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During the Roman Empire all roads led to Rome, and if you followed any of the network of roads created by the empire you would reach the eternal city starting from any point.
But this summer many roads where they will lead will be to Santiago de Compostela, one of the three great pilgrimage destinations of Christianity that also celebrates the
Compostela Holy Year
when it coincides on July 25 on Sunday.
For this reason, an increase is expected in the number of pilgrims who decide to spend part of their summer holidays on foot, by bicycle or on horseback along the pilgrimage routes until they reach the tomb of the Apostle Santiago.
If you choose to do it, before you start walking there are a series of health recommendations that you should take into account in order to reach the cathedral without health problems.
The choice between the French, the Primitive or the Portuguese Way I leave it to you, the advice is my responsibility.
Good way!.
Physical preparation prior to departure
To be able to complete several stages of the Camino de Santiago it is not necessary to be an Olympic athlete, but it is highly recommended to have a certain physical preparation.
If you jump from the couch onto the road, I'm afraid you will reach the cathedral by taxi.
We must be used to walking, at a not very high pace, but doing it for hours.
Ideally, to avoid musculoskeletal problems, this preparation should begin
one or two months before starting the journey
.
An adaptation that will not only focus on the lower extremities, but also on performing exercises to strengthen our back.
The choice of footwear is essential
Forget about buying a new pair of boots the day before starting the trail, it is a mistake that will pay dearly from day one.
If you don't have and need to buy one, pop them in those prep weeks before heading out.
We should wear a shoe that we are used to, that has a rigid sole and at the same time supports the foot well, but without it being tight.
The backpack and its distribution
The backpack must have good, ergonomic, padded and adjustable shoulder straps;
as well as adjustable chest and waist belts that help distribute loads well.
Approximately 20% of the weight of the backpack should go on the shoulders and the remaining 80% on the waist straps.
In addition, its weight should not exceed 10% of our body weight.
As important as choosing a good backpack is then
distributing the elements inside
.
The heaviest objects should be attached to our back and in the middle of the backpack, and we will leave the lightest for the lower, upper and external parts.
The sleeping bag, a classic, will go down completely.
Telescopic poles yes or no?
Yes. They will hardly add weight to your backpack because they are very light, and will
take up to 25% of the effort of walking
.
On the descents they will greatly reduce the impact on the knees and on the ascents you can take advantage of them to pull with the upper body and make them more bearable.
Watch out for the sun
It's Galicia, but it doesn't always rain (a Galician from Lugo tells him so).
The weather is quite changeable and it may rain one day despite being summer, but we must not forget elements that help us in
photoprotection and photoevitation
.
We are going to spend 8 or 10 hours in the open air, so a hat, sunglasses and high protection sunscreen are essential.
Stretch, stretch and stretch
One of the keys to successfully reaching Santiago de Compostela is muscle stretching.
At the end of each stage and after a good shower, we must spend a few minutes stretching all our muscles well.
You may be lazy and prefer to lie down to rest, but it is something essential.
Look for a good stretching chart that focuses primarily on your legs, lower back, shoulders, and neck.
Blisters
The great ones!
It is true that it is almost impossible to avoid its appearance (pressure, friction and humidity are almost inevitable and its great allies), but having well-hydrated feet and free of calluses or calluses, short nails and wearing tight-fitting cotton socks foot will help you avoid them.
As soon as they finish their daily stage:
hygiene, drying and hydration
.
In addition to changing the boots for flip-flops to avoid moisture as much as possible.
Do I carry a first-aid kit?
It is highly recommended, but take only the essentials since along the way you will find small pharmacies.
Some analgesic and anti-inflammatory pill can come in handy for that day that the stage was a bit harder, as well as material for small wounds and abrasions: antiseptic, gauze, tape, dressings for blisters ... Do not forget a mosquito repellent, masks, hydroalcoholic gel and a cream against muscle pain that can be of great help.
And with the coronavirus, what?
As much as the Apostle Santiago protects the pilgrims, the risk of getting infected exists as in any other place and therefore he must maintain certain precautions.
As we have already seen, you will spend many hours walking in the open air where the risk of contagion is minimal, but despite this you must always maintain a minimum distance of one and a half meters with other pilgrims.
When this is not possible, you will have to protect yourself with an
approved mask
.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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