Virtual Camino Finish Line!

I finished the virtual Camino!!! On November 9, I crossed the finish line and promptly burst into tears.

I know it's not the "real" Camino de Santiago but... for the last 9 and a half months, I've been inching along. A kilometre here, 5 kilometres there... some days no kilometres. Would I ever be done??

But I made it. Maybe one day I'll do the "real" one. Maybe not. For now, I will rest on these laurels...

I averaged 2.67 km for every day of this Camino. Which doesn't really tell the tale. Some days I did 7 km and other days I did 0 km. I lost focus in the spring.

The distance was too long and it seemed to take forever. I got distracted and lost my "oomph". The last few months though, I've found my "oomph" and have been doing well.

I have to admit that there were days where I would forget my smart watch at home, on the charger, and be completely miffed that I couldn't record the distance walked!

And now... I wait for my medal to arrive in the mail. I am easily motivated by any little reward... gold stickers... virtual levels... and a real medal? Well, let's go for it.

The Conqueror Challenges were a bit of a "thing" during Covid, when everyone was stuck at home and treadmill use soared. Can't travel the world? No problem... take a Conqueror Challenge and see the world virtually. I saw their Facebook ads go by during Covid and thought it was silly.

Until this January, where I was bemoaning the fact that I might never get to do the real Camino. And my partner suggested a virtual one. I don't think she had the Conqueror challenges in mind... but I remembered that they had a Camino one and... it was perfect.

During the challenge, I also "planted" 5 trees at various milestones (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%). This is through a partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects. They plant trees in various third world countries. I hope my little trees make a difference.

But now what? Well... when I purchased the Camino challenge, I had bought another code to use on a future challenge. After much deliberating... and dithering between two options, I have chosen Hadrian's Wall. It's short - only 145 km or so. I should be able to do that in a month. After what... we'll see...

If I keep up my current pace, I should be done this challenge in a month... The app gives you the option of counting all of your daily steps or just specific activities. It would probably go a lot quicker if I used the step counter option but that seems a bit like cheating... so I'm doing it with specific activities. Onwards!

Update on the Virtual Camino

As regular readers of this blog might recall... I started a Virtual Camino (one of The Conqueror challenges) in late January. As I write this, it is late May... so 4 months since I started the virtual 800 km trek to Santiago de Compostela. I'd like to be able to say that I am further along than I am... but I am not!

I got derailed from my virtual Camino in late March. Came down with a cold which completely knocked me out. And then we went on a road trip and... and... and... I've only been doing one walk a day and that might net me 3 km or so... at this rate... I'll be inching my way along the Camino 4 months from now!

As it stands though... I am 45% of the way to Santiago, which isn't bad.

And, so far, I'm not going to run out of time either, although I could definitely speed it up a bit.

When I passed the 40% mark, a tree was planted by Eden Reforestation Projects on my behalf!! Which is kind of cool... I think I get another tree at the 60% mark. I also received some virtual postcards as I inched along...

Atapuerca is sight of some ancient neolithic remains (1,000,000 years old), which is kind of cool.

And then I received one from the city of Burgos. It sounds like a beautiful city and all I really know about it is the role it played in the Peninsular War in the early 1800s! Thank you Bernard Cornwell and the Sharpe book series!

I had this idea that I would be clicking off 10 km a day here at home and that I could do the virtual Camino handily in 3 months but... that's obviously not the case. Life has gotten in the way. Or I've gotten distracted by life.

I could definitely add in an early morning walk, especially as it is now almost the height of summer and the days are long and start early! Perhaps I'll get myself in gear. Even walking to a nearby coffee shop (30 min walk) and back would work. Although... I did try the nearest "coffee shop" that opens early (McDonald's... ick) and although it says that it opens at 5 am... nope. It was not open at 5 am! So I need to rethink that... 

Anyhow... one step at a time. Every step counts and that's really all that matters. I'm moving forward slowly and that's OK too. It's the journey that matters... not how fast one gets there.

The Virtual Postcards of the Virtual Camino - Mar 26

I love getting mail!! But nowadays... the only mail we tend to get is junk mail. Nobody sends real mail anymore! So I was a bit excited when I signed up for the Virtual Camino trek (through The Conqueror Challenges) to learn that I would receive 14 postcards on my epic adventure.

Turns out they're not not "real" postcards. They are virtual postcards. And they are not "to" me, but "from" me... which is kind of odd. Sending myself virtual postcards?

Although... maybe the idea is that I send them on to my friends and family? Or post them on Facebook? Huh... never thought of that! 

The first postcard I received was from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port - the starting point of the 800 km Camino Frances.

My rusty French would translate St. Jean-Pied-de-Port as St. John Foot of Bridge (or Bridge of Foot). But it actually translates as St. John Foot Pass. Which makes sense as this place is the starting point of the Camino... and pilgrims have been coming through here for over 1000 years.

The postcard says:

Bonjour,

I made it to the start line and I'm ready to begin my 480 mi journey to Santiago, walking in the footsteps of the past.

Time to start counting down the miles. See you at the next stop.

So... maybe I will post that on my Facebook feed... although it is a bit out of date now!

The second postcard came less than a week later.

This one says:

Phew, that was such a rigorous hike, it just kept going up and up and up for a full 12.5 mi. My legs are wobbly but enjoyed walking in the footsteps of Napoleon and Charlemagne. I think I'll have a nice long rest in Roncesvalles.

I completely missed Roncesvalles as I did my daily walks. Although... as I write this... I am coming up to Pamplona, famous for the running of the bulls. And it turned up... right on time!

This postcard says:

Hola Giselle! (addressed to me?? from me??)

Whose bright idea was it to go running with the bulls? It was the longest 800m of my life. Next time more sprint training first.

Ole!

Giselle

Meh... given that I am doing this in February/March and the running of the bulls takes places in September... this doesn't seem like an appropriate postcard! Hmph...

And... another postcard came on Feb 14! I was apparently trekking through Estella at that point.

I must admit, I do like receiving these postcards. They help to make the experience a bit more exciting.

And it's nice to see some of the places that I am virtually hiking through.

That bridge over the river in Estella looks super cute! I'm not sure how fast I would be able to do the Camino if I kept stopping all the time to take photographs!!

And... just last week, I inched my way through Logroño. My pace has slowed quite a bit what with various other life commitments. But as the weather gets nicer... and the sun gets up earlier, I am hoping that I can reinstate an early morning hike, which should really help my mileage. I am coming ever closer to Burgos and am about 30% of the way through the Camino. Small steps make a difference!

I haven't given too much thought to what to eat along the Camino. As a person with gluten intolerance... and who is trying to eat less meat... I think this might be an issue. But the food looks sooooo yummy too!

Hiking a Virtual Camino

Did you see those ads on Facebook during Covid? Or was it just me? We were all locked away at home and going stir crazy and I would continuously see these ads for The Conqueror Challenge.

From what I could gather... you'd walk around your neighbourhood (or on your treadmill) and earn these flashy medals once you completed a "challenge". 

I have to admit, it seemed kind of hokey to me. What do you do with all of these medals anyhow?? Hang them on a wall? Parade them around in front of your friends? And how do they account for the vertical elevation? There's more to the Inca Trail than just horizontal distance!

So I let the ads flash by while I scrolled my Facebook feed and rolled my eyes. Nope, not for me.

Ahem... well... now it would appear that they are! I was looking for some Virtual Camino options and came up with a grand total of two.