In less than a week,
I will be running in my first half-marathon in over two years. I’ve always been comfortable running 5k
distances and most of the time can relax while running 10 kilometers, but any
distance over 10 miles involves some thinking and preparation, no matter the
activity.
I still remember the
time that I went off on temporary duty (TDY) for five weeks while my Soldiers
prepared for a 12 mile ruck march. For
those who don’t know, a ruck march is a “favored” military activity in which
you walk quickly with some weight in your backpack. My male Soldiers had at least 25 pounds in
their rucksack while my female Soldiers carried at least 20 pounds. Since their training and the execution date
for their ruck march would occur while I was gone, I didn’t train at all, and
instead focused on my running. However,
the last week of my TDY, I got word that their scheduled ruck march was delayed
a week and not many of the unit’s leadership would be able to be out there to
do it with them; this event was at the company level, and I was in charge of a
platoon at the time. I didn’t have to
participate, but I passed word to my squad leaders and platoon sergeant that I
might do it with them. Now, for over about
two years, I had special ruck; I took a rucksack frame and mounted a radio
boombox on it with several bungee cords and little the necessary weights to
make the 25 pound minimum (I know some units say that the ruck should weigh at
least 35 pounds, but when you’re at post that likes to ride around in vehicles,
I don’t think “they” cared THAT much to keep up with the lighter units). Rucking involves a different pair of footgear
and for me, which includes a different stride and gait. And I had not prepared at all to do a ruck
march, much less a 12 mile one.
After I got home
from TDY, I prepped my ruck by replacing the batteries and checking the cords
to make sure the boombox wouldn’t rattle if I go fast. The next day was the ruck march and I met up
with my platoon to do it with them.
There were several mid-level NCOs (non-commissioned officers: staff
sergeants and regular ole sergeants) from the other platoons out there in
addition to my NCOs and me. In fact, I
was the only officer to be out there with the company for some reason. We start our march, and I start up my
boombox. I had a playlist already built
for an occasion like this, so we marched off to Army band music, because I
wanted it to sound serious in the company and battalion area, but once we hit
the last road, the music changed to songs associated with Hollywood war movies.
At the two mile
mark, one of the NCOs from another platoon quit. That really chapped my hide because I didn’t
get to prepare for five-six weeks and here’s this one guy who was supposed to
be setting an example and he just ups and quits. Went back to the company. His feet weren’t even hurting. That made me even more determined to finish
this with my platoon. So we continued on
the ruck march, probably to Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.”
I finished that ruck
march tired and a little sore, but amazingly with no blisters and just the
slightest heat spots on my feet.
This Saturday is the
True to the Brew half-marathon at Croft State Park. I have trained some, but nowhere near to the
extent that I wish I had. I have my
equipment for this race, to include new trail running shoes and for the first
time ever, I will be wearing a running vest.
I need one to carry a battery charger since I will be recording the race
with my GoPro and the Karma Grip (for stable footage to keep people from
getting motion sickness). I’ve tested my
electronics. I’ve worn my new trail
shoes for almost a month to make sure I’m familiar with how they feel. I’ve adjusted my running vest to (hopefully)
make sure it doesn’t jingle around while I’m running. Let’s hope that this preparation, to include
getting in several six mile (ten kilometer) runs in and an eight mile run will
help prepare me than that time I rucked without six weeks of practice.
