You’ve probably heard it all when it comes to training for the Camino.

Train before you leave home.

Train on all different kinds of terrain.

Build up your walking time and distances gradually.

Be sure to break in your boots.

Train with you Camino backpack loaded up to its full weight. And make sure it weighs no more than 10% of your [ideal] body weight.

Build the muscles in your legs so you are strong going up and down hills.

Stretch.

Hydrate.

Rest.

Repeat.

But you may not have heard the two tips I am going to share with you today. These tips are aimed at helping you to overcome the mental challenge of walking the Camino.

They are meant to get you psychologically ready for the rigors of doing a multiple-day pilgrimage and walking farther and longer each day than you typically do in everyday life . . . and even on your training walks.

If I were to say to you, let’s go for a hike today. We’ll aim for about 10 kilometers today, and then next week we’ll do that again. Most soon-to-be-pilgrims could manage that. I bet that with a little advance warning, I could get you to do a 15 kilometer walk or hike.

Here’s the thing, though: most people plan pilgrimages to require them to walk 20 or more kilometers a day. For 30 or more days. But that’s not what most people train for.

So here’s my challenge to you:

1) Estimate the distance of your longest day on the Camino and do a training walk of that length. Now we’re talking 20, 25, or 30 kilometers in one day.

The goal here is to show yourself – and that super smart, hard-to-fool mind of yours – that you can do it. Build up to it, of course, but be sure to do at least one looooong walk before you hop on a plane or train to go walk the Camino.

2) Clear your calendar and plan a mini tester-Camino. That means scheduling a series of five to seven consecutive daily training walks and planning to walk three to four hours each day.

Of course, when you are on the Camino, your days will be longer. But the goal here is to feel the rhythm and requirements of walking day after day. Bonus if one of those days is your long day from #1.

(Credit for #2 goes to Trina from my May 2024 Camino Experience group.)

You can do this. I believe in you. Do you believe in yourself? Let’s hear it: yessssssss!

Got any training tips to share? I’d love to hear them and pass them on. Email me at nancy@thecaminoexperience.com

Get off to a great start on your Camino with the Camino Francés Getting Started Audio Guide