GoRuck Heavy Class 220
Veterans Day | Washington, DC
AAR
Time, preparation, and fortune converge in big moments in life, and if you truly have the luck component, special things happen. Individual accomplishments are nice, but when you can share accomplishments with others, you end up creating something you can honor together for a lifetime – truly a gift that keeps on giving.
9 PAX from Churham completely crushed the Veteran’s Day GoRuck Heavy in Washington, DC. The Heavy is an event that requires strength, endurance, teamwork, leadership, and most of all, mental fortitude. Countless hours of rucking are required. Ideally, countless hours of rucking while carrying things (coupons) are also logged (pun intended, need to get under those logs!). Preparation means getting your feet ready, learning how to rehydrate your body, having the right gear, and also accounting for the strong likelihood that one of your teammates will need something from you, be it water, first aid, or a piece of gear.
Rucking is like dying a slow death, or coming to a boil, or in our case, a freeze. Everything feels fine until you reach that point. Then you are not fine. Yes, at first you put your ruck on and it feels fine. But later, after carrying other things or doing PT, it feels like a million pounds of terror. Funny enough, you barely even remember it is there when the lights go on (off?) and the Cadre starts barking orders.
A common refrain among ruckers is these events cause folks to reveal their true colors. It is true. You are tired, you are cold, and even the strongest and fittest among you will not be able to complete all the reps at some point. So you have to ask yourself the question, who are you when the chips are down? Do you panic? Do you yell and scream at the interminable nothingness ahead of you? Do you help out when others are dead tired? Do you assume leadership, fall within the ranks, make yourself big or small? Each of us has to answer these questions at some point. The ruck exposes you in ways you may expect if you know yourself well enough, and also in ways you may not expect if you are lucky. For me, I am quick to frustration when things are not getting done or when I want to move on to something else. The ruck reminded me to have empathy for others, consider their situation first, and think of ways to help – all while shutting the, well, you know what, up.
Indeed, you will have dark moments in these events: plunging into ice-cold water with 18 hours ahead of you, doing 1.5 hours of Ruck PT, or moving 5 miles at a ruck-run pace. Whatever it is, you need to find a way to gear your mind: could be a happy place like thinking of your family, could be thinking of a pizza, could be thinking of fond memories of a more comfortable past. Whatever it is and however you work through it, you better come out of it not feeling sorry for yourself, because it does not get any easier!
That’s where F3 Churham steps in. The 9 of us had our ups and downs. We all saw darkness in some moments. But we certainly showed up and showed out in this event. Te’o, Coco, and Blindside, Heavy Veterans in their own right, bore a torch for each of us, steadying our pace, directing where necessary, and encouraging all the way. Adolphus, ever the fearless leader, stepped up to help us unscrew ourselves when we were, well, screwed. Peppermint Pattie volunteered for the toughest of all missions, giving it all selflessly while others were too tired or scared. Cheese Splint’s timing was impeccable, cracking a joke and smiling ear-to-ear, all while always carrying heavy stuff, in the coldest and most terrible of places. Marta motored through each challenge, carrying whatever was necessary (often times his badass SNEK, which he fashioned from an old fire hose), pushing us when we needed it most. Riggs proved a calm and capable leader every step of the way, carrying logs and figuring out logistics. It is too bad he is not a real doctor, but still a respectable EMT. And to say something of myself, I will sort of quote the great bodybuilder, Ronnie Coleman: everybody wants to do a GoRuck event, but ‘aint nobody want to get under this heavy ass log! It was my anthem and meant more than just getting under the log. Whether it was navigating (at times poorly) or pushing the pace, I tried to contribute where I felt I could make an impact. Do what no one else wants to do!
To end the prologue here, what you learn is that it is not about you. You are the least important person on the team. The best reminder of this comes from the Veterans, the real reason we were there. We honored veterans from WWII, Vietnam, and Korea. We spent 2 hours helping out with odds and ends in the VA retirement home, hearing folks’ stories and learning about their lives. We listened to story after story from the Cadres, about being in a low crawl dodging gunfire for 36 straight hours, about the unspeakable atrocities faced by soldiers in Afghanistan and Pakistan, about what it is like to come home and how hard transitioning to civilian life can be for many. No, it is not about me. It is not even about us. It is about everyone but you, and the sooner you can get to that realization and act with passion and purpose, the better off you will be, and the better off the group will be.
I know that I can be better. I know my team can be better. We are all discovering ways to get better at climbing our own mountains. But now we know that we can also climb together, and that bond will last indefinitely. To all my teammates, I’ll say this: thank you for rucking with me. I will go into battle with any of you, again.
Launch: WWII Memorial, 1800
At gear check, team realized we didn’t have flag, two Dawg fans MARTA and Elliot from Rome, GA went to buy one from a street vendor, putting in a slick 1.5mi run EC before STARTEX – then the flag eventually showed up after a solid 15min ass-chewing from Cadre Heath for utterly failing our first task of just having Old Glory on time.
Moved away from Memorial, in front of Washington Monument for index. Cadre Heath kicked us off, shortly after Cadre Chad rolled up in a sport coat blowing lunch darts wearing a blazer. Cadre Heath didn’t recognize him. “Are you part of the group?” “Naw, man, in the other Cadre.” Would have been such a baller move if he actually was a participant, rolled up late, bearded, business casual, puffing swisher sweets, and posting up next to Cadre rather than in the ranks.
30 indexed, time to get started with some IMTs
- Bounding (I’m up, he sees me, I’m down)
- High crawl
- Low crawl
- Inch worm
- Casualty carries
Given time to explore WWII memorial before heading out on first movement. Rain started coming down as we stepped off.
Movement 1 – WWII Memorial to Iwo Jima
TLs – Juicy and Nolan
Headed down Constitution – were supposed to stop at Cadre Chad’s car on 21st to pick up coupons, but TLs thought it was 23rd so we added another mile. Crossed over Potomac heading towards Arlington and went too far; missed our right turn (Sweats’ fault, thought a right turn at the cemetery would get us there faster, got greedy). Took our first casualties and costly ones, Blindside and MARTA, then took another and another as we tried to figure out how to work as a team. Took an ass-chewing from Eva. Had 9 casualties by the time we got to Iwo Jima. Conveniently there was a log waiting for us.
Movement 2 – Iwo Jima to Jefferson Memorial
TL – Cheese and Stu
Backtracked over the Potomac and made our way towards the Tidal Basin. Got an amazing look at the moon coming up over the Capitol. Stepped over a couple rats and arrived in a field just ahead of the monument. Team got the feeling something bad was about to go down when Cadre Chad told us to secure any electronics we have. Luckily we were allowed to take off any clothes we wanted before getting in. Cadre Chad actually referred to himself as Santa Claus for allowing us this. Most stripped down shoes and pants only.
Cadre asked for two strong swimmers. Of course, two Churham PAX volunteered. While everyone else was stripping down, Riggs and Peppermint Pattie headed over to the shoreline fully clothed to investigate the safety of what lay beneath the dark, foreboding surface. Cadre Chad asked for us to scout out the water to find an area with knee-deep water. We saw empty liquor bottles and the kind of foam that comes with really nasty water on the edge. Walking out a bit, we found only mid-calf deep water with concrete below. Riggs happened to look down and see some darker water. Riggs was thinking in his sleep-deprived mind, “Pep, look out, there’s a drop off!” Unfortunately he got out only “Pep” before Pep disappeared under the water. After getting out of that God-only-knows-how-deep-nastiness with a few choice words, Pep and Rigs continues the scouting only the find the same thing.
So into the Tidal Basin we went – first goal was 10 eight-count bodybuilders, but was quickly revised to 5 rocking chairs to ensure we felt the full effect of the water. Taking cold showers in the weeks leading up to the event helped, but nothing can truly prepare you for that kind of shock to the system.
Then quickly into PT to warm up – overhead claps, cherry pickers, push-ups, flutters, etc. – smokeshow, but we got warm.
Cadre Chad and Heath told us there would be a challenge from here on out at the start over every new movement. Simple, if we successfully complete the challenge, any previous casualties go away, if we fail previous causalities stay and we got another one.
Challenge: Buddy carry + chain
One person is alive. Everyone else is a casualty until carried about 20yds from entry gate to exit gate, whereupon casualty comes back to life and can return to entry gate to carry casualties and gear. 5min(?) to get everyone and all gear, rucks, team weights, and coupons thru exit gate. OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED. But Cadre Chad also informed us that we were not allowed to eat all night while he was in charge. Huge bummer, but part of the mental/physical challenge you expect.
Movement 3 – Jefferson Memorial to Capitol
TL – Adolphus and Elliot
Rucked around to front of Jefferson Memorial where Chad told us to crawl bear up the stairs to top and crabwalk down. Brutal wet, cold marble stairs. This was basically a backwards crawl on hands and knees for most. Once everyone was down, continued up towards the Mall, then took a right and headed to the Capitol. Met up with Cadre Chad at the far end of the Mall.
Challenge: Run with the snek and flag down to Washington Monument and bag (2 miles) in under 30 minutes.
Story time with Chad for an hour – Q&A. Got really freaking cold. Still wet from the Tidal Basin.
Movement 4 – Capital to MedStar
TL – Eva and Justina
North away from capital, east to Capitol.
Probably the darkest time for most of the team. I learned that carrying the flag through DC is no fun, because it is very heavy and cumbersome, and you have to dodge trees, barbed wire, and anything else that gets in your way. Others learned that taking a piss at 4am in the middle of DC can be challenging; we met more than one cop car on our way up north, many stopping to figure out just what the hell was going on.
Movement 5 – MedStar to park 1.5 miles away from Armed Forces Retirement Home
TL – Eva and Justina
PT with Chad until the sun came up – 90 minutes
- SSH x100
- Overhead claps x25
- Cherries x25
- Overhead claps x20
- Ruck press x25
- Overhead holds x25
- Rows x25
- Curls x25
- Flutters x25
- Hello Dollies x 5
- SSHx100
- Lunge walk to fence and back
- Bear crawl to fence, crab walk back
- SSH x100
- 8 ct body builders x50
Movement 6 – Park to Armed Forces Retirement Home
TL – Sweats and Pepp
Had 25 minutes to go 1.5 miles. Mission accomplished with no casualties. Had to hoof it up a hill to get there on time.
Challenge: Sprint up through the entrance gate to the gazebo in less than 60 seconds
Service Movement – Armed Forces Retirement Home
Heard inspiring words from Frank, ate some amazing peanut M&Ms and spent time with some amazing veterans. Ended up staying for a couple hours as two team members got lost as they spent time with a resident – blessing and a curse. Some guys helped hang things, others were tech support, helping residents in their rooms with random things, others organized closets.
Movement 7 – Armed Forces Retirement Home to Rock Creek Park
TL – Dennis and Nate
Difficult transition leaving the Retirement Home. Folks were tired, cranky, hungry, and not exactly warmed up anymore!
Took a casualty (Eva) for real, twisted her ankle but Cheese was there to inspect; she would med-drop
Heath threatened a dip in Rock Creek but never made good on it.
Challenge: Team gets up wall without any ropes. We had to make a human wall and get the entire team and all rucks up the wall and over the side of a bridge.
Movement 8 – Rock Creek Park to Pierce Mill
TL – Coco and Blindside
Stepped up the pace big-time – lots of running as we stayed on the hilly trail that weaved along the river
Challenge: Jeeps and Tanks (aka ‘literally the greatest game in the world); had to hold rucks to chest in duck walk screaming “Beep Beep I’m a Jeep” and then hold rucks out and scream “Clank Clank I’m a Tank!”
Movement 9 – Pierce Mill to Exorcist Stairs (Georgetown)
TL – Riggs and Te’o
Ridiculous hack – 3.8 miles in 55 minutes over ridiculous terrain. Tons of hills and lots of cross streets. Casualty every 5 minutes over the hack; we took 3 casualties.
Challenge: 22 casualties + rucks up Exorcist Stairs Churham went nuts here, pulling way more than its own weight in getting most of those casualties up the stairs. Those stairs are no joke! Legs were barking after one trip up!
Movement 10 – Exorcist Stairs to Roosevelt Island
TL –David and George
Brody made a brilliant navigator move and saved us a few minutes, getting us onto the right walking path to get over the bridge and to the island. Amazing scene as we crossed the bridge onto the island. People yelling out of cars, “USA!, USA! USA!”
Challenge: Fly a team member between the two ponds
Movement 11 – Roosevelt Island to Korean War Memorial
TL – Salsa and Shon
Cadre Chad threatened another dip in the water, this time with temps close to 30. Not funny. Hauled ass on this last leg of the trip. Salsa was born for this moment, launching inspiring command after inspiring command.
Movement 12 – Korean War Memorial to Vietnam Veterans Memorial
TL – Salsa and Shawn
Endex Friday 1800
30 started, 29 finished. 1 med drop
Total Distance: ~29 miles
Cadre messages:
- Best way to honor a veteran is to demonstrate patriotism
- Always look for work
- Welcome home a Vietnam vet
- Don’t go to your dark place
Highlights:
- Cadre Chad rolling up looking like he was going out to the bars and Heath telling him to ‘just go in the back,’ not realizing he was a Cadre
- Pep falling in the Tidal Basin and temporarily losing him under the water for a few seconds
- Guys stripped down running towards the Tidal Basin, about to do rocking chairs
- Crawl bears up wet, marble Jefferson Memorial steps
- Endless ruck PT with Cadre Chad, him doing jumping jacks while we floundered.
- Not being able to find Salsa and Justin at the Retirement Center
- Sun peaking through the fall foliage as we were kicking ass running with the ruck down Rock Creek
- The ridiculous hills on the movement to Georgetown
- Churham owning 90% of the buddy carries up the Exorcist Stairs
- Sunset on reflecting pool as we crushed the last movement
- Seeing the flag stiff in the breeze as we crossed the bridge over to Roosevelt Island