This is Camino day 4, and I've been having severe ankle and joint pain every day since we began. Twice the pain was crippling, and I was unable to do anything at all after the day's hike. The pain was bad enough that it would prevent me from sleeping. I have been dosing up to 1600mg of ibuprofen daily just to keep walking.
This comes from having flat feet, and my ankles are pronated with each step, a stress I can handle under normal conditions, but not with a pack. What kept me out of the army is now preventing me from enjoying the Camino.
We tried orthopedic inserts, we tried lightening my load (thus increasing others'), we tries slowing the pace and taking breaks. I make it through the daily hike with ibuprofen, but the evenings are simply pain and ache for me, and I'm literally limping and nearly unable to walk until morning, when it starts all over again.
More importantly, it's preventing Sasha and Nataliia from enjoying it. My pace is too slow for Sasha, and Nataliia is also slowing herself and spending too much energy assisting and caring for me.
So, I've decided to throw in the towel... But only to a degree. I will be acquiring myself a bicycle today and keeping pace with them that way. We are in the last large town for 150 km, so it is either now or in 5 days... Better now. There are at least two sporting goods stores in town, and three bicycle speciality shops.
N and S will leave with the others, and at ten I will begin my shopping. If I'm quick about it I should catch up with them before the next town.
The bike will give me the time I want for photography and exploration, and may be a blessing in disguise.
I guess this Camino has taught me an important lesson... My limits.
That sucks :(
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