There is a constant flow of individuals or aspiring peregrinos looking for any information they can find that will help them on their first Camino.  Facebook forums, YouTube vloggers, Americans on the Camino website, friends who have gone before, and commercial organizations that lead groups.  That certainly was my journey in 2019 as I was seeking to understand the essentials of what it takes to walk the Camino de Santiago successfully.  As I have written in past blogs, I have walked on the Camino 4 times and finished 2 times arriving in Santiago on foot.  It does not mean my other Camino’s were not successful, just not successful in the way I envisioned them to be in my planning. 

I think it is quite arrogant to think that everything I have learned is directly transferable to someone else going on the same journey.  This is because every journey, every Camino, is subject to the person walking it, and everyone is different.  So, preparing not only involves the basic issues that are practical in nature, it also involves understanding yourself enough to know the mindset necessary for a successful, transformative, and life enhancing experience.  One thing I know for certain, I would like to have finished my first Camino instead of barely making it to Carrion de Los Condes and then having to go home because of seriously infected blisters.  That does not mean my first trip was not transformative, it was a humbling experience and a lesson in being willing to listen to those who overcame their challenges and me being willing to change my ways. 

The difference between my first Camino and my second, which was a return to finish my Camino, was the help and advice of my Camino Angel.  She helped me by taking me to a doctor in Carrion de Los Condes for treatment at the end of my first Camino.  But she helped me more by coaching me when I came back to finish.  It was a lot of little things associated with blister management and prevention, and in helping me set a more reasonable pace by booking my accommodations ahead and encouraging me to follow the plan.  She knew the ropes and helped me fill in the gaps in my preparation and understanding of what it takes to walk 800 Kilometers in 32 days.  Although she lived in Spain, we had several Zoom calls, and her support and clarity made the difference.  I successfully finished my second Camino and then came back a year later and did the entire Camino Frances again and did it with no blisters, no body pain, and no issues.  It was a magical experience.  At the end of my second and third Camino’s I sent her a gift of $200 each time with my immense gratitude for her help. 

After doing part of the Del Norte in the fall of 2023, and dealing with some unexpected issues, I decided that I would become a Camino Coach and help others in the way my Camino Angel helped me.  I feel moved to offer help, especially to first timers and to offer help on a donation basis.  That is where people would donate what is comfortable and affordable for specific help in planning and executing a successful experience.  Some would need a lot more help than others, but my pilgrim clients would decide what the help is worth to them.  Although Camino guides and You Tube vloggers were helpful to me, there is nothing more helpful than talking through issues with a person who has successful experiences walking the Camino. 

A good example of that is when I only allowed myself 30 days from arrival to departure in Spain on my first Camino.  I determined I needed to average 30 K per day to achieve my objective.  So when I got behind the first few days I started pushing myself to catch up.  That was the basis of my feet getting so blistered I could not continue.  I needed time to find my pace without over doing it in the early days.  I learned that I would have much more stamina in the later stages and in fact that happened on my 3^rd Camino when I took a day off in Leon and a few days later I was asked by my Camino Family to catch up so we could walk into Santiago together.  Because it was in the last 6 days of the journey, I was able to walk back-to-back 35 K days and catch up 3 days before the end.  I was in shape to do it. 

Certainly, people can do it without coaching help, and do it successfully.  But I would have benefitted from coaching on my first Camino and did benefit with help on my next two.  I would like to help those who would benefit from my experience and knowledge.  To contact me go to my website at https://caminocoach.net.  You will never receive an invoice for services provided.  Buen Camino