Camino Primitivo

 I got feedback from people saying my previous posts inspired them to either lose weight, start exercising, run a half marathon with their sibling or consider doing the Camino. So one more post hoping it also serves as inspiration for someone. If it does, please let me know! 

 My active holidays comes to an end and, for the third year running, I have been doing some walking, this time along the Camino Primitivo. In fact, well over 500k steps in eleven days to cover the distance between Oviedo and Santiago, a superb and challenging experience with plenty of time to walk on my own for hours and also to meet some great fellow pilgrims. If that was not enough, it was made all the more "interesting" by the mix of rain, wind and scorching temperatures I got the pleasure to enjoy throughout the days. 

 One word of caution though, consider your fitness level and rather start small. It's taken me a couple of years to get to a point where I feel I can walk 30km per day on average up and down through rough terrain (and to be fair, my feet probably beg to differ). Training can get you anywhere but it takes time. 

 And while we are on the topic of walking, my department, Digital & IT, has organised a step challenge called Steptember, raising money for Children's Cancer Research Fund. Any donations, big or small, are highly appreciated. 

Rolls Royce Digital and IT is fundraising for Children's Cancer Research Fund

This was posted in LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/p/eqRVsqxa

Camino 2025

 

Camino Planner: Godesalco.com

Yet another incredible adventure on the Camino de Santiago!

Over seven days last week, my brother and I walked ~165 km from St Jean Pied de Port to Logroño. We faced plenty of challenges, from an extremely rainy and steep first stage—an 8 km climb to a refuge at 800m after a nine-hour journey—to a scorching 50 km final day in 30°C heat. That last day alone set a new personal record for most steps: a whopping 72k!

This experience felt very different from last year's journey. It was a powerful testament to how much my physical condition has improved, and a great reminder that my training and wellness goals are paying off.

As always on the Camino, we met many amazing fellow pilgrims. It was inspiring to connect with those on their full journey to Santiago, not just walking a few days like us.

This journey wasn't about stepping out of my comfort zone, but rather about expanding it. The rewarding feeling of meeting a great challenge is what I've come to know as "type 2 fun."

Here's to a greater sense of well-being and more rewarding adventures ahead!

#CaminoDeSantiago #Wellness #OutdoorAdventure #Gratitude #PersonalGrowth

This was originally posted in LinkedIn

Running and hiking is fun

It's been a while since the last post. Running is going great, I finished the C25K as planned and kept running regularly two or three times per week, at some point starting to do slightly longer routes. And then, all of a sudden, last week I went out for an easy 6 km run, however half way through I decided to make it 8 km and a bit later I thought I may as well do 10 km. Slow average pace of 6'47", pretty constant  pace throughout (max 6'42" and min 6'47") despite a few unexpected ups and downs in the unplanned route. Even better, when I finished, I was tired but not exhausted and definitely proud of myself, quite some progress in the last months.

At the same time I have been doing some longer walks each weekend, around 20 km each, with a full backpack and with repeat ups and downs in Teufelsberg Rodelberg. Training for El Camino!

Fotos del Camino

 

El Camino

(this was first posted in LinkedIn)

About two months ago my sister told me that she would be doing the final stages of Camino de Santiago and I decided to join her. Seven days of hiking through Galicia, totaling 140 km between Triacastela and Santiago, seemed like a good idea for an active break albeit a bit daunting. Well, it turned out to be an extremely rewarding experience!

As you can imagine, walking an average of 20 km per day gives you a lot of time for thinking, that's the main point of doing el Camino after all. Sure, a lot of the thinking is about that pain developing in your knees while going uphill or downhill, about the pain in your feet (is that another blister in the making?), about the weight of your rucksack with things you don´t need, about why is it pouring with rain, or why leaving at 6:30 am to walk through a pitch black forest lighting the way with your mobile seemed such a great idea the night before (actually, it is).

More importantly, in between all these mundane thoughts you also get time to reflect on what is important for you, talk to other people from all over the world and share your experiences. Pain fades, memories remain. Beyond the physical challenges, the Camino offered me a profound sense of peace. The daily rhythm of walking, combined with the stunning natural beauty, provided a sharp contrast to everyday life.

This is a post of gratitude, first and foremost to my sister for talking me into doing this, and to all people we interacted with and made it such a remarkable experience. I will probably come back to do more stages at some point in the future. This is an experience that I can definitely and wholeheartedly recommend.