Testing Your Rucking Training (Training with a Ruck Series Part 3 of 3)

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If you've been training with a ruck and you're

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starting to wonder what all this work is actually

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building toward, this episode is going to answer

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that question. Today we're covering the full

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landscape of ruck events, from beginner -friendly

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charity rucks and community events, all the way

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up to 24 -hour team challenges, selection -style

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military events, and endurance races. By the

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end of the episode, you'll know exactly what's

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out there, what each type of event demands, and

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how to pick the one that fits where you are right

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now. As ruckers, we typically train consistently,

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but we may never take the step towards an actual

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event. And I get it, it's a big leap, but if

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you've been putting in the work with no finish

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line in sight, today's episode might be exactly

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what changes that. You're listening to the Rucker's

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Edge podcast, a show all about rucking that is

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designed to help you improve your rucking routine,

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lose weight, and ultimately gain your strength

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and energy back. Each episode dives into the

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science, stories, and strategies behind rucking.

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You'll learn from top ruckers, coaches, health

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experts, and performance specialists who break

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down what it takes to train smarter, recover

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faster, and stay ready for the next challenge.

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So whether you're new to rucking or an experienced

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rucker that's already logged hundreds of miles,

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this is the show for you. I'm your host, Spencer.

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Thanks for listening in. All right, so this is

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episode three of a three -part series we've been

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building together. Episode 1 covered using your

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ruck for conditioning. We talked about intervals,

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hill repeats, EMOMs, strut gets, all of that.

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Episode 2 got into strength training with a ruck.

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So we talked about loaded carries, squats, presses,

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the whole thing. And now here in episode 3, this

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is the one where we actually answer the question

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most people will eventually ask that have put

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a ruck on. What am I training for? And I mean,

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obviously, we know why we started rucking for

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a majority of us, at least in my case and the

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circle around me. It was an entry into getting

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back into shape. But once we started getting

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in the shape, we started seriously training.

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And now we may not know exactly what we're training

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for. Training without a goal is fine. Plenty

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of people build solid fitness just by staying

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consistent with no event on the calendar. Like

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Terrence Ogden, for example, he was on the show

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a few weeks back. He stated how he trains to

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be ready. But some people aren't wired that way.

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Some people train harder, train more consistently,

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and enjoy the process more when there's something

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specific they're working towards, like a goal.

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And in the wrecking community, one type of goal

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we can set for ourselves is completing wrecking

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events, challenges, or races. You know, something

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that puts us at a starting line in six weeks

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time and forces us to prepare ourselves for that

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exact moment. And there's real psychology behind

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this. When you commit to a specific event, you

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give your training a deadline. And deadlines,

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even self -imposed ones, tend to make us take

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things more seriously. So what this episode is

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designed to do is give you a clear picture of

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what the Ruck event world looks like. Because

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if you don't know what's out there, you can't

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make a good choice. If you can't make a good

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choice, you'll keep training without a destination,

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which works for some people, like I mentioned,

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but not for others. We're going to go from the

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most accessible, approachable events all the

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way... to events that genuinely test the limits

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of what people are capable of. And I'll break

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down what each type of event involves, who it's

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built for, and what you need to prepare. And

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at the end, I'll sort of give you some ideas

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that would help you choose your first event based

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on what you actually want out of all of this.

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So let's get into it. Let's start at the ground

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level. You're new to rucking or you've been rucking

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for a while but have never done anything organized,

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this is the section for you. So the lowest barrier

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to entry in the ruck event world is probably

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your local area. I'm talking about charity rucks,

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memorial rucks, community ruck clubs, and organized

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group rucks that happen all over the country.

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These events are less about performance and more

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about participation. You show up with a ruck,

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you walk with a group, and you finish. That's

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it. There's no cutoff time, no strict weight

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requirements, and no... pulling you off the course

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for being too slow. If you've never done a rucking

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event before, this is a completely legitimate

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starting point. You're not just walking alone

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in your neighborhood. You're moving alongside

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people who show up for the same reason, the same

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purpose that you did. And the community piece

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is seriously underrated. Charity rucks specifically

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are great because the motivation is built in.

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You're not just finishing a route. You're raising

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money for something. It could be veterans organizations.

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fallen soldier memorials, local nonprofits. There

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are dozens of events structured this way, and

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they typically welcome all fitness levels. The

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9 -11 Memorial Ruck is one of the more well -known

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ones, but honestly, in most mid -sized cities,

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you can find something like this within a reasonable

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drive. Then you have community ruck clubs, which

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are really just organized group training that

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sometimes culminates in informal events or challenges.

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Go Ruck has something called Go Ruck Clubs, where

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local groups meet regularly to ruck together.

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These events themselves don't always have a competitive

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element. They're more about consistency and community.

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But being part of one of those groups often leads

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to people doing bigger events together, which

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is a natural progression. On the more structured

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side, a lot of running races have started adding

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ruck divisions. Your local 5K or 10K might have

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a ruck category where you complete the same course

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with a weighted pack. These are great because

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the infrastructure is already there, you know,

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timing, aid stations, and the finish line. And

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the ruck division often has a more relaxed atmosphere.

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You're not trying to set a 5K PR. You're just

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moving efficiently with weight and finishing

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strong. And if your local 5 or 10K race doesn't

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have a ruck category, reach out to them. Talk

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to them. Say, hey, you know, there's a movement

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out here, and I think you could probably get

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a lot of people signing up for a ruck category.

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Be the person that you want to see change in

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the world. Reach out to them. Try to get a category

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for rucking added to it. The weight standards

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in these divisions vary, but you'll commonly

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see something like 20 to 30 pounds for men and

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15 to 20 pounds for women. Some events are more

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flexible. The key is to check the specific event

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requirements before you register because they

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do differ. The point of this section is... for

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you to realize or know that you don't need to

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jump straight into a hardcore 12 -hour event

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to participate in a ruck community. There are

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options specifically designed to be accessible.

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Okay, so now let's step it up. For people who

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want to actually race, who want, you know, a

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clock placement or something measurable to chase,

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competitive rucking has grown a lot in recent

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years. The organization that's probably most

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worth knowing about here is Ruck Race League.

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Ruck Race League is currently in its second season,

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and it's a competitive rucking series that has

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been building a real presence in the endurance

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event world. They run time -rucked races at various

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distances, and they take the competitive side

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to it seriously. While they have built a pretty

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strong, close -knit community, some of these

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competitions are serious. There are weight standards,

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there are age group categories, and there are

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actual rankings. There's a leaderboard involved,

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which is really cool. What makes Ruck Race League

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interesting is that it treats rucking as an athletic

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discipline, not just a fitness activity. So if

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you've ever felt like rucking deserved more recognition

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as a legitimate sport, this is one of the organizations

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moving that needle. For these types of events,

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your pace and your weight matter. You can't just

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log a ruck in Strava with a vague amount of weight

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and a day pack and hope for the best. These events

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specify a minimum weight requirements and your

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finishing time is your finishing time. It's going

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to be compared to others. If you're competitive

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by nature, that structure is incredibly motivating.

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If you've been wondering how your rucking fitness

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stacks up against other people, that's going

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to be how you find out. From a training standpoint,

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if you're targeting a competitive ruck race,

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you need to put more thought into your pace.

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A lot of ruckers train at a comfortable zone

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two pace, and that's perfectly fine for general

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fitness. But if you're racing, you need to know

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what you can sustain at a faster pace with your

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target weight over that race distance. That means

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you actually need to do some pace work in your

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training, which we touched on in episode 43,

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the first episode in this training with a ruck

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series. Now we're getting into the territory

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that a lot of people associate most strongly

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with the word ruck. That's go ruck. If you've

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been in the rucking world for more than five

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minutes, you've probably heard the name. Let's

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break down what these go ruck events actually

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are. So starting out, go ruck events are they're

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they're team based endurance challenges led by

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a cadre. The events are not races. You don't

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finish first. You finish. as a team. And that

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distinction is core to the entire GoRuck philosophy.

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GoRuck runs a range of events at different difficulty

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levels. I'll walk you through the main ones so

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you know what you're looking at. We'll start

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with the GoRuck Basic. It typically runs around

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four to five hours and covers six to eight miles.

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The Basic is challenging, so don't let the name

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fool you, but it's designed to be completable

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by people who have been rucking consistently

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and have a reasonable base of fitness. There

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will be physical challenges along the way, team

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exercises and moments that are genuinely uncomfortable,

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but it's meant to be a positive first experience

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with the GORUCK format. The GORUCK Tough steps

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things up considerably, though. This is the classic

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GORUCK event. It runs around 10 to 12 hours and

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covers 15 to 20 miles, and the demands are significantly

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higher than the basic events. The Tough is where

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the GORUCK culture was really established. It's

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long enough that you go through multiple ways

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of feeling good and feeling terrible. The team

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dynamic becomes critical because when some people

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are struggling, others are carrying more of the

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load. The cadre running the event will push the

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team, and how the team responds together is a

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big part of what gets evaluated. Then there's

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go rec heavy. This one is serious. 24 hours,

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40 miles plus, and physical requirements that

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don't really... The heavy is not a beginner event

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by any stretch and even experienced Rutgers treat

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preparation for the heavy as a dedicated training

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cycle. Go ask Joe Baker from Joe Baker Fitness.

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A lot of people do heavy as part of a multi -event

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weekend and HTB, meaning heavy, tough, and basic

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back -to -back. If you go that route, one of

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the underrated challenges is actually managing

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the time between the events. You have to eat,

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sleep, and recover in a compressed window, and

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the temptation to quit between those events is

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real, from what I've told. Never done HTB, but

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I could totally see that. Sleep feels incredible

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when you're already depleted. Having a plan for

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your nutrition, your rest, and your mindset during

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those gaps is just as important as the training

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that got you there. What separates go -ruck events

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from most fitness events is the team component,

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like I mentioned before. In most endurance events,

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races, solo challenges, your performance is your

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performance. If you're struggling, that's your

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problem to manage. In go -ruck, your performance

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is the team's problem. If you're crushed, your

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teammates help. If your teammate is crushed,

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you help them. There's a lot of log carries,

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sandbag shuffling, and partner -supported movements

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built into these events specifically because

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they force the team to function as a unit. One

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thing people underestimate about Garruk is how

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much physical training or PT elements shapes

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the experience. The PT in these events will legitimately

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beat you down as the night wears on. Strong people

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lose their form. People get taken out not by

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the mileage, but by the physical tasks. Their

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bodies stop being able to execute the movements

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cleanly. That's useful to know because it changes

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how you prepare. It's not just about being able

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to ruck long distances. You need to be able to

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do the physical work with a ruck on your back

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repeatedly. over many hours. On the weight side,

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go -ruck challenge events require 20 -pound plates

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if you're under 150 pounds and 30 -pound plates

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if you're over 150 pounds. For the heavy, you

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also need to be comfortable getting under serious

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team weight. I'm talking heavy logs. If you're

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doing it heavy, you better be able to get under

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some pretty heavy things. One more gear note

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worth making here. For go -ruck specifically,

00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:29.220
using a pack designed for rucking with handles

00:12:29.220 --> 00:12:31.700
on all sides is a legitimate recommendation.

00:12:32.940 --> 00:12:34.679
These packs are built around the weight plate

00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:36.940
system and the physical training movements. So

00:12:36.940 --> 00:12:39.039
when you're taking your ruck on and off under

00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.580
pressure, getting to the ground and back up repeatedly,

00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:44.559
the design really matters. It's one of those

00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.340
cases where the purpose built tool actually is

00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:50.600
the right tool for the job. The collective suffering

00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:52.700
aspect is either exactly what you're looking

00:12:52.700 --> 00:12:55.340
for, or it sounds like a nightmare. And your

00:12:55.340 --> 00:12:57.720
reaction to that description is probably a decent

00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:00.460
signal for whether GoRuck is the right fit for

00:13:00.460 --> 00:13:03.779
you. Some people find that shared. misery, incredibly

00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:07.000
bonding, and motivating. Other people would rather

00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:09.220
suffer alone on their own terms. Neither preference

00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:11.960
is wrong. It's just a useful thing to know about

00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.679
yourself before you register. For preparation,

00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:17.279
go -ruck events require a solid rucking base,

00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:19.679
some capacity for body weight movements, you

00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.159
know, push -ups, flutter kicks, that sort of

00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:24.740
thing, and the ability to get on and off the

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:27.590
ground with a loaded ruck quickly. If you want

00:13:27.590 --> 00:13:29.870
to stress test your readiness before an event,

00:13:30.090 --> 00:13:32.870
there's a go -ruck drill developed by Cadre Cleave

00:13:32.870 --> 00:13:35.929
called the Deck of Death, and that covers a lot

00:13:35.929 --> 00:13:37.590
of the movement patterns you'll actually see.

00:13:38.090 --> 00:13:40.870
So eight counts, ruck swings, floor kicks with

00:13:40.870 --> 00:13:44.049
a ruck overhead, that kind of thing. Running

00:13:44.049 --> 00:13:45.830
through it gives you an honest picture of where

00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:48.610
your gaps are. The physical preparation is real,

00:13:48.730 --> 00:13:50.690
but a lot of people who've done go -ruck events

00:13:50.690 --> 00:13:52.529
will tell you that the mental side of things

00:13:52.529 --> 00:13:55.759
is actually what gets tested. Being cold, tired,

00:13:55.820 --> 00:13:57.840
and hungry at 2 a .m. while a cadre is asking

00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:00.220
your team to pick up a log, that's where mental

00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:03.200
toughness either shows up or it doesn't. Before

00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:05.139
I go into the last type of rucking event I'm

00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:07.000
going to cover today, I want to say thanks for

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:09.220
listening to the episode. If you have a friend

00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:11.720
or know a fellow rucker that has expressed interest

00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.139
in any of these events, text this episode to

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:15.899
them. It might help them decide which one to

00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:17.960
choose or give them the motivation they need

00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:20.960
to pull the trigger and register already. Okay.

00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:24.059
So now that we've talked about the team events,

00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:27.580
let's talk about some solo endurance events.

00:14:28.409 --> 00:14:30.690
And I'm specifically thinking of Green Beret

00:14:30.690 --> 00:14:33.330
Fitness. Before I get into this, I want to give

00:14:33.330 --> 00:14:35.929
a quick credit here. A lot of what I know about

00:14:35.929 --> 00:14:38.389
the practical differences between Go Ruck and

00:14:38.389 --> 00:14:40.529
Green Beret Fitness comes from a former guest

00:14:40.529 --> 00:14:43.070
on the podcast, Sam Svetkovsky. You may remember

00:14:43.070 --> 00:14:46.129
her from episode 36, where we talked about why

00:14:46.129 --> 00:14:48.850
runners should ruck. She's done multiple Go Ruck

00:14:48.850 --> 00:14:50.970
events, including a heavy, and she's done Green

00:14:50.970 --> 00:14:53.809
Beret Fitness events, including Operation Ocala

00:14:53.809 --> 00:14:57.100
and Operation Black Bear. Her firsthand breakdowns

00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.419
are some of the most useful and honest writing

00:14:59.419 --> 00:15:02.259
on the topic I've come across. So I suggest go

00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:05.179
and give it a read. It's over on her blog at

00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:08.799
ruckwithsam .com. Green Beret Fitness runs events

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:12.059
that are modeled more closely on special forces

00:15:12.059 --> 00:15:14.799
selection processes. And the first thing to understand

00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.600
about these events is that they are fundamentally

00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:19.500
different from Go Ruck in one very important

00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:21.759
way. And I already alluded to this in the intro

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.240
of this section. They are individual. GORUCK

00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:27.840
is always a team event. In Green Beret Fitness

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:31.200
events, you're on your own. Nobody can carry

00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:33.740
weight for you. Nobody can take a task off your

00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:36.100
plate when you're struggling. You might start

00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:38.960
alongside other people and you might even move

00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.379
for a stretch with someone, but there's no guarantee

00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:43.360
you're going to finish with them. That distinction

00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:46.340
shapes everything about how these events feel.

00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:48.799
In GoRuck, you have a team around you, people

00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:51.320
to talk to, someone to share the load with when

00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:53.539
you're spent, you know, someone to hand you a

00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:56.299
snack at 2 a .m. But in Green Beret Fitness,

00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.090
if you feel like garbage, that's just... your

00:15:59.090 --> 00:16:02.029
situation to manage. Sam described a stretch

00:16:02.029 --> 00:16:05.690
during Operation Ocala where she was tired, alone,

00:16:05.850 --> 00:16:09.309
and freezing, and three miles felt like a lifetime.

00:16:09.549 --> 00:16:12.250
She had another stretch like that later in the

00:16:12.250 --> 00:16:15.009
same event, even more exhausted and still no

00:16:15.009 --> 00:16:18.710
one to pull her along. Just her, her own mind,

00:16:18.769 --> 00:16:22.019
for however many hours it took to reach. the

00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:24.679
next checkpoint. From a terrain standpoint, Green

00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:26.899
Beret fitness events are dramatically different

00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:30.360
from Garak. You're on actual trails in real wilderness.

00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:33.480
There's elevation, you know, there can be sand

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.200
loose gravel, you know, pond crossings, mud,

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:40.019
fallen trees. Mountain events have serious elevation

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.919
changes. You're going up peaks and back down.

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:45.759
And Sam describes the scenery as genuinely beautiful,

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:48.580
which is worth something. But it also means you're

00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:51.419
navigating terrain that changes sometimes and

00:16:51.419 --> 00:16:54.639
doesn't cooperate. The navigation element is

00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.879
a big deal in Green Beret fitness. Routes are

00:16:57.879 --> 00:17:00.759
typically shared ahead of time. From my understanding,

00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.419
you usually get a route on all trails or something

00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:06.059
similar. But navigating that route accurately

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:09.460
under time pressure and fatigue is another thing

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:12.819
entirely. Taking a wrong turn doesn't just cost

00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:16.240
you time, it's costing you miles and time on

00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:19.240
your feet. There's no physical training in Green

00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:22.779
Beret fitness events, no group exercises, no

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:26.019
cadre -directed physical tasks. The challenge

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:28.519
is purely about moving through terrain with weight,

00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:30.859
managing your time, and making good decisions

00:17:30.859 --> 00:17:34.259
over a long duration. The gear and nutrition

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:36.579
demands for Greenbrae fitness events are also

00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:39.259
higher than Go Rock in one specific way. These

00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:42.819
events are largely self -supported. Like I mentioned

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:45.740
before, this is a solo situation. So you're carrying

00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:48.000
your food, you carry your water, you carry your

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.980
emergency gear. There's no aid station around

00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:52.839
the corner. Even if an event is projected to

00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:55.619
take you six to eight hours, plan for it taking

00:17:55.619 --> 00:17:58.940
much longer than that. Don't cut corners on water

00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:01.319
and food weight to save a few pounds because

00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:04.000
you might need those calories way more than you

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:08.359
need a lighter pack for the event. The weight

00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:10.559
requirements for Green Beret fitness events are

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.759
set as dry weight, meaning the required weight

00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.299
before food and water are added. That number

00:18:17.299 --> 00:18:19.579
varies by event, so check your specific event

00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:23.200
page. Once you add real nutrition for a multi

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.059
-hour day in the field, your pack gets heavier

00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:29.700
fast. So factor that in when you're doing your

00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:32.440
planning. The mental and physical demands are

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.440
layered in a way that's specifically intended

00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.380
to stress test your judgment, not just your legs.

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:39.980
You can't autopilot through a navigation challenge

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:43.400
at hour 10. You have to think clearly when you're

00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:45.920
tired, which is one of the most underappreciated

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:49.720
skills in any endurance context. So managing

00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:51.900
uncertainty, staying calm when you're behind

00:18:51.900 --> 00:18:54.220
pace, making smart decisions about your pace

00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:57.160
and your resources. That's what these events

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:59.420
are actually testing. For someone considering

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:01.539
this type of event, it looks like the baseline

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:04.400
fitness requirements are meaningfully higher

00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.079
than a beginner go -ruck basic. Running should

00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.750
be part of your preparation. You'll likely need

00:19:10.750 --> 00:19:13.029
to move faster at a Green Beret fitness than

00:19:13.029 --> 00:19:15.089
you would at a go -ruck challenge, and the terrain

00:19:15.089 --> 00:19:17.230
demands athletic movement, not just sustained

00:19:17.230 --> 00:19:20.349
heavy walking. A solid Green Beret fitness training

00:19:20.349 --> 00:19:23.250
approach includes rucking, running, hiking with

00:19:23.250 --> 00:19:27.430
elevation, and strength work. And lastly, I know

00:19:27.430 --> 00:19:29.269
I talked about it a little bit, and honestly,

00:19:29.390 --> 00:19:32.349
this part is the most intriguing to me personally,

00:19:32.609 --> 00:19:36.529
is navigation skills. They are worth developing

00:19:36.529 --> 00:19:39.009
if you're seriously considering this path of

00:19:39.009 --> 00:19:41.410
Greenberry Fitness Challenges. I can see how

00:19:41.410 --> 00:19:44.470
some people would show up to this event, maybe

00:19:44.470 --> 00:19:47.849
not ever using a map and a compass in a high

00:19:47.849 --> 00:19:51.589
pressure context. And that's a gap that training

00:19:51.589 --> 00:19:54.730
can close, but you have to actually work on it.

00:19:54.829 --> 00:19:58.250
So spending time on land, navigating before your

00:19:58.250 --> 00:20:01.490
first event is not optional if you want to have

00:20:01.490 --> 00:20:04.569
a good experience. Okay, so you've heard Pretty

00:20:04.569 --> 00:20:07.210
much the full landscape. Now the question is,

00:20:07.230 --> 00:20:11.230
which event is right for you? The key is to figure

00:20:11.230 --> 00:20:14.029
out what you actually want to get out of your

00:20:14.029 --> 00:20:17.190
first event and then match the event type to

00:20:17.190 --> 00:20:19.650
that goal. We kind of went over all this, but

00:20:19.650 --> 00:20:24.349
if what you want is community, go GORUCK. Specifically

00:20:24.349 --> 00:20:28.259
start with the basic. The Go Ruck community is

00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:30.640
genuinely strong. The events are organized well,

00:20:30.740 --> 00:20:32.579
and there is something about suffering alongside

00:20:32.579 --> 00:20:34.859
strangers that bonds people in a way that most

00:20:34.859 --> 00:20:38.319
social fitness experiences really don't. If you

00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:40.039
want to do rucking with other people and feel

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:41.839
like part of something bigger, Go Ruck is built

00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.319
for exactly that. Register for a basic within

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:46.700
a reasonable drive, and then put in the three

00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:48.799
to four months of consistent training and show

00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.680
up ready to work. If you want competition, look

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:53.579
at Ruck Race League or... Ruck divisions within

00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:56.660
existing endurance races. These events give you

00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:59.140
a clock, a placement, and a number to chase.

00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:02.759
They're perfect if you're motivated by comparison.

00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:05.779
Not in an unhealthy way, but in the sense that

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:07.920
knowing your time and knowing how you stack up

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:10.519
against people is what motivates you and pushes

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:13.299
you to train harder. So find a local event with

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.740
a ruck division, pick a target pace, and build

00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:18.859
a focused training block around that pace and

00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:23.500
distance. And lastly, if what you want is a personal

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:25.579
challenge, something internal, something you

00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:29.039
can point to and say you did that and be proud

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:31.559
of it, long distance events and solo endurance

00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:33.880
rucks like Green Beret Fitness Events might be

00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:37.220
your path. It just requires you and a lot of

00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:39.019
time on your feet. All right, so that's the full

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:41.599
picture. We went from charity rucks and community

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:44.480
events through competitive racing and team challenges

00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:47.420
and all the way through long distance endurance.

00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:50.359
events through Green Beret Fitness. Okay, so

00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:53.519
relating back to this series we're doing, here's

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.740
what I want you to walk away with. So episode

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:58.599
one gave you the tools to build serious conditioning

00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:01.900
with a ruck. Episode two showed you how to build

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:05.240
strength without needing a gym. And this episode,

00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:07.940
the third episode in this series, has given you

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:11.380
a destination. You have a clear map of what the

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:14.200
ruck event world looks like, and you have a simple

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:16.640
framework to pick the path that's right for you.

00:22:17.049 --> 00:22:20.369
Lastly, I want to close with three insights on

00:22:20.369 --> 00:22:23.670
preparing for one of these events. The first

00:22:23.670 --> 00:22:26.589
one, give yourself enough lead time. For a beginner

00:22:26.589 --> 00:22:29.509
-friendly event, eight to 12 weeks of focused

00:22:29.509 --> 00:22:32.210
preparation is reasonable. For a go -ruck tough

00:22:32.210 --> 00:22:34.930
or selection -style event, plan for four to six

00:22:34.930 --> 00:22:37.589
months minimum if your base isn't already strong.

00:22:38.430 --> 00:22:41.710
For a significant long endurance event, treat

00:22:41.710 --> 00:22:45.309
it like a multi -year goal. Number two, train

00:22:45.309 --> 00:22:47.569
with your gear. Whatever pack you're using to

00:22:47.569 --> 00:22:49.869
use at the event, train with it. Whatever weight,

00:22:50.029 --> 00:22:53.569
train with it. Show up at any event with unfamiliar

00:22:53.569 --> 00:22:56.210
gear and you're adding an unnecessary variable

00:22:56.210 --> 00:23:00.089
to any already challenging day. You see this

00:23:00.089 --> 00:23:01.950
a lot in running forums where people are talking

00:23:01.950 --> 00:23:03.930
about what people need to be doing for their

00:23:03.930 --> 00:23:08.869
first half marathon or first marathon. tips is

00:23:08.869 --> 00:23:12.589
don't try any new food on race day because you

00:23:12.589 --> 00:23:14.190
just you have no idea how your body is going

00:23:14.190 --> 00:23:16.329
to react to it so we're simulating here train

00:23:16.329 --> 00:23:18.349
with your gear know how it functions on your

00:23:18.349 --> 00:23:22.720
body set yourself up for success And the last

00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:25.259
of the three insights to conclude this episode,

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:28.339
don't underestimate foot care. Blisters are the

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:31.180
most common reason people have miserable event

00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:33.700
experiences and they're largely preventable.

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:36.960
Find your sock system, break in your footwear

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.220
and know how to manage hotspots before they become

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:42.359
full blisters. And speaking of footwear, if you

00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:45.059
haven't already, hit subscribe or follow because

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:48.200
in next week, I talk with Alex Thrasher. He's

00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:50.740
the founder of Mudgear and we discuss all things.

00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:53.779
foot care and blister prevention. Really cool

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:56.960
dude. Had a fantastic time talking to him. I

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.079
don't think you're going to like that episode,

00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:01.220
but that's it for today. Thanks for listening

00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:03.440
to this episode of the Rutgers Edge.