With the surge in popularity of thru-hiking in these last few years I was curious if anyone here is into long-distance hiking. I'm especially curious as to how that experience translated into Special Operations selection and training. I've met quite a few prior-service military folk on the trails and I have a friend from the CDT who is currently joining Navy Special Warfare so there seems to be a decent overlap in the populations.
I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2016 and hiked 1,860 miles of the Continental Divide Trail in 2018. Those experiences really re-lit the desire to pursue SF. I figured if I LIKED being out in the woods for months getting rained on, snowed on, being dirty, tired, hungry, and carrying a 35-55lb pack the whole time then there was a fair chance I would really enjoy life in SF.
Now I'm in the process of getting back in to pursue the dream. As part of my train-up I'm planning to do two long sections if I can swing the time off this year. I'm thinking 400 miles on the AT in May focused on building up strength and endurance with a 45lb total weight(yuck) and aim to cover 20-25 miles/day. Probably start somewhere in Virginia and go south. Some really gnarly long climbs in there. Then consolidate those gains at home with lifting/CrossFit and head back out in August on the Colorado trail with an ultralight set-up. Aim to jog the first 10 miles of my day and try to cover 30-35 miles/day up in elevation. Hopefully time this about a month before attending SFAS. Give myself 2-3 weeks to let everything heal back and be consolidated again after and hopefully go into selection with absolute monster rucking endurance and tough as nails feet.
I'd really love to hear other people's experiences with selection/hiking. If anyone's gone and done a thru-hike after the military or joined up after a long hike. How'd the two compare? I have a little basis being a former 11B but I'm really curious to know how long-distance hiking experience would translate into the long rucks and land nav at selection.
I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2016 and hiked 1,860 miles of the Continental Divide Trail in 2018. Those experiences really re-lit the desire to pursue SF. I figured if I LIKED being out in the woods for months getting rained on, snowed on, being dirty, tired, hungry, and carrying a 35-55lb pack the whole time then there was a fair chance I would really enjoy life in SF.
Now I'm in the process of getting back in to pursue the dream. As part of my train-up I'm planning to do two long sections if I can swing the time off this year. I'm thinking 400 miles on the AT in May focused on building up strength and endurance with a 45lb total weight(yuck) and aim to cover 20-25 miles/day. Probably start somewhere in Virginia and go south. Some really gnarly long climbs in there. Then consolidate those gains at home with lifting/CrossFit and head back out in August on the Colorado trail with an ultralight set-up. Aim to jog the first 10 miles of my day and try to cover 30-35 miles/day up in elevation. Hopefully time this about a month before attending SFAS. Give myself 2-3 weeks to let everything heal back and be consolidated again after and hopefully go into selection with absolute monster rucking endurance and tough as nails feet.
I'd really love to hear other people's experiences with selection/hiking. If anyone's gone and done a thru-hike after the military or joined up after a long hike. How'd the two compare? I have a little basis being a former 11B but I'm really curious to know how long-distance hiking experience would translate into the long rucks and land nav at selection.