How to prepare physically and mentally for the Saint James Way
The Camino de Santiago is not just a spiritual and cultural adventure; it's also a physical and mental challenge. To fully enjoy this unique experience, proper preparation is essential. Here are some practical tips to help you approach your pilgrimage in the best possible conditions.
Physical Preparation: Getting Your Body Used to Walking
Progressive Training: Start several months before departure with hikes of 5 to 10 km, then gradually increase the distance to 20-25 km. For experienced walkers, the average distance on the Camino de Santiago is 25 to 30 km per day. In my opinion, it's not advisable to do more, as you risk not meeting up with the people you've met along the way and made friends with at the end of the day in your accommodations.
Backpack: Train with the backpack you'll be using, realistically loaded with a maximum of 8 to 10 kg, not including water. This will help your back and legs get used to the weight.
Shoes and Socks: Invest in comfortable shoes and only set off with a broken-in pair. Technical (double) socks reduce the risk of blisters, especially if you change them once or twice a day when they become too damp. For hiking boots, choose a half size, or even a full size, as feet can swell during long hikes.
Foot preparation: One to two months before departure, toughen your feet with a specific spray used by many marathon runners to harden the skin. Stop the toughening process one or two weeks before the start and massage them daily with a moisturizing cream (such as Nok). Also, remember to keep your toenails short to prevent annoying cuts between your toes.
Muscle strengthening: Do targeted exercises for your legs, back, and abdominal muscles to help prevent potential injuries.
Flexibility and recovery: Stretch, if possible, after each hike to avoid muscle tension.
Mental and Spiritual Preparation: Walking Within Yourself
Clarifying your intentions: Why are you setting off? Is it a spiritual quest, a need for reflection, a personal challenge? These initial thoughts will help you stay on course during difficult times.
Openness and Letting Go: One thing is certain, the path is unpredictable. You will have to accept the unexpected, chance encounters, and detours as part of your pilgrimage experience.
Introspection: The long hours of walking offer space for meditation and reflection. You might want to bring a notebook to jot down your thoughts, a rosary, a small spiritual book, or perhaps a selection of quotes if that can help you on your journey.
Patience and Self-Awareness: Respect your own pace, take breaks before you become exhausted (at least every two hours), and adapt your stages to how you feel each day. The first three days are generally the most challenging. Upon waking in the morning, you'll feel aches and pains in every part of your body you never even knew you had. For those of you less prepared, perhaps plan to cover fewer kilometers for the first three stages. You'll see, in the following days, you'll start to find your rhythm, and it's really around the seventh or tenth day of walking that you'll feel completely refreshed. Fortunately, there's no set pattern for walking; each pilgrim reacts differently to pain and exertion. Simply listen to your body when it whispers, and you won't have to hear it scream!
Essential Equipment
Lightweight backpack: ideally, it should hold 35 to 45 liters and weigh no more than 10% of your body weight. (Don't do what I did; there's no point in overdoing it :-).
Suitable clothing: opt for technical fabric t-shirts that dry very quickly and wick away moisture more easily. They are also lighter than traditional cotton fabrics.
Must-haves: trekking poles, especially useful if you're carrying a heavy pack of more than 10 kg, to relieve pressure on your ankles and joints. Don't forget to bring a regular plastic water bottle (rather than a CamelBak-type hydration pack, which can leak over time—yes, it happens frequently). In addition, bring a headlamp, a first-aid kit (Compeed-type plasters to prevent or treat blisters, disinfectant, paracetamol, etc.), a sleeping bag and sheet...
Documents: The Credential (pilgrim's passport) is required to access hostels and obtain the Compostela upon arrival in Santiago.
Nutrition and Hydration
Regular hydration: Drink small sips frequently (ideally every 30 minutes), even if you don't feel thirsty, to help prevent tendonitis. A 2% dehydration level is enough to significantly impair athletic performance.
Balanced diet: If possible, opt for simple but nutritious meals (dried fruit, bread, cheese, vegetables). For more remote areas without shops, pack two or three emergency meals (for example, freeze-dried meals that can be rehydrated with cold water to avoid carrying a gas stove).
Listen to your body: Adjust your energy intake (vitamin C, gels or electrolytes, protein bars) according to the effort required and the weather conditions.
Benefits and Mindset
Long-distance walking offers much more than physical exertion:
It strengthens the body and improves cardiovascular health.
It reduces stress and promotes mindfulness.
It opens doors to meeting and sharing with other pilgrims.
It offers inner transformation, a reconnection to oneself and the world.
In short, walking to Santiago de Compostela is much more than a journey.
Preparing for the Camino de Santiago is as much about mind as it is about physical strength. By combining physical training, appropriate equipment, and inner openness, you'll maximize your chances of having a memorable experience.
1- Prepare your body: practice walking with your backpack and well-broken-in shoes.
2- Prepare your mind: clarify your intentions, remain open to encounters and the unexpected.
3- Travel light: take only the essentials.
4- Take care of yourself: stay hydrated, eat healthily, and listen to your body.
A pilgrimage is not a race: it's an invitation to slow down, listen, connect, and transform.
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