The Camino de Santiago is for most pilgrims a vital, personal, even spiritual experience, but we must never forget that, whether walking or cycling, the Way is still a physical trial and our bodies must be prepared for it.

Tuning the body involves some training, which will differ according to the distance and the route you want to take and obviously your own personal characteristics. Yes, even athletes or people who are accustomed to cycling should take into account the particularities of the Way. For example, the fact that this experience requires pedaling many days in a row and carrying some weight in the saddlebags. But there is no need to panic, most pilgrims and guide writers agree that three months’ preparation is usually enough.

The training schedule need not be to be daily, depending on our available time we can take bike rides at weekends, one day a week at the beginning and gradually increasing it to two (Saturday and Sunday) as we advance in our preparations. Ideally, of course, at the end of our training we should be able to travel for several consecutive days.

The important thing is to pedal a little further every day, so that eventually we are able to cover distances of between 50 and 55 kilometers. But do not rush it, you need to start with modest distances and then gradually increase them.

Regarding the cyclist's backpack, luggage should be in two saddlebags with weights evenly distributed and one should get used to pedaling with them in the last weeks of training.

Another way of ensuring that you have a smooth journey is to learn to make small repairs that may needed along the Way : patching a tyre, adjusting brakes and gears, etc. Although, if you opt for The Way Services these things will be automatically be taken care of.