I have hit a tough spot with my training for the Camino de Santiago.
I have been walking regularly since January and actually loved it. I've walked in the rain, I've walked 4 miles every morning for 6 days out of the week, I've done some uphill, some in other countries, some in the mountains...but now it's different.
(Big Bear)
(Costa Rica 2017)For one thing, 4 miles a day isn't enough anymore. I need to be up to 15 miles a day, with a full backpack by September. So today I pushed myself to walk 6 miles and I'm feeling it a little. My calves are tight and my heel feels bruised. I have only 10 weeks to more than double that mileage.
(Puerto Vallarta 2017)The other thing, the worst thing, is trying to train in my hometown. Here in San Bernardino it gets so hot in the summer...today it was 104 and it should be 107 by Friday. You don't want to walk around here at night, so that leaves getting up really early to hit the street. I'm not sure I can get up early enough to fit in 15 miles before it starts getting hot. Of course, I've got to try.
Today I walked in neighborhoods that I've only driven through before. It's the north end of town and some areas are surprisingly gorgeous. It feels like the temperature is different there, it's cooler and feels fresh when I walk under the huge trees that line the curvy road. I mean, if I get to choose where I'm going to walk, I'd might as well pick the prettiest and safest blocks in town. There, on these nice lots at the base of the foothills, the dew actually survives a bit longer, squirrels run around, and people walk their dogs wearing LuLuLemon gear.
No one shows you this part of town when they take photos in San Bernardino...when they are highlighting the blight we definitely have in most areas here.
My neighborhood is like the gateway to gorgeous. My house is small and plain, with dry dirt out front...and a few tall dandelions sticking up like whiskers that got missed in an otherwise close shave. I had a nice green lawn before the drought. When the rain stopped showing up on schedule, some of the weeping willows that grew on the median in front of my place got way too dry. Their roots run real shallow, and soon, one of the massive trees that I had always taken for granted just fell over. I guess I had always taken the shade if offered for granted as well because I had no idea that my lawn, the ivy on my porch, and the ornamental tree by the driveway would just burn up without it being there to block the sun for a large part of the day. My house gets hotter now too. I'm working on bringing the shade back, but for now it looks pretty depressing. Walk just a few blocks north though, and soon there are big, Spanish style homes with green shag lawns, stone walkways, and clay colored walls that arch like Moorish temples.
I did pass some small, older apartment buildings on my walk today. I remember these apartments because years ago I tried to ride my bike on the sidewalk out in front of them as I made my way across town. A huge pit bull ran out of an open apartment door and came straight at me.
🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕
Maybe you can imagine how tight my calves felt that night after pedaling faster than ever before in my lie.
🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲
Today, the apartments look better...like maybe there is a new owner. I couldn't help but notice the chalk drawings that were on the side walk out front, evidence that there had been a celebration yesterday for the 4th of July. I took ballerina steps over them and then decided to take a few pictures. Cute. Cheerful. Hopeful.
Anyways, tomorrow I need to lift weights. At least I don't have to jump up and get out of here so early in the morning. But I will when I do need to. Even though I've had a few moments of doubt over my decision to commit to the Camino de Santiago...such a long walk, so far from home, I ultimately concluded that I would complete this tough thing just like I've completed so many other tough things. When all is said and done, I have always discovered that I, too, am tough.
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