 changes of clothes & that's it! You should include basic toiletries (soap, toothpaste, prescriptions, toothbrush, towel, washcloth), & some items for first aid, especially for blisters. Everything else is a non-essential item & you should take the time to consider whether you really really really need it or not.
3. TAKE A WALKING STICK!!!! Better yet, take TWO. Sticks not only help you keep your balance on slippery slopes, they give your hands something to do so they don't swell up. (Trust me on this one.) I know there are some people out there who scoff at using sticks. That's fine for them as they are part mountain-goat. The rest of us (and this includes you)? Not so much. My walking stick saved me from several falls in the early days when it was rainy & mucky. Later, it helped me over the river of rocks (tm Minkey) that is the downward slope of the Alto del Perdon.
4. DO NOT SKIMP ON SHOES & SOCKS!! While it's fine to hit the thrift stores for most of your items, including your pack & sleeping bag, DO NOT SKIMP $$ ON YOUR SHOES & YOUR SOCKS!! Take the time & the $$ to get the best pair of boots/hiking shoes that you can possibly afford. If you use the wrong shoes, you will be miserable your entire trip. As for hiking & wicking socks, yes they are worth the price you pay at a sporting goods store for them. They work in tandem with your boots to keep your feet happy.
5. The best way to handle blisters is to not get them in the first place. There are many suggestions out there on how to handle/prevent blisters. I am firmly in the "do not puncture" camp. I only had one blister my entire trip (okay, all 11 days of it), & that was due to my boots & socks getting soaked on the way to Roncesvalles. The big toe on my right foot got a hot spot & there was no way or where to stop & do something about it, so I soldiered on. I did not get a blister anywhere else because I used bandage tape on my feet. Someone asked me what I meant by that, so here goes: Whenever I buy a new pair of shoes, I always get blisters. I know where they form on my feet, so I taped up those areas. Guess where I've never gotten a blister before? You guessed it: on my big toes. So, I just put moleskin on my blister & taped up my left big toe along with everything else, & I was just fine. As an aside, moleskin is very difficult to find in Spain, so if you are coming from the US, bring as much of it as you can & use it sparingly. If you leave the Camino early, be a good citizen & pass your unused moleskin along to someone else who needs it.
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