Training for the GR5: How Do You Prepare to Walk 2,200km Across Europe?

One of the questions I've been asked the most since announcing my GR5 adventure is:

"How do you train to walk 2,200 kilometres?"

The honest answer?

You don't.

At least, not in the way most people think.

There isn't a training plan in the world that can prepare you to walk every day for around 70 days. It's simply not possible.

If I tried to train for the full distance before leaving, I'd almost certainly arrive at the start line exhausted, injured, or both.

Instead, my training has had a very different focus.

I'm training for the first 7-10 days.

I'm training to minimise the risk of injury.

I'm training to arrive healthy, strong and confident.

Because I know from experience that after those first few days, something amazing starts to happen...

You become hiker fit.

Building on Six Months of Consistency

Although my structured GR5 training only started in April, the reality is that I had already spent six months rebuilding my fitness after completing the GR10.

Recovery is part of training.

Over those six months I focused on rebuilding strength and creating consistency.

Each week generally included:

• One Personal Training session with Franco

• One independent strength session

• One group strength session

So before I even started thinking about the GR5, I already had a solid strength base to build from.

That foundation made a huge difference.

Strength Before Endurance

One of the biggest changes in how I prepare for expeditions now compared to ten years ago is how much emphasis I place on strength training.

I don't train to become a powerlifter.

I train because stronger muscles protect joints, improve stability, reduce injury risk and make carrying a backpack for weeks on end much more manageable.

One of my weekly sessions with Franco combines mobility and strength work, so I'm also ensuring I spend dedicated time improving movement quality rather than simply lifting heavier weights.

Do I do enough mobility outside of that?

Probably not!

I love Yin Yoga and know how beneficial it is, but I'm realistic enough to admit that I'm not perfectly consistent. Some weeks I fit in several sessions, other weeks none at all.

Progress over perfection.

Recovery is Part of the GR5 Training Plan

I'm incredibly fortunate to work at a health and wellness clinic where I have access to recovery treatments including:

• Red light therapy

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

• Compression boots

• Cryotherapy

I also regularly use an acupressure mat at home before bed, which I absolutely love.

Recovery isn't something I squeeze in if I have time.

Recovery is training.

The better I recover, the more consistent I can be.

Phase One: Building the Engine

Knowing I had several trips to London already planned during May helped shape my training.

Rather than seeing those interruptions as a problem, I built them into the programme.

Phase One focused on building my aerobic base and gradually increasing my training load.

The emphasis was on:

• Long easy walks

• Increasing time on feet

• Carrying a progressively heavier pack

• Incline treadmill hiking

• Easy cycling to build aerobic fitness without additional impact

• Continuing consistent strength training

The pack weight gradually increased from around 6kg to 9kg and eventually to around 11kg for selected sessions.

One thing I've become much better at over the years is understanding that endurance training doesn't need to feel hard every single day.

In fact, much of my aerobic training has been deliberately easy.

Easy enough that at times it almost felt too easy.

But that's exactly the point.

The goal isn't to become tired.

The goal is to build an engine that can keep moving all day and recover overnight.

Listening to My Body

One thing I've become increasingly aware of is how my menstrual cycle affects training.

Around ovulation I generally feel stronger and recover more quickly.

During my period I sometimes need to reduce the intensity or volume.

Rather than fighting against that, I've learned to work with it.

Training isn't about blindly following a spreadsheet.

It's about listening to your body while still maintaining consistency over the long term.

The Power of Back-to-Back Days

If there is one type of session I believe has prepared me more than any other, it's back-to-back endurance days.

For example:

Sunday:

• Five-hour walk with a loaded pack

Monday:

• Three to four-hour walk with the same pack

Tuesday:

• Recovery

This teaches your body something that a single long walk never can.

It teaches you how to move when you're already tired.

That's exactly what happens on a multi-day expedition.

Time on Your Feet

People often ask whether they should run, cycle or spend more time in the gym.

All of those things can help.

But nothing replaces time on your feet.

Walking is a skill.

Carrying a pack is a skill.

Looking after your feet is a skill.

The more time you spend doing those things before a long-distance hike, the easier the transition becomes.

Nutrition

One area I've worked hard on throughout training is protein intake.

Like many people, I find it difficult to consume enough protein through food alone, particularly after long training days, so I regularly supplement with protein powder to help support recovery.

Sleeping well, eating well and staying hydrated have become just as important as the training itself.

Phase Two: Becoming Specific

After a planned recovery week in London—which included more stretching, mobility work, Peloton rides and, thanks to a heatwave, a fair amount of sitting in the sunshine—I moved into Phase Two.

The focus shifted from simply building fitness to becoming more specific.

The long walks became longer.

My longest training days reached around six hours and 30km carrying an 11kg pack, maintaining an average walking speed of around 5.2km/h.

Interestingly, almost all of this training was completed on relatively flat terrain.

Some people questioned why I wasn't searching out hills.

The answer is simple.

The first 1,000 kilometres of the GR5 are predominantly flat.

I wanted my training to reflect the reality of the challenge.

Specificity matters.

The Two Saints Way: My Dress Rehearsal

The biggest training block was walking the Two Saints Way over five days.

This wasn't about proving how tough I was.

It was about testing everything.

My gear.

My systems.

My recovery.

My nutrition.

My pacing.

My mindset.

It was a full dress rehearsal for the GR5.

As a bonus, there wasn't currently a recorded women's fastest known time for the route, so by completing it I established the first women's time.

That was a lovely achievement, but the real value of the trip came from everything I learned.

The biggest lesson?

Heat.

Temperatures exceeded 30°C during the walk and I quickly realised I need a proper heat management strategy for the GR5.

That means:

• Starting earlier.

• Taking breaks during the hottest part of the day.

• Drinking enough water and electrolytes.

• Using shade whenever possible.

• Accepting that slowing down is sometimes the smartest decision.

Experience Matters

I'm now in my forties.

Recovery isn't quite as quick as it once was.

But experience counts for a lot.

I've walked the Appalachian Trail.

The Te Araroa Trail.

The Camino.

The GR10.

The GR20.

And many other long-distance routes.

I've learned what works for me.

I've learned what doesn't.

That knowledge is worth far more than simply adding another few miles to a training week.

The Final Few Weeks

As I get closer to the start, the goal changes.

It's no longer about getting fitter.

It's about staying healthy.

My priorities become:

• Sleep well.

• Eat well.

• Hydrate well.

• Stay consistent.

• Avoid injury.

• Arrive mentally calm.

• Arrive confident.

I'd always rather arrive slightly under-trained than over-trained.

The Goal Isn't More

People often think preparing for a challenge like this means doing more.

More miles.

More strength sessions.

More suffering.

But that's never been my approach.

For me, it's about balance.

Doing enough to strengthen the body.

Doing enough to strengthen the mind.

Doing enough to arrive knowing I've done the work.

Because I know what happens after those first few days.

The body adapts.

It always does.

I'll become hiker fit.

My feet, joints and muscles will adjust to the rhythm of walking every day.

The challenge then becomes less about fitness and more about consistency.

One step.

Then another.

Then another.

And before you know it, you've walked across Europe.