Overcoming The Mental Hurdles of Long Distance Walking

AD. We often romanticise being in the wilderness, either through a significant feat of endurance or simply getting back in touch with our anthropomorphic roots. The idea of walking a famous trail can be blissful, but in reality, there are some serious mental hurdles along the way.

With a trek like Camino de Santiago, in which the historical pilgrimage would have been a lot more difficult, it is deceptively difficult because it’s so popular. There are some ways to make it easier, such as using the luggage transfer service of Santiago Ways, but at the end of the day, you’re on your feet all day, every day, for a week. So, how do we make sure to complete what we’ve set out to do?

_{[Photo by Alex Moliski on Unsplash]}

The Pre-Trek Psyche

The first step is to weigh up your challenge. If it’s a Portuguese route you’ve decided on, you’re looking at 120-140km over around 7 or 8 days. But, this is an abstract number, so you need to break it down into chunks that our brain can more easily comprehend, such as daily distances. Then, try to apply this distance to your local town or city to get an idea of the challenge.

Chunking is a psychological principle to help realise that grand challenges are doable, and you can even reduce them into morning and evening walks. You can practice visualisation too, picturing yourself successfully walking that distance each day, and do that while you physically train before heading off.

Battling Monotony and The Inner Critic

Once you’re on the trail, the battle begins. It may start off easy and build up in difficulty, but you can equally face a challenge at the start of your day - and an early blister or unforeseen ascent. This is where it’s just about getting through to the end of the day, not so much the entire challenge.

What many struggle with is the monotony, and how your mind can play tricks and begin to loop. One way to avoid this is with podcasts, music and other distractions. Or, you can simply set micro-goals, such as reaching the next visible landmark. 

You have an opportunity for personal growth here, so instead of running away from it, lean into it. Practice mindfulness and being in the moment, such as how the textures under your feet feel, or the birds you can hear. You soon realise it’s not monotonous, because when you pay attention, you notice how different one moment is from the next.

When The Going Gets Tough, The Mind Gets Tested

Physical discomfort is an unavoidable companion on long walks. Blisters, muscle soreness and persistent fatigue are coming your way. A coastal route will likely have wind in your face at times, or even rain, and it’s crucial to differentiate between good pain (the ache of your quads as you storm up a hill) and bad pain (pulling a muscle). Good pain has a meaning (quite literally leads to growth), and so framing it like that can make it worthwhile to endure.

Lasting Rewards of a Strong Mind

If you’re a social type, you can always head off on the trip with a friend if you’re worried about loneliness. But, solitude can tell you a lot about yourself and is nothing to fear. Remember, at the end of the day, you turn up at an albergue with other fellow travellers and it’s easy to make friends.