Progress Not Perfection

I'm staying with my parents right now because my mom had surgery on her foot and has to be non-weight bearing for 4-6 weeks.  

I had no idea just how limited you are when you can't put any weight on one foot.  Which means no weight on one leg.  Getting up out of a chair, sitting down on a chair, using the bathroom are all things that become a challenge.  

Little things like doing laundry, cooking, wiping the dogs wet feet off before she comes in the house.  These all become more daunting tasks.  

So here I am to make sure my mom keeps her foot elevated, has ice and does the hard work of healing while I do all the things to make that as stress free as possible.  Which includes taking care of my step-dad.  And he's not a fan of being taken care of but he's coming around.  😊  

As I was preparing to take the time off of work so that I could be here for them I was thinking about my running, or lack of running. 

I've been thinking a lot of how I started running.  

I started out slow, because I was just starting. 

I started out with short distances.  

I started out with music.  

I decided a few months ago I needed to start all the way over.  

Instead of being mad about starting over, I need to just start.  I did it once.  I can do it again!

Since I was going to be off work and hanging out with my parents, it seemed like I probably could carve out 45-60 minutes to get out of the house for a walk or run.  

It isn't happening every day but I am getting out there.  

My parents live near the top of a hill and the roads around their neighborhood and defintely up and down.  I decided I would run the downhills and as much as the uphills as I could and then walk the rest of the way up.  With the goal that each time I went I would run a little bit farther up the hill then I did the time before.  

So I put on my running clothes and shoes and took off for my first effort.  The hills are stout and I didn't go far but I enjoyed it.

It felt good to be out there and doing something just because I wanted to.

It felt good to be in the fresh air and see the beautiful views.  

It felt good to be listening to music with a good beat that helped me keep going.  

I saw two eagle flying near the hillside.  Eagles are special to me and whenever I get to see one it is a highlight of my day!

Slow and a lot of walking.  Not even 2 miles.  But I went and enjoyed it!

Avoided the rain and it was actually warm!

A few days later Joe came up and we took a walk together.  This walk wasn't to reach any goals but just to be outside and spend some time together.  

Then I went to my school's Unified Basketball game.  Unified Basketball is for our special education students.  They play several other schools in the local area, usually 3 or 4 games.  They have student helpers who are out on the court helping point the athletes in the right direction and guide them on shooting or passing the ball.  It is my absolute favorite event at our school bar none!  The student section is always full.  Everyone in the stands cheers for ALL the kids playing.  The kids playing have huge smiles on their faces and are haivng the time of their lives.  We had 10 seniors this year and every single on of them got a letterman's jacket.  They were so excited they didn't want to talk the jackets off to play.  

I'm watching these kids play with whatever ability they have and how they loved every minute of it.  They needed helpers and didn't care if it meant they could play.  One played using his walker and he had figured out how to run with it and he moved!  One young man had a lift belt around his waist with hand straps on it.  He walked back and forth across that court with his wonderful teacher assisting him.  

It made me think of all the times I haven't wanted to ask for help with anything.  I like being the helper and not being the one being helped.  

Here are these kids who have to be helped in most aspects of their lives.  

They aren't angry about it. 

Or grumpy they can't do more. 

They are excited to be there.  

They are excited to participate.

They are excited to be involved.  

I always love how after these games the students who went to watch suddenly know the players names.  Call out and greet them as they cross campus.  It is a huge part of what makes our school culture feel like family!

How can I be grumpy about being slow and out of shape when I can do it without any help?  Time to get over myself!! 

Later in the week my friend Wendie came to walk with me.  Again, didn't worry about the running part but we walked and talked our way through a 5k and over an hour together.  

Both of these walks were such a great reminder of how beneficial it is to just go outside and walk.  Even if it isn't for long or for very far.  

Yesterday was gorgous!  The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was very warm for a day at the start of February!  

I was excited to go for my run/walk!

I was excited that I was excited to go for my run/walk!

I took off and had the plan that I was going to try and run up the hills just a bit farther than the first time.  I had made a mental not of how far I had gotten last time.  Mostly it was one side or another of someone's driveway.  If it was the closest side of the driveway I tried to get to the opposite side of the driveway.  If I had made it to the far side of the driveway, I looked for a mailbox or crack in the road to get to.  That way on my next run I have that as my get past point.  

It was hard but a fun kind of hard so I enjoyed myself thoroughly.  I stopped a time or two to get pictures (and, not gonna lie, to catch my breath.)  

I went a little farther this time by going to the end of the street my parents are on to the stop sign and then coming back to their driveway.

This got me just over 2 miles.  

That doesn't sound like a lot but it was 2 miles of totally enjoying the process of pushing myself, being outside and doing hard things. 

I did this run with a little more running up the hills, a little bit farther and a little bit faster.  

I am enjoying making progress instead of being mad that I'm not where I used to be.  I'm never going to be perfect so it's silly to try.  

But I definitely can be making progress! 

Progress not perfection.  Might need to put that on sticky notes all over my house.  lol 

I'm working on what my new goals are going to be.  

First goal is walking the Newport Shamrock 5k with my work bestie and her son.  I am totally excited about it!

Silver Falls Trail Run 2023

Birthday Weekend! 

Once again we planned to spend the first weekend of November at Silver Falls State Park camping and running in the woods. 

Usually my birthday falls on the weekend or super close to the Silver Falls Trail Events so we always celebrate at the same time. This year my birthday fell on the Friday of our adventure weekend.  I spent the day getting lots of love from my students and a beautiful boquet of flowers from my hubby.

Hanging out with some of my favorite people at one of my favorite parks? That’s a BIG win! Joe, Wendie and I had signed up for the 7 miler. Josh was signed up for the Half Marathon. 

But coming off my epic 50k the week before I caught a cold. I didn’t stay at South Beach and camp with Joe. I went home and slept most of Monday. Good thing I had taken the day off! Although being actually sick was not how I had envisioned my “day to relax and recover”. 

I spent most of the week using DayQuil and NyQuil to make it through the day and sleep through the night. I didn’t have a fever and I tested negative for COVID. So I just had a yucky cold. 

I also had a really sore toe. I did really well avoiding blisters this year at Dia de los Muertos Endurance Run but I got a blister under the toenail of my second toe on my left foot. It hurt quite a lot and then I caught the edge of the lifted toenail on a blanket and OUCH! 

I ended up cutting off a bunch of the toenail and then spent the week with Neosporin and a bandaid on my toe. Shoes and socks were not my favorite. 🤣

We got to the campground and got all set up before 5:00 pm and then hung out until Josh and Wendie arrived.  We had originally planned to have a "fend for yourself" evening.  Joe and I were going to have leftovers from home.  But Joe thought it would be fun to head into Silverton and try out a pub instead.  Josh and Wendie were on board with that so we headed to Silverton when they got to the park. 

Dinner was at the Silver Falls Brewery.  We sat outside because even though it was raining it was quite warm out.  And they had a covered area and the table had a table top fire container.  The food was amazing and we had a great time!  Good idea Joe!!

Birthday dinner!  Fifty-Four is off to a great start!

Sign on the door of the bathroom at the brewery.  Accurate!! lol

We headed back to the park to get settled in for the night.  

I was thinking about my race Saturday and how I was going to make it happen. 

Then suddenly I realized I didn’t need to. 

I had nothing to prove. 

I had nothing to prove to anyone. Especially myself! 

You have to understand that in the past I have done this race (and others) even when I wasn’t healthy or had injuries. 

I was so worried that people would think I was a quitter or a pansy that I pushed through migraines, massive blisters, aching knees, etc. I didn’t want anyone to think I was making excuses. 

This week was different. 

I didn’t care.

Want to know why I didn’t care? (Because I am going to tell you.) 😂

I already know I’m a badass! 

I don’t have to prove it to anyone! 

Especially myself!!!

That is such an amazing and freeing realization. 

I didn’t give a shit what anyone thought. 

My toe hurt, I had a cold all week, I was tired, and it was supposed to rain all day.

And I didn’t want to suck it up and do it anyway. 

So I didn’t. 

And I had a fabulous time!!

Josh was going to take my race instead of doing the Half Marathon. But he caught the same yuck I did the weekend before and decided he was also badass enough that he didn’t need to race. (He got 100 miles at DDLM!) 

I got to see all my various friends that were there off on their run.  I went over to where they had a big fire going in the park shelter.  The lovely ladies volunteering let me have a piece of Marionberry Pie.  Always fun to chat with people at events and find out about where they are from and what they do.   Then I wandered to my truck and watched a live stream of my volleyball girls playing in the state playoffs. After that I went back to the finish line to I watch my people cross the finish line. 

We talked and laughed and cheered for people and it was so much fun. 

Joe and Chad before the race!

At the start, only 7 miles to go!

South Falls never disappoints, but in the fall it is spectacular!

Love all the fall color!

Coming to the finish after conquering Nutcracker Hill!  (If you know, you know)

Nice work Joe!

Wendie kicking ass at the finish, with Josh holding out a beer for her!

Beth finishing strong!

Didn't get pictures of Suzanne, Breck or Holly but they all did great too.  Suzanne beat Breck and anytime you can beat your teenager, its a good day!

Then we went back to the trailer and got a solid nap in. I love naps! Especially all cozy in our travel trailer! 

For dinner we had chicken enchiladas that I had made at home and all we had to do was heat them up. Joe got me firewood so we could have a fire in the fire pit. It was awesome! 

Always fun to sit around the fire and just talk and laugh!!!

We got up the next morning and had a leisurely morning since we weren't volunteering until 8:30 am. We had breakfast and then did somethings to get the trailer ready to leave.  Then we headed out to the start line so we could volunteer for the Half Marathon.  We usually help out at the aide station that is about 3.3 miles into the race.  Always fun to cheer for people!  I especially enjoy cheering for the people at the very back of the pack since I can completely relate to where they are.  

Even got to cheer for some of the people I met the day before when I was hanging around at the start and chatting with people!  So fun!

It wasn't long before the race sweepers came through and we were packing up the aid station.  

Back to the trailer to finish closing it down and then we were heading for home.  

It was nice to get home and not feel like we had to rush to get things put away and then go to bed.   We had the entire afternoon to take care of things and just be chill.  

So I don't have a medal for this race. 

And I am okay with that. 

I know I do need to get moving and have a regular routine with being active. 

I also know I need to decide on my next adventure, because it's part of what helps me keep moving.

But for this race weekend I was totally okay with not having to prove my badassery. 

Giving myself more credit then I have in the past.

Must be growing up a little.  

Dia de Los Muertos Endurance Run 2023

Dia de Los Muertos Endurance Run...

Take Two

Last year I did a marathon and was pretty damn excited about it.  Even though it hurt on so many levels.  

But I wished I had been able to do two more laps and get a 50k done.  It was most definitely not in the cards at that point.  Too many blisters.  Too sore and tired.  

So close.

You know what that means?

New goals and challenges.  

I signed up again and the goal this year was to get a 50k, which is 31.07 miles.  

Unfortunatley this fall was a lot like last fall.  No work outs, no training and tired all the time.  So once again, I was heading into a challenging event without the preperation I probably should have to be successful.  

I did have a couple things going for me.  

I have lost almost 35 pounds since February.  It's amazing how much easier it is to do things without the extra weight.  Still not where I want to be but I'm happy to be heading in the right direction.  (Slowly but surely.) 

I also learned a lot about treating blisters and being able to keep moving with hurting feet while we were doing the Camino last summer.  

Both of those things would definitely help. 

The week at work was SUPER busy, as in no prep periods at school since Monday and things were busy every day.  Trying to get all the work things done, food prep for the weekend and try and get good sleep was a little difficult.  

Joe left for the beach on Thursday afternoon to get our trailer set up in the Day Use area at South Beach State Park.  Ardor Adventures, the organizers of the event, had added a 48 hour to the event so Josh was going to be doing that.  Joe and Wendie were both going to crew Josh and then me when I got there to do my 24 hour event.  

I left after work on Friday and headed to the beach to meet up with everyone.  The weather was gorgeous!   Beautiful blue skys and sunshine.  Quite warm during the day for the end of October but it got cold once it got dark.  

View from the camper in the South Beach Day Use area.

Wendie made us dinner and all I had to do when I got there was sit in a chair and hang out.  It was fun to be cheering on the runners as they went by.  We have the perfect spot in the parking lot to be able to see everyone as they go by to finish up their lap.  

I went to bed early because I was TIRED!  And I had a busy day ahead of me the next day.  

Busy walking in circles.

Because the start time for my 24 hour segment wasn't until 10:00 am I was able to slow roll my morning.  I slept in, then ate some breakfast and read a book for awhile.  Then I got dressed and wandered over to the start line to get my race bib.  Came back and finished getting ready.  

It had gotten very cold overnight and all the puddles were frozen so I had a few layers on.  It's hard for me to judge how many layers to go with right now.  I'm in the time of life (menopause) where I get a wee bit overheated pretty quickly.  So while I was cold at the start I knew it wouldn't take me long to get warmued up once I was moving.  So then it becomes a question of how many layers do I need to stay warm but not become completely overheated.  I went with one extra layer and left it at that.  I figured I could add more or take a layer off after the first lap.  

It was absolutely beautiful out.  I love cold, crisp, blue sky days in Oregon in the fall.  The sky just looks extra blue this time of year.  There wasn't much of a breeze which helped the cold feel more manageable.  

Been awhile since I brought out the sparkly headband.

Josh walked with me the first couple of laps.  He was a long ways into his event since he had started Friday morning and was doing the 48 hour event.  We had a great time walking and talking.  I love our friendship and how we just chat it up when we are out on the trail or hanging out.  He's definitely top of the list of most favorite people in my life.  

Josh and I showing Joe some love for taking such good care of us!

Towards the end of my second lap I decided to run and so I took off in a slow trot.  Pretty sure Josh went into Sasquatch mode when walking behind me with his long legs and stride because he wasn't far behind me.  

I made a pit stop to take off a layer and Josh kept going.  Once I knew I wasn't going to get overheated I took off again.  I took a soda and grabbed a quesadilla in the official aide station.  Once the soda and food were gone I began to run again.  It was so fun to feel good about running.  I wasn't setting an speed records but it was still fun to just be moving!

I caught up to Josh just as the trail pops out by the jetty in Newport. 

Sunshine at the beach!

Did I mention that it was a beautiful day?  As the morning went on it got warmer and warmer.  I eventually took off my jacket and wrapped it around my waist.  I spent most of the day running in long pants and a tank top.  Crazy for the end of October!  And so much different than last years rainy slog. 

Love this stretch of the trail!  Go Josh and Kyle!!

I cruised right a long most of the day.  I would do a lap and then stop at the trailer.  Sometimes I would take a short rest and get food.  A couple of times I took off my shoes and checked my feet.  I was about 10 miles in when I decided to switch my shoes to a pair I have that are a little bigger.  I had a couple of tender spots but no blisters yet.  I had put the Compheed bandages that I discovered in Portugal on the areas of my feet that are prone to blisters.  Some preventative care hoping to avoid issues altogether.  Seemed to be working well up to this point.  

Joe and Wendie had taken a break from crew support to go for a walk and enjoy the sunshine themselves.  They ended up hanging at the start/finish line waiting for my to come through.  It was so much fun to see them there.  

Love my cheer squad!

Getting my quesadilla almost every lap.  Hits the spot!

I still had a long way to go but those little celebrations are so helpful in keeping the spirits up.  

I was keeping a pretty consistent pace with my walking and feeling good overall.  About 15 miles in my hip started complaining.  The same hip that derailed my Camino for a couple of days.  Joe had some Icy/Hot in the trailer so I made sure to use some of that each lap for a few laps until the hip stopped complaining so much.  

Suddenly it was evening and the sun was going down.  I decided to get one more lap in and get some sunset pictures and then I would take a break.  

The water in the jetty was lit up by the sun.  Spectacular!!

Opposite direction, the full moon was coming up.

The bridge and all the boats getting lit up.

When I got back to the trailer, Joe and Wendie made me mashed potatoes.  Warm, salty mashed potatoes are the best when you are tired, hungry and a little cold.  

I put back on my warm layer and then sat in the chair and just hung out for about an hour.  One of the best things about this type of event is how you are able to take breaks if that works for you and your goals.  

At this point I was WAY ahead of where I was last year at the same time.  I wasn't too far from reaching the marathon mark.  

I took off again knowing I was more than half way to my goal of a 50k!

I got to the marathon mark at about 9:30 pm.  Which was so much faster than last year!!  Last year I finished completely at 12:28 am.  That's 14 and a half hours after the start time of 10:00 am.  This year I was at the marathon mark after about 11 hours total time. 

Nothing like getting a huge PR on a distance while you are working towards a longer distrance.  

I got to the point where I didn't want to take any more long breaks and just wanted to keep pushing through till I was finished.  

Joe decided to walk with me the last five laps.  It was fun having him along.  We would walk along and not talk and other times we would talk about all the things.  Both were great.  I mostly just love having the time with him.  I love how we are comfortable with silence but yet always have things to talk about.  He is, quite literally, my favorite person to be with.  

Joe had told me that it would take 14 laps to reach a 50k.  Mostly because I would have to go past the start/finish line to get to the mileage I need and once you start another lap you need to finish it to get those miles to count.  

I was starting to think maybe I didn't need that many laps and could finish with 13 laps and just make it.  So when we finished lap 12 I asked Ed, the race director, if I needed one or two laps to get to my 50k (30.07 miles) and he said one more lap would do it.  

This girl was a happy walker!  

Overall I was doing really well all things considered.  But I was getting tired and sore.  I was going to be happy to be done.  

Joe let Wendie know that we were on my last lap so she was waiting for us when we went by the trailer.  Joe took a video of me finishing that last lap.  

I finished at 11:15 pm.  It took me 13 hours and 15 minutes to do a 50k.  

I finished a 50k in One hour and 15 minutes faster than I did a marathon the year before.  

I was stoked!  Not gonna lie!

I felt solid most of the day.

I kept an overall steady pace from start to finish, never really getting super slow.  

Badass with sparkle! 

Celebratory drink back at the trailer. 

I didn't officially finish until morning.   Just in case I woke up and got a crazy idea to do more laps. 

lol  That didn't happen. 

We went back to the trailer and I changed into cozy clothes and crawled into bed.  

You would think that falling asleep after all that would be easy.  

But it's not. 

You never realize how cold you really are until you stop.  

I had a couple of small blisters on my toes and one toenail that I was pretty sure was going to be coming off soon.  

All my muscles are achy and twitchy so it's hard to relax and get comfortable.  

When you are doing long distance crazy stuff like this, your body will hold on to the water you are drinking.  Just in case.  

When you are done and your body finally decides you aren't going to continue being a crazy person it decides you should expell some of that water.  So there are many trips to the bathroom to take care of that.  

It takes awhile for everything to settle enough so that sleep can actually happen.  

But once I was asleep it was awesome.  

One of the many reasons I love my trailer.  Basically I've got my own bed and blankets and cozies.  The bathroom is right there and anything I might need is probably in a cupboard somewhere.  Makes it really easy during and after an event.  

I got up in the morning and Joe was still sleeping.  He had walked 10 miles with me and had already been crewing since Friday morning for Josh and Kyle so he deserved to sleep as long as he wanted!  

I felt reasonably good overall.  I was sore but not feeling trashed.  The feet hurt a little but compared to the blisters I got last year or the ones I endured while I did the Camino last summer I was sitting pretty in that area too.  

Josh and Kyle had both gotten their 100 miles a few laps after I got done!  So proud of them for sticking to it.  I can't even imagine that distance!

Congratulations on another 100 miles Mr. Gum!!!

Josh, Kyle (Congrats on first 100 miles!) and Ed (Race Director)

It was another beautiful day but a little cooler since there was a bit of a breeze.  We wandered back to the finish so I could get my medal.  I love these medals!  They are so gorgeous.  They are Dia de los Muertos medals but when you really start looking closely you can see all the things they used that represent Oregon to create the shapes.  

Joe and I got the trailer somewhat packed up and moved to our campsite at the campground.  Then we went and took showers!  That was amazing as well.  

It was quite the adventure and I'm super proud of myself. 

Wendie Gum:  Thank you for taking such good care of everybody!  You are amazing and your heart is so huge!  I love you!

Josh Gum:  I don't know how you talk me into these crazy things but thank you for always encouraging, supporting and believing in me.  You help me believe I can do these things.  I love you!

Joe:  As always, you are my rock.  Thanks for always being my support crew in all things, not just on race day.  Thanks for walking with me and taking care of me from start to finish.  I 100% know I couldn't do these crazy things if you weren't there helping me all along the way.  I love you most of all!!

Ardor Adventures:  Thank you for putting on such an extraordinary event that makes every person, no matter their ability, feel welcome and successful.  From the amazing dancing and Dia de los Muertos shrine, the aide station with my favorite quesadillas and all the love and support you and your volunteers shower on everyone from start to finish, it is amazing!  So much hard work before and during to make it go well for the participants.  

The Last Day! Completed Camino

The Last Day!!!

We woke up early to make the final trek into Santiago.  

Josh and Wendie headed out about 30 minutes before Joe and I.

We finished getting all our gear together, doctoring up my feet and headed out the door ourselves.  We got the awesome bonus of seeing the full moon straight down the street we were staying on.

We had less than a 10k to go.  

Less than 6.2 miles. 

I’ve run 6.2 miles. 

I can walk less than 6.2 miles with a backpack on. 

So we started the last day to the finish. 

Already getting teary!

It was fun to watch the kilometers on the pillars pointing the way to Santiago get smaller and smaller.  They had been such overwhelmingly large numbers at the beginning. 

Suddenly the numbers weren’t overwhelming anymore.

What was overwhelming was the emotions that I was feeling as we walked the last miles. 

So many lessons.

So many new experiences.

So many emotions.  

The sun was coming up and we enjoyed the cool air and the way the sun was shining over the tops of the trees and buildings we were passing.  

Then the pillars started to say 5k left.  Three miles!  

Oh my goodness.  

I’m really doing this. 

I’m really finishing a walk that took 15 days (including the two rest days).

I had walked multiple days in a row with more than 10 miles. 

I had blisters on the backs of both heals (with blisters under those blisters).  Blisters on several toes and blisters under two toes on one foot that grew into the ball of my foot the last few days.  

Basically my blisters had blisters.  

But I kept going in spite of them.

So many things to be proud of.  

We got into Santiago but we still had a ways to go.  The cathedral is in the center of town. 

There was a long trek up city streets, and of course it was uphill.  

But unlike the long slog uphill on city streets in Vigo, this was easier, at least mentally, because the cathedral was at the end.  

The problem was that the yellow arrows and pillars kind of disappeared the closer we got.  We didn’t want to wander around and get totally lost so we stopped for a few minutes to check the map and make a plan on what street we were going to follow into the courtyard of the cathedral. 

Now the streets were more of the older streets and buildings.  Narrow with lots of shops and cafes. 

First glimpse of the cathedral!

We saw some pilgrims walking our direction looking for their hostel or hotel.  It felt like we were getting really really close. 

I was so excited.  

I couldn’t stop smiling!

Then we suddenly were there!

This big open courtyard with old buildings on three sides that were impressive.

But the main attraction was the cathedral.  

We had seen many churches, monasteries, convents, and cathedrals but this one was the most amazing!

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela 

Because it was relatively early there weren’t many people in the courtyard.  

Some pilgrims finishing like we were. 

Some were laying on their backs, using their backpacks as a pillow and just staring at the cathedral.  

Lots of people laughing and crying.  

Done!!

You will never guess what I was doing….

Yep.  

I was crying.  

I did it. 

I did this really big adventure. 

I overcame physical hardships.

I overcame even more mental hardships. 

I overcame. 

I hugged my husband in the middle of that courtyard and cried and cried.  Sharing this adventure with him and this moment with him is definitely up there on the most amazing things we have done together list.  And we have a pretty great list.

Love sharing my life with the best man I know! 

Happy tears. 

Proud tears.

Even sad tears.  Because there is never a first time to do something again.  When it something this epic it makes it very special.  While I was glad to be done, I was sad it was over.  

I was so busy feeling all the feels that I stopped for a moment for Joe to take a picture of me and then I wasn’t really interested in more pictures.  

I was just soaking it all in.  

We saw our friends Josh and Wendie and got big hugs from them.  They had enjoyed having their time together before we got there.  They went to go get their certificate of completion called the Compostela. 

Joe and I sat on the bench on the side of the courtyard and just soaked it all in for quite awhile before we got up to go see about getting our Compostela.  As we were walking past the Parador (where we would be sleeping that night) Robin and Sea came out so we got even more hugs and loves.  

Such a good day!

We headed down to the place where they verify your Pilgrim passport to make sure you have all the stamps for each day before you receive your official certificate.  We had to have one stamp a day for the first part of our journey.  Once we got to Vigo we had to have two stamps a day.  

I was a little worried because we had broken the last stage into two parts. We had gotten three stamps the day before but because we left so early on the last day and it was a shorter walk, nothing was open for giving us stamps before we finished.  

Joe didn’t really care either way but I wanted that Compostela as physical proof that I had actually done this!

We had to fill out a form showing where we started and what Camino route we took.  Then we got a number and got in line.  Our numbers were 60 and 61.  That’s how many pilgrims had applied for their Compostela that day so far.  

When it was my turn I walked up to the woman who was going to check my passport and she was lovely.  Turns out she was from Michigan!  She asked me questions about the journey and how it went while she looked over the passport.  I told her that while I had stamps for every day I didn’t actually do the full walk on two days because I was hurt.  She told me that it still counted because I certainly put in the work after I got back on the road.  And I had done all the miles from Vigo on so that worked as well.  She was incredibly sweet.  

It all got real and overwhelming all over again.  

Holy crap!  

I just walked 161 miles…. In a row!  

I got teary…again.

The woman stamped my passport for final time with the stamp for the cathedral and then again for the stamp for being officially done.  She handed me my passport back, then showed me the certificates of completion. 

One of them shows the information about the Camino and how many miles we went. It’s called the Distance Certificate.  

The other paper was the official Compostela which is my proof that I successfully completed the requirements for the Camiño. The Compostela also gives me my official Latin name.

Because I was teary, the woman took my hand and told me to be proud of the accomplishment, I had very much earned it.  She gave my hand a big squeeze and a then she smiled at me and said, “Buen Camino!”  

We bought the little cylinders to roll up our certificates so that we could get them home with being wrinkled and torn and then we headed out to find Josh and Wendie.  

They were waiting for us just outside the building.  I walked over and announced that from now on they could refer to me by my Pilgrim name….

Elizabetham

Which is pretty ironic because I always wished that Lisa was short for Elizabeth.  

Wendie and I had emailed the Parador when we were in Padrón to see if we could do early check in when we arrived.  They told us both that it would depend on availability.  

So we decided to go in and see what they said even though it was not even 11:00 am yet and check in wasn’t until 3:00 pm.  

Turns out we all got early check in.  Right then!  Which was amazing!!!  So we got to take our backpacks up the room and spend the rest of the day not worrying about dragging it around with us until we could check in.  That was truly a blessing!!  

The Parador had been a hospital before it was turned into a hotel.  It was built in the 16th century to provide care for pilgrims as they finished their Camiño. That’s why it is right next to the cathedral . But it still felt like a castle (like the Parador in Baion.). The room was lovely and the hallways, artwork, courtyards were all so amazing to look at each time we wandered through.  

We met up with Josh and Wendie and went to get in line to go inside the cathedral.  While we waited in line we chatted with other pilgrims who had also finished that day or the day before.  

We also started seeing pilgrims we had met along the way.  Each time we saw someone we had met it was like a reunion with long lost friends.  It made the concept of “Camino Family” take a whole different light.  

We found the girls from Rome, we had sang Happy Birthday to their friend in a video for them early on. 

Emily aka North Carolina-Met on the Spiritual Variante

Dutch couple we crossed paths with almost the entire Camiño.

We will most likely never see these people again.  But we have a connection.  We have memories.  They are a part of our story and we are a part of theirs.  That is very special!

The inside of the cathedral is just as impressive inside as it was outside. It’s hard not to just sit and gawk at it all.  We sat for the longest time just looking and the longer we looked, the more we saw.  It was impressive. 

Then off to yet another cafe for coffee and laughter.  Then we had big hugs because, wow, we had accomplished something pretty great together.  This was our last time together, everyone was going to be taking off to go on individual adventures after this point.  So it was fun to finish off our adventure with the Gums with one last bout of conversation, memories and laughter.  We sure treasure their friendship and the many, many memories and adventures we have had together over the years. 

Joe and I headed back to the cathedral courtyard and then to the Parador for a well earned nap!  In a king sized bed!  I think it was the first super solid nap I had the entire trip.  

When we woke up we headed down the cafe at the Parador to have a beverage with Robin and Sea so that we could have our goodbye’s with them before everyone parted ways.  More great conversations, laughter and new memories with newer friends.  

After we said goodbye to Robin and Sea, Joe and I walked around and looked into shops.  Then we had dinner before we tucked ourselves back into our room for the evening.  

Because we didn’t have to get up early to walk the next morning and our flight wasn’t until the afternoon we got to sleep in.  Breakfast came with our stay and we picked 9:00 am.  It was awesome to slow roll into our day for a change!  Breakfast was great and we enjoyed the food and the people watching.  

We then took our dirty clothes to a nearby laundrymat so we could have all clean clothes for the last part of our adventure.  

After all the shops we went through the day before I new what I wanted to get as a sourvenier for the trip.  I got two tiles like the ones that we would see on the sides of buildings and fences.  One with the shell and one with the arrow.  I also got a small ring that has shells, the Camino cross, and arrows on it.  A few stickers and some magnets were also purchased along the way.  

You really can’t go too crazy buying souvenirs when you are traveling with a backpack.  Not enough room to carry it and no desire to weigh your backpack down with more stuff while you are hiking.  

Then we went and got more pictures in the courtyard.  I was ready to take the time to record our finish.  I wasn’t the day before because I was too busy feeling all the feels.  But it was fun to go get some pictures with all the different Pilgrims, tourists and people milling around.  The vibe is awesome!

Then we went to the cafe at the Parador and snagged a great table that looked into the courtyard.  We sat and laughed and talked, just the two of us.  People watching was prime in that location.  Many Sangrias (me) and Cervesas (Joe) were consumed throughout the afternoon.  

View from the cafe.

Soon it was time to leave for the airport and begin the next part of our adventure that would take us in stages toward home.  More about that later.

Lesson Learned on the Camino  

Some are hard to express.  

Some are very internal and intimate.  (I’ll keep those to myself.)

But here are the big ones I came away with.

💙Don’t waste time trying to keep up with others.  Do what you need, what your body needs, what your heart needs.  You all end up in the same place in the end.  

💛When you aren’t trying to keep up with others, you also stop comparing yourself to others.  I gave zero shits about my speed, my size or anything else in comparison to anyone else on the trip.  Especially when I had to stop for a couple of days.  I really had to evaluate what I wanted out of the experience and what I could do.  

💙Everyone processes things differently and we all have to give each other space to feel all the feels.  Sometimes they aren’t pretty or they come out in ways that are unexpected.  That’s real and okay.  I’m so thankful for friends and especially a husband who let me feel all the feels.  

💛I found what I will forever more call “The Camino Calm”.  It’s kind of like the Let it Go concept.  We had some stresses the last few days with delayed flights and short connections and a few other things.  Things that normally would have really stressed me out.  Instead I was just processing what might be possible solutions but not in a frantic, stressed way.  It was more like looking at it as, it might not be what we planned or on the timeline we wanted, but eventually it will get figured out and we will get on with the journey.  

💙I have never been so disconnected and yet connected at the same time.  

💛Disconnected from social media, news media and their negative spin on everything, the stress of work, etc.  

💙Connected to our friends we were traveling with.  

💛Connected to the people we met along the way who showed up kindness or made us laugh.  

💙Connected to people back home who we love that shared the journey through my blog or texted me as we went along.  

💛Connection to my husband as we shared the adventure with all it’s joys and struggles, just as we have throughout our marriage.  

💙While we all might be walking the same road, we are not having the same journey.  Keeping that in perspective is always a good thing.  

💛Connected to people we met that were processing hard things on their Camino, Sharing their story with complete strangers and yet people who they knew were kindred spirits and empathisize.  Couldn’t we all use more of that kind of connection? 

I’m sure that I will continue to process the experience and the lessons that I learned or will continue to learn from the experience.  

I know that I have grown tremendously because of this time, this journey, this experience.  

Buen Camino!!!