Long-Distance Walking

LONG-DISTANCE WALKING ADVICE 

Walking is healthy. Walking is reflexion. Walking is finding ourselves. Walking helps to organize your ideas. Walking is enjoying the environment. Walking is enjoying nature. Walking is exchanging experience.

Walking The Way of St. James involves a great physical effort and it is essential you are aware of it and be prepared.

But, before a long-distance walk, you have to take into account some advice so you all the benefit you obtain from hiking don’t turn into something harmful for your health.

Material

You should not forget the basic things you need to carry with you when you do a long-distance walk. You need to take into account just essential things, do not carry anything that wouldn’t be indispensable, that way you won’t carry an extra weight.

A first-aid kit, camping gas to heat up water, a bowl, a glass, cutlery, a water bottle, a compass, a map, a sleeping-bag, a mat, a bivouac bag, essential clothes (you can wash your clothes on the way and uses them again instead of carrying lot of them); also, you can never forget to take a raincoat and a thermal shirt, as you could face sudden changes in temperature (especially during the summer), a mobile phone (it’s very useful if you have GPS and internet connection), a diary and pen or pencil to write down our experiences about every day’s journey.

Backpack, boots, socks and walking stick

You have to take into account that the backpack, the boots, the socks and your walking stick are going to be your biggest “allies” in a long-distance walking route. You should spare no expense on these materials because there is a lot of difference between taking good or bad quality materials.

The loaded backpack has to be well held to your back and lower back and you have to be rational when carrying weight; it is better not to carry a lot, just good materials.

Regarding to the boots, we recommend they are high, over the ankle. Be careful with hiking trainers because they could cause a twisted ankle as they don’t cover that part.

Stretching and warm-up exercises

After much experience doing long-distance walking and running, my advice is you need to do legs stretching before and after every walk, being the starting ones lighter than the finishing ones. Many athletes and experts say stretching needs to be done just when you finish, but as I say, my personal experience advice is to do it at the beginning as well (I walk and run more than 2000 km every year and I have never had any muscular or ligament injuries).

Hydration

Water is another one of our “allies” in a long-distance route. It is very important to know how much water our body needs and also never forget sometimes the water we carry in our bottle is not enough to finish the route; therefore, you need to be aware of the points along the way where you could get fresh water and know if it is drinkable and if you will have to ration it. In conclusion, remaining hydrated is fundamental and it will help you to keep going strong and comfortable.

 Source: Anonymous (A walking and running enthusiast).

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