31-day challenge

Some people - like me - train year in and year out regardless of goals, races and such motivations. Sure, I'll mix up the disciplines more as a race approaches but for the rest I'm doing something pretty much every day of the year. Others need the prod of an approaching race to get out the door.

My mom is like this. She admits to needing something to work towards. Her 2013 adventure will be to walk a section of the French Camino route. There are Camino routes all over Europe - all leading, ultimately, to Santiago in Spain. She did the traditional pilgrimage route over five weeks in 2011 (this is her talk on Camino de Santiago from FEAT Jo'burg, October 2012). She's looking at September for this adventure.

This means that she has to get back into the habit of walking regularly. The first few months will be about getting fit and acclimatising her feet and legs to walking again - speed, duration and distance. As winter approaches she'll put on her backpack and steadily increase the weight to its 10-kilogram 'race weight'. By September she'll be ready for weeks on her feet, with a loaded backpack.

To get back into the swing of things she decided to do her own 31-day challenge this month; walking every day. I'm joining her (but with running and sometimes a walk with her). You're welcome to join the challenge too. Only 29 days left after today...