I had done a Light last year, and I scheduled my first Challenge in Cincinnati, OH on March 21. It was awesome. Big Daddy was Cadre and he beat us. Our group was strong and he pushed us. I was definitely challenged.
As April became May, and the Chicago Heavy was coming, I became quite nervous about the event. I haven't been nervous about an event in a long while. But every time I thought about the Heavy, my stomach would turn a little bit and I kind of felt like I was going to poop my pants. Could I do it? 24 hours or more, over 30 miles??? That's insanity!
But I had people in my corner. Recently, Spartan Races posted a motivational meme that says "Every time I think about giving up, I think of all the mother******* I have to prove wrong." Not me. I have supporters, people who think I can do amazing things they themselves are incapable of doing. I wanted to prove them right.
So I showed up. There I was, just before 6pm on Friday, May 23 on the grass across from Soldier Field, waiting for the Cadre to enter. Soon enough we were getting started. My demons showed up on the 12 mile ruck march.
The Challenge in March really hurt my hips. I could hardly walk afterwards and every time I did anything longer than an hour they would flare up. Somewhere in that time frame I developed a (self-diagnosed) case of plantar fasciitis in my right heel. Both of these showed up during the ruck march. I thought to myself that if they hurt this much already, how bad would it be over the next 18+ hours? That thought was too much to handle. Thinking was the enemy.
Fortunately for me, I had two buddies with me. Bill and Jacob had done the Fugitive Run with me and Bill the SISU F.O.R.G.E. ruck (among a bunch of other events) with me. Having these two guys there with me kept me from quitting right there. If I were alone, I probably would have been done.
GORUCK Heavy Tip #1: Bring a friend! You need someone there to share the burden with. I can't imagine going it alone. I now know why the Buddy Pass was created.
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| From left to right: Andy Packard, Jacob Sipes, Bill Vernon, and me. This is before the Heavy began. |
After a short break to eat and check on our feet, we got to business. The rest of the time was a mixture of crazy physical activities mixed with learning. It was incredible. Physically and mentally draining, but rewarding and fun. Yes, I said it, it was fun. So here are a few other tips:
GORUCK Heavy Tip #2: Live in the moment. Do not, I repeat: Do not, think ahead. Cadre Luke said "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." That's how you complete a GORUCK Heavy, one step at a time. If you think about how much more you'll do, it will overwhelm you.
GORUCK Heavy Tip #3: Don't worry about food. Apparently food is a crutch. The Cadre take it away sometimes and it messes with your head. Let me tell you this: you can survive a day with no food! I put it in my mind beforehand that I would be fine even if I never ate. During the event eating became a bonus and lifted my spirits. There were some among us that got really down without having any food. It's all mental, though.
GORUCK Heavy Tip #4: Get your head right. Here's the truth: you are going to mess up. You can try your best, but the Cadre will find something to make you "fail". Just accept it and move on. This goes back to the "live in the moment" tip. You can't do a thing about what you did, just keep going and keep improving.
GORUCK Heavy Tip #5: Do your part. That "coupon" isn't going to carry itself, now is it? Does it suck? Yes. Are you tired? Yes. Do your feet hurt? Yes. Do your shoulders hurt? Yes. News flash: everyone else is in the same condition! You don't have to be Atlas and carry it for eternity. Get under the weight, pick out a point ahead of you, carry it to that point and call in a replacement. Then repeat. You will help your team and it probably won't be as bad as you think. Also, don't quit because you think you're holding the team back. That's weenie talk for "I quit." Battle through those thoughts, keep trying, and I promise nobody (that matters) will care that you went dark for a minute.
GORUCK Heavy Tip #6: Have fun! If you are out there to "prove those mother******* wrong" or trying to look like some bad mammajamma, you're not helping the team. Heavy is supposed to be hard, and it will be. Take pride in getting everyone to the finish line. We got 40 out of 42 (one was a med drop) to the finish. Smile and talk to people. Find out their name, ask them how they are doing. Ask them what they do, where they are from, anything! It will help get their mind right and will help them trust you. "Teamwork is key." Enjoy what you are doing because you can. Some day you won't be capable of doing this stuff so look around, take in a deep breath, and smile because you are doing something amazing.
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| GORUCK Heavy #039 |
GORUCK Heavy is not for everyone. If you think it's for you, sign up and come in with only one possible outcome: a patch. Do your best and enjoy yourself. Take it all in. That's what GORUCK is about.
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