Training for the Camino: What We Actually Do

How do we train for the Camino? Mostly by walking. A lot. After walking the Camino Francés twice and the Camino Portugués once between us, we’ve settled into a pretty simple training routine: build up our daily steps, walk in the shoes and socks we plan to wear, carry our packs, and train on as many different surfaces as we can find. In this video, we share what Camino training looks like for us, including how we work up to roughly 25,000 steps a day for a 10-mile Camino schedule, why we practice walking day after day, how we test our gear before leaving home, and why hills, pavement, dirt trails, stairs, boardwalks, tree roots, and even rainy days all count as useful training. We also share one of our favorite end-of-training traditions: a full-pack, 10-mile practice day with a lunch stop in the middle, because walking another five miles after lunch and a beer feels surprisingly Camino-like. This isn’t a training plan or a set of rules. It’s simply what has worked for us and how we prepare our bodies, feet, packs, and gear for long days of walking on the Camino. Whether you’re planning the Camino Francés, Camino Portugués, or another Camino de Santiago route, we hope this gives you a few ideas for your own preparation. #CaminoDeSantiago #CaminoTraining #CaminoFrances #CaminoPortugues #CaminoPlanning #CaminoTips #WalkingTraining #HikingTraining #CaminoPrep #TheWayOfSaintJames #slowcamino