Interview with author Julia Goodfellow Smith - Walking the Camino de Santiago - What it Takes!

This episode of the Fit is Freedom Podcast is jam-packed with all kinds of inspiring stories and content that is going to make you want to get outside and knock out your bucket list! 

This week, we are joined by the incredible Julia Goodfellow Smith. She is a returning guest who is dedicating her life to helping and inspiring ordinary people to do something extraordinary! In this episode, we are discussing…

• Why adventure is important
• Julia’s bucket list and how she’s tackling it
• How to prepare for long journeys
• Her new book, Live Your Bucket List
• And so much more…

Especially for women, type two fun is crucial. Type two fun is the type of fun that requires grit and confidence. It’s the type of fun where you’re met with adversity, but when you overcome it, you look back on the experience with such fondness and pride. 

It’s important to have type two fun for women in order for us to push ourselves, get out of our comfort zones, and experience life more fully. One great way to experience these adventures and this type of fun is through a bucket list, which is just what Julia Goodfellow Smith is doing! 

So many of my clients have been incredibly inspired by Julia, her last visit on the podcast, and her last book. To name a few…Julia has walked the Camino de Santiago more than once, which stretches nearly 500 miles. She has also cycled King Alfred’s Way among so many other things! 

• Julia Goodfellow-Smith website
• Julia Goodfellow-Smith “Walking the Camino” book
• Julia Goodfellow-Smith “Live Your Bucket List” book
• Julia Goodfellow-Smith on Facebook
• Julia Goodfellow-Smith on Instagram
• Julia Goodfellow-Smith on YouTube

Julia shares that she finds it best to train with a backpack on. More specifically, a heavier one than she may be used to. She recommends working up to 2-3 consecutive days of about 10 miles, since you don’t typically do much more than that per day. 

In addition to building up distance and time, you can also work on handling heavier weights, slowing building up your backpack weight.  Then when you actually complete your long hike, your actual backpack’s weight feels like a piece of cake! 

Preparing for long biking journeys can be very different from hiking journeys. You can easily be walking fit, but that may not cut it for a long distance bike ride. Here are some things that Julia incorporated into her workouts in order to train for her big ride in just 6 weeks…

- Spinning classes

- Practicing hills

- Longer distance flat rides 

- Paying attention to posture and positioning

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