Need Advice on Rucking...

[3 Star Marine Mom]

What kind of pack are you using and if it's one of the civvy go faster types has it been fitted properly?

I'm going to echo Cbacks comment, I'm a massive fan of Salamon's XA Pro 3d mids if your not going to be hitting terrain that makes a Chamois puke.

After a bit your going to notice hard limps on your feet where you build up a callus, use Pumice if you can get it to scour it down and get a good foot balm (neat feat is the one I use, don't get neat foot oil) and rub that liberally onto any cracks that you start getting in the skin.

My pack is a civilian pack, Bad Lands, but yes, I did get it fitted. I'm pretty small, well idk, 5'1" if I stand really tall, lol and bout an honest 125. I'm not certain yet if I can truly pull off doing the light weight category at 35lbs for a full 26.2 miles. I hope I can, but I would rather be smart rather than look stupid, ya know? After all, I don't want to draw unnecessary attention to myself and I'm not out to prove anything other than honoring our wounded veterans, my son's buddies KIA; taking it all in and finishing injury free. As far as my feet, I use Glide on my feet and rub it all over; have been using since I started running long distances and it works well for me.

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

Well,

 

[LibraryLady]

Use your locale to your advantage. White Sands is higher than you, but you've got elevation within easy reach to train. Lots of people will be learning that elevation can be a killer.

LL

 

[Centermass]

X2 on what 8675309 Marine said.

Don't baby your feet. It's always nice to soak them when they hurt, but your feet need to toughen up in addition to other remedies in order to reduce blistering.

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

X2 on what 8675309 Marine said.

Don't baby your feet. It's always nice to soak them when they hurt, but your feet need to toughen up in addition to other remedies in order to reduce blistering.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I have been doing my best to just let them be and allow them to toughen up. My bis xxs blister on my heel has healed now and the boots feel like they're getting broke in, so that's good. No new hot spots so far.

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

I have survived my first few weeks of rucking with my baby pack, but I did upgrade today. I just felt that it was so small and I didn't care for the way the bladder fit in the pack. Went with slightly bigger and it feels good. Feet are hanging in there, but it's time to go a little further now; at least get back up to my 6+ mile. I agree from those of you that initially commented, doing 6 off the top was foolish. But I think I'm ready now. I managed to run 2.7 of a 6.4 mile ruck the other day (just cause I got bored) with a 10.5lb pack, so I was pleased.

 

[x SF med]

... I managed to run 2.7 of a 6.4 mile ruck the other day (just cause I got bored) with a 10.5lb pack, so I was pleased.

Please, don't run with a ruck unless you have to.... it does horrendous things to many parts of your body, especially as weight increases... learn to step out further and smooth your stride, the less inertial displacement and 'bounce' the easier it is to go longer distances... if you get bored, use a friggin Walkman/ipod to occupy yourself... belay bad habits now before they become ingrained... or you will pay for them with major physical issues... knees, back, neck, neuro... ask any of the guys/gals who have 'humped a ruck' for a living... smooth is good with weight on your back.

Sorry to preach, but it's humid and cool here today... and my knees and back and feet are talking to me from years of abuse.

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

Please, don't run with a ruck unless you have to.... it does horrendous things to many parts of your body, especially as weight increases... learn to step out further and smooth your stride, the less inertial displacement and 'bounce' the easier it is to go longer distances... if you get bored, use a friggin Walkman/ipod to occupy yourself... belay bad habits now before they become ingrained... or you will pay for them with major physical issues... knees, back, neck, neuro... ask any of the guys/gals who have 'humped a ruck' for a living... smooth is good with weight on your back.

Sorry to preach, but it's humid and cool here today... and my knees and back and feet are talking to me from years of abuse.

Advice taken, i

 

[bradmc]

here are a few tips that we put together on ruck marching. More tips at bottom of article on double socks, foot care. Hope these tips help..
http://sealgrinderpt.com/navy-seal-workout/ruck-marching-tips.html/

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

here afee rally for work ( a few tips that we put together on ruck marching. More tips at bottom of article on double socks, foot care. Hope these tips help..
http://sealgrinderpt.com/navy-SEAL-workout/ruck-marching-tips.html/

Thanks for the link!,just got back from a rah rah ree pep talk session with my work ( that's meant to be sarcastic)...Even to just get away from people that never have gotten dirt under their fingernails, never fired a gun, no affiliation with the military, think we already pulled out of afghanistan and don't believe in the outdoors and ruck! Heading out after work tomorrow and start gaining a little more distance.

 

[3 Star Marine Mom]

Well, managed to go 7.6 miles today....comes out to be ab8ut 18:41 mile. Slow, but im not trying to win, I want to finish. The old blistered narly left heel did great. Has h8t spot on the right, stopped about 3 miles in, doctored it up and kept moving. Disappointed though, was shooting for 10 miles. Had 20lbs on and I definitely felt it when I was done. Wearing the pack high and tight to the body. Fear of failure drives me...I have to get past these hot spots....

 

[CDG]

I have to get past these hot spots....

Give it time. Keep rucking, and keep stopping to treat the hot spots. If treating them doesn't work, then call it off. You aren't doing yourself any favors if you push to the point of shredded feet and then can't ruck at all for a 2-3 weeks while it heals up. Rucking beats your body up, so you need to do everything you can to mitigate that. Take care of more than just your feet. Stay hydrated, do moblity work, foam roll, etc.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

About the only thing I can add here, is that if you are not use to cross country and are only training on the hardball, you will be in for a world of surprise. If you can hit any dirt trails or blaze your own path somewhere, there is a ton of benefit to getting of the hardball.

$.02

 

[Bluebird19]

Please, don't run with a ruck unless you have to.... it does horrendous things to many parts of your body, especially as weight increases... learn to step out further and smooth your stride, the less inertial displacement and 'bounce' the easier it is to go longer distances... if you get bored, use a friggin Walkman/ipod to occupy yourself... belay bad habits now before they become ingrained... or you will pay for them with major physical issues... knees, back, neck, neuro... ask any of the guys/gals who have 'humped a ruck' for a living... smooth is good with weight on your back.

Sorry to preach, but it's humid and cool here today... and my knees and back and feet are talking to me from years of abuse.

I can relate to the knee pain. I don’t have years of experience with rucking, but yesterday, for training, I did a 1:04:54 6 mile ruck march (sprinted at the end). The result after was that the right side of my knee cap on my right leg hurts a lot. I guess that’s why they call it a ruck march, not a ruck run.

 

[AWP]

I can relate to the knee pain. I don’t have years of experience with rucking, but yesterday, for training, I did a 1:04:54 6 mile ruck march (sprinted at the end). The result after was that the right side of my knee cap on my right leg hurts a lot. I guess that’s why they call it a ruck march, not a ruck run.

Some friendly advice? You have 8 posts, 2 of which are responding to really old posts. In this case, it is 1 month shy of a decade and also hasn't seen any new posts since 2013.

This thread was dead when you were nine.

Typically, bringing a thread back to life is frowned upon unless the new post adds to the discussion. Yours...did not.

You do you, but you will make your stay here easier with a little better situational awareness.

 

[Bluebird19]

Some friendly advice? You have 8 posts, 2 of which are responding to really old posts. In this case, it is 1 month shy of a decade and also hasn't seen any new posts since 2013.

This thread was dead when you were nine.

Typically, bringing a thread back to life is frowned upon unless the new post adds to the discussion. Yours...did not.

You do you, but you will make your stay here easier with a little better situational awareness.

Hi AWP. Noted. I appreciate your advice. I apologize for my mistake. Im still trying to learn how to properly participate in threads.