How to train for the Camino

Twelve weeks of sensible preparation, adapted to the route you pick. And the thing that actually makes the difference, which is not aerobic fitness: it is your feet.

What you are really preparing for

The Camino does not demand exceptional fitness. It demands tolerance for repetition, which is a different thing.

Plenty of people walk 20 km on a Sunday without training. Walking 20 km five days running, with a pack and without fully recovering in between, is what breaks people who have not prepared. The problem is almost never heart or lungs: it is feet, knees and back.

So the useful training is not running or the gym: it is walking, with your pack on and in the footwear you will actually use.

Twelve weeks, week by week

The most important part of that table is weeks 10 and 11: the two consecutive days. It is the only rehearsal that reproduces what you will actually do, and the one that reveals whether your footwear or your pack has a problem.

If you do not have twelve weeks, prioritise in this order: break in the footwear, walk with a loaded pack, and do the back-to-back weekend.

How much to train for each route

A warning about the Primitivo: if you have knee trouble or have not trained on hills, it is not the route. We would rather say so before you book.

Feet: the preparation nobody does

Blisters ruin more Caminos than lack of fitness does. And nearly all of them are avoidable.

• Break in your footwear. At least 50 km before you fly. Never start in new boots: the commonest and costliest mistake there is.
• Half a size up. Feet swell over hours of walking, and toes hitting the toebox on descents destroy toenails.
• Technical socks, never cotton. Cotton holds moisture and moisture makes blisters. It is the cheapest effective measure that exists.
• Cut your toenails two or three days before, not the night before.
• Stop the moment you feel a hot spot. A dressing applied in time saves three days limping.

On the route: take your shoes off at long stops, air your feet and change socks at midday in hot weather.

The three common injuries

Tibialis anterior tendonitis. Pain at the front of the shin, typical of long descents and too many kilometres in the first days. Prevented by building distance gradually.

Plantar fasciitis. Pain in the sole, especially on getting up. Usually comes from unsupportive or worn-out footwear.

Knee pain on descents. That is where the joint takes the punishment. Poles reduce the impact noticeably, and on descents like El Acebo they make a real difference.

This page is general guidance and does not replace a healthcare professional. If you have an existing injury, or pain that does not settle with rest, get it checked before you travel.