This weekend I’ve had more time on my hands than usual, due to having a broken toe. I’ve been able to ride but the rides have been a bit shorter than I would normally do.

This down time has given me the time to reflect on my decison to celebrate my 60th birthday in 2014 by walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage trail across Spain  By the way I’m finding it quite ironic that I’m spending time planning an approximately 1000k walk….while I can’t walk.

I know it seems a bit ridiculous to be making plans for something that is so far in the future. But I’m a girl who likes a plan. Actually I don’t seem to be able to function well at all without a plan. Any event or small occurrence will send me into a frenzy of planning and writing up a list or lists as is often the case.

So I now have started, but not yet completed a to-do list of training walks. Some of these walks will be in cities and some in the country. It’s very exciting to see the list grow and to have a purpose to my exercise again.As soon as the list is complete I will post it on the blog. But it’s going to be an ever evolving list with new events and walks added, mainly as they are suggested by friends who will be walking with me.

I’m fairly sure that I’m fit enough as I am today to complete the walk, but I really want to lose that pesky 8k, and get myself fitter than I’ve ever been, to ensure that not only can I do the walk, but I will actually enjoy it.

I have friends from differing areas of my life, who are offering to join me on the training  walks, mainly in and around Melbourne. Usually I find it difficult to find the time to catch up with my Melbourne friends, so this way we can do both at once.

The broken toe is slowing down my start a bit but I think I will be ok in 4 weeks to get seriously started. Until then I will keep walking my dogs before walk, usually 5k.  This works out fairly well really, as I have a weekend bike ride with a group coming up on October 13. Between now and then I will mainly be training on the bike, and gradually increasing my walking, if and as, the toe allows me.  After that ride is over, serious walking training will begin. But of course I won’t be giving up the riding. That is not an option
At the moment I will be doing the Camino de Santiago alone, although I have friends who are considering the possibility of joining me.  The more the merrier, so if there’s anybody out there who would like to do the training and do this amazing walk with me, I’m open to offers.