Working on my Camino Book

experienced camino walkerWorking on my Camino book has taken a lower priority to my job and Yoga Instructor Training lately during these lovely autumn days of September and October. I am researching but not writing. I am working on:

1. Evaluating self-publishing best practices through reading blogs and books:

a. Guy Kawasaki’s book APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book APE-Author-Publisher-Entrepreneur
b. April Hamilton’s book The Indie Author Guide: Self-Publishing Strategies Anyone Can Use The Indie Author Guide
c. The Book Designer blog Joel Friedlander The Book Designer
d. The Creative Entrepreneur Interviews Bob Baker- Creative Entrepreneur

2. Evaluating templates and tools for book writing. The Book Design Word Templates- Book Design Templates; Blurb tools-Blurb tools

3. I am reworking my book outline in Mind Manager adopting “a Book of Days” format.

4. I have been using my lunch hours for walking. I am considering using my lunch hours for writing small amounts each day. Hmmm, maybe alternate walking and writing.

5. For inspiration I am finalizing a title for my Camino book. I have decided to appeal to my blog and Facebook friends to provide their feedback.

Adopting a Book of Days format will allow me to take the reader through a Camino year season by season, month by month, and day by day. The calendar format maps meaningful, religious and historical events, ideas, quirky facts, herbs, folklore, and things to do and celebrate to a timeline. I can capture historical events from the Roman through Medieval and Modern times, including experiences from my Camino walk in 2014. Beautiful photographs, recipes, poetry, quotations and insights from the trail will also be included. A Book of Days approach will capture my Camino experiences but will enhance the readers experience with additional background in history, famous pilgrims and fascinating facts.

Autumn is the time for harvesting new book ideas and dreaming about what autumn must be like on the Camino. I can easily visualize:

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Walking in the cool crisp lovely pine and eucalyptus forest trails in Galicia (click image to enlarge)

Snapping pictures of the fall wildflowers blooming beside the meandering trails on the Meseta  (click image to enlarge)

Snapping pictures of the fall wildflowers blooming beside the meandering trails on the Meseta (click image to enlarge)

Admiring the alpine wildflowers as a backdrop for the mountain views in the Pyrenees or from the mountain top village of O’Cebreiro (click image to enlarge)

Admiring the alpine wildflowers as a backdrop for the mountain views in the Pyrenees or from the mountain top village of O’Cebreiro (click image to enlarge)

Sitting in the cafes in Pamplona, Burgos or Santiago enjoying local hearty meals and fall festivals (click image to enlarge)

Sitting in the cafes in Pamplona, Burgos or Santiago enjoying local hearty meals and fall festivals (click image to enlarge)

Help me harvest more ideas for book titles: So far I have:

1. The Practical Pilgrim—A Camino Frances Book of Days
2. A Camino Frances Book of Days
3. The Camino Buddy—A Camino Frances Book of Days
4. Timeless Footpaths—A Camino Frances Book of Days.

Please connect with me by phone or email or leave a comment right here on the site. Let me know what your thoughts on:

1. Adopting a Book of Days format.
2. The proposed book titles.

Buen Camino

Marion

 

On the Camino de Santiago Trail – Our Journey

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Today we are resting in Bugos after 12 consecutive days of walking on the Camino Trail. We have 13 stamps in our Camino Passport! This has been our journey and experience so far!

1. St Jean Pied de Port our starting point in the French Pyrenees -May 19.–0 km
2. Roncesvalles Spain -May 20–26 km
3. Zubiri –May 21–22 km
4. Pamplona –May 22 –21 km
5. Puenta La Reina–May 23–22 km
6. Estella –May 24–20 km
7. Los Arcos –May 25–23 km
8. Logrono–May 26– 29 km
9. Najera–May 27–30.1 km
10. Santo Domingo de la Calzada–May 28–21 km
11. Belorado–May 29–23 km
12. Atapuerca–May 30–30.4 km
13. Burgos–May 31–19 km
14. Rest day in Burgos–Jun 1
15. Today we finished Day 14 another 21 km walk Lovely meseta area
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Fitness Training for the Camino de Santiago Walking Adventure

Camino de Santiago training program

Buen Camino. Folks–this is it, the real adventure begins. Marta and I leave this Friday May 16 for our 800 km Camino de Santiago walking adventure. It has been 50 weeks since I started my fitness training in preparation for this challenge. The journey to train and prepare for walking the Camino has been exciting and physically hard but delivered many rewards: Continue reading

6 Categories of Apps for Camino Planning, Training & Travels

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There are less than 4 weeks until Marta and I leave for our Camino de Santiago 800 km walking adventure. As I finalize my travel planning and think about how I will record my travels on the Camino I have been collecting and evaluating apps. I really am a techie geek and enjoy using new mobile, pc or tablet apps. There are 6 main categories of applications I am using and that will help you with your planning, training and travels:

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5 Final Preparation Activities for The Camino de Santiago

Camino de SantiagoThere are less than 7 weeks before Marta and I leave for our Camino de Santiago adventure.  What remains are these 5 short term (2 month), final preparation activities that I thought might be fun to share with you.

1.      Detailed planning of the route and sight-seeing activities.  Marta and I will each plan half the trip.  I have created a spreadsheet which includes:

  • Preferred route each day
  • Preparations for that day’s hike
  • Key points of interest (historical, cultural, geographical)
  • Where we will be staying
  • Recommendations for breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Journaling area to capture the days insights and adventures

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Yoga Practice for Strong and Healthy Camino Feet

how to train for the caminoIn 9 weeks (May 16) Marta and I will be leaving for our 40 day pilgrims walking adventure on the Camino de Santiago.  As we finalize our preparation I am taking the time to be good to my feet.  It has been a long winter in heavy boots and socks and my feet need dedicated exercise and massage to remove the tension, strain and tenderness that has accumulated.  Yoga is a great way to take care of your feet.  Your feet will get a healthy workout in many yoga postures.  Being barefoot and focusing on balancing weight distribution and body alignment is just the start.

For this blog post I have compiled a sequence of 9 yoga poses, and highlighted the different benefits for your feet and lower legs.  I kept the postures easy at beginner’s level so that the focus is on the feet. This yoga practice could be a stand-alone session at the end of a long day, or could be added to the beginning or end of a longer Yoga practice or another exercise routine. Continue reading

How to Get Happy, Strong and Healthy Feet for the Camino

how to build up your feet for the CaminoFor the next few blogs I am going to discuss how to get happy, strong and healthy feet for the Camino (Felices, sanos y fuertes pies en el Camino). It’s very important to get your feet strong, stretched and ready to walk the long distances along the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostella.

The function and anatomy of our feet is complex:

1)  The feet are our connection with the Earth forming a weight bearing foundation for our body. The feet balance weight distribution and alignment with the body that lines up over them.

2)  The feet and toes bear and propel body weight during movement.  The feet balance the body during movement and changes in body position. The feet enable mobility, direction and balance. The toes help with balance and propulsion during movement.

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Final To-Do List for the Camino – Only 14 Weeks Remain

Goals for walking the CaminoI have been a program / project manager most of my working career which means an obsessive focus on planning.  This of course runs over into my personal life and I have a Microsoft Project plan, as well as several “To Do” and outfitting lists that I am tracking.  Below is my final 14 week Master “To Do” list for my Camino trail planning with Completion dates.   All this planning has helped reduce my level of Camino Readiness anxiety.

In my last blog post, as you know, I was experiencing anxiety in regards to endurance training for the long 800 km walk to Santiago de Compostella.  I have been focusing on daily training activities and I am feeling good about my level of endurance training which includes hills, deep snow, and engaging the upper body using walking poles.  Most of the items below are already in works, but they all need to be completed in the next 14 weeks.

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Winter & Camino Endurance Training – Getting Perspective

training for the camino de santiagoIt has been a  solid 2 months of walking in nasty winter conditions of varying cold arctic winds, heavy snow, ice storms, and slippery, dangerous surfaces.  Last week I had an “I hate winter meltdown’ caused by feeling like an arctic vampire; living without sunlight and warmth and considered moving south.  It was time to recalibrate, get perspective and put a positive spin on the winter blues.  After all I am Canadian, and there are still 2 months until spring so I better “get a grip” and remember why I am training in these harsh conditions in the first place – to prepare me for the endurance required on the Camino!

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Train for the Camino – New Year’s Resolutions for 2014

Train for the CaminoAs I look ahead to 2014, I marvel that it will be the Year that I celebrate turning 60 and becoming a true pilgrim (a wanderer or traveler) for 40 days of walking and exploring the Camino Santiago de Compostela.  Last year at this time I had no plans for walking the Camino.  I was originally planning a 2 week trip to the North West Territories with friends to celebrate my 60th. In the early spring I had a change of heart.  I cannot remember why the Camino Trail became my new travel choice but my friend and fellow walker Marta was as excited as I was and the decision was firmed up.  I am proud of how far I have progressed in 2013 on my training and preparation for my Camino sojourn.

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Marion’s Buen Camino Warm up and Cool Down Yoga Practice

Dec 3 blog snow2In this blog post I was planning to write about my shopping search for Trekking poles.  However the last 2 weekends have been a snow fest and I have not been out shopping.  This is unfortunate since the more it snows, the more I need those walking poles.  During my last walk I found a tree branch and used that as a walking pole to help me trudge through the snow on the Trans Canada Trail.  Instead I will write about my other major exercise commitment for my Camino Santiago de Compostella training in the form of Yoga warm up and cool down poses for long distance walking.

In June when I started my walking training, I also started my Yoga Instructor Training.  My main reason for taking the 200 hour instructor training was to be able to “deep dive” into the Yoga poses for both stretching and strengthening my muscles, breathing (pranayama) techniques to help build my lung capacity and meditation to help with the mental toughness and confidence to complete the 800 kilometer walk.  My goal was to be able to design a yoga practice to support my training efforts for the walk, and to keep me stretched and limber during the actual 40 days of walking on the Camino trail.

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5 Months and Counting… Training for the Camino Santiago de Compostela

Training for the CaminoNovember 3rd is the 5 month anniversary of my Camino training – both Walking and Yoga.   It is time for reflection on both my accomplishments and planning of the next steps for my fitness level improvements and training approach during the next 5 months in order to complete the walk on the Camino Santiago de Compostela.

Accomplishments

  1. I have walked 278 km’s in 50 hours keeping my pace sub 10 minutes per kilometer.
  2. I have completed 93 hours of Yoga practice, including poses, and meditations.
  3. I have lost 7 pounds, and toned up so that I can reduce a size fitting for my pants.
  4. I have developed an exercise training plan which I update daily and evaluate weekly, making adjustments as required.
  5. I have purchased and continue to “break-in” my hiking boots (95 km to date).
  6. I have developed the mental toughness that ensures the commitment to my training plan.  The idea of walking 800 km’s in 40 days, no longer overwhelms me.
  7. I have developed the lung capacity to keep my pace sub 10 minutes per kilometer over longer distances (8 to 11 km’s)   This has allowed me to add running and “fartlek” training to my walks.

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10 Steps to Managing Your Camino Training Plan

train for the caminoLike Winston Churchill, I don’t like worrying in advance about events or activities. I start with understanding the goals, challenges and expected outcomes and then plan for success.  That is the reason I developed a formal training plan for achieving my Camino goal of walking an 800 kilometer route to Santiago de Compostela in 40 days. Here are the 10 Steps I followed in creating and maintaining my training plan:

1.   I documented my goals, and constraints.  The goal was to comfortably walk the 800 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela in 40 days.  The key is to start the route with a good level of fitness so I can enjoy the journey.  I had to determine a realistic amount of time I could spend each week on exercise considering my time constraints:

  • Demanding full time job with travel.
  • Family and social commitments.

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Fitness and Training Required to Walk the Camino de Santiago

train for the caminoAt the beginning of June when I made my decision to walk 800 km on the Camino de Santiago in 2014, I had to take an honest look at the fitness and training involved to complete the walk. Things like:

  1. My Camino Fitness Goals?
  2. My exercise history and my current fitness level?
  3. My ideas and perceptions about myself and exercise, as I close in on 60?
  4. The exercise types, and activities I prefer, and did those include long distance walking?
  5. Could I commit to the time and effort?

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Welcome to Train for the Camino de Santiago

Camino de Santiago

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Everyone has their own reasons for walking the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James.  It is a popular pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostelo in Galicia Spain where the sacred remains of the Apostle St James (the Greater) are purported to be buried.  The earliest visits to the shrine for St James are recorded in the 9th century and non-stop over the ages the pilgrims kept coming and their origins expanded to include many countries around the world.   Today over 100,000 pilgrims annually walk the Way of St James, varying in their distances walked and their reasons for walking. Continue reading