Rucking University Class 003 AAR

The Classroom

Rucking and Social Fitness w/ Cadre Garrett

Sustain: Presentation of Active Resistance Training and the fundamentals.

Improve: More time spent on the nuts-and-bolts of cultivating and running a rucking club. Facebook vs emails, how often to meet, naming/branding, voting/leadership structure, etc.

Rucking History w/ Cadre Garrett

Sustain: I really enjoyed this, even though it was mostly “filler content” between the more practical/useful instruction.

Improve: Maybe examples of the Haversack, 1943 Mountain Ruck, ALICE, MOLLE, etc for people to try out. I understand they can’t get too far into modern carrying equipment without discussing GORUCK’s market competition. Would also be interested in seeing foreign ruck examples, particularly the British and alpine nations.

Hydration & Nutrition w/ Cadre Garrett

Sustain: Everything. This was the best block of instruction. Good, practical info from both Cadre and other athletes in the class on volumes, ratios, types of food and hydration rates. 

Improve: Nothing

Choosing, Sizing, & Packing Rucks w/ Cadre CT
I kinda tuned out during this one since my ruck/water/weight was all good to go. Cadre CT walked everyone through how to pack a ruck snugly and with the weight high and tight. Part of this became a seminar on “why GORUCK is the best.” Which… I dunno. They are about 50% a gear company you can’t blame them for being proud of their product, but it's kind of preaching to the converted. The people present are either already users or coming from a tactical/military background where they developed their own preferences with other equipment.

Overall

Sustain: Getting the perspectives from 2 Cadre. Brunch was at the perfect time for a break in material and to allow digestion prior to the Light. 

Improve: The projector use was a real weak point for an outdoor class.

The Light

Started with a circuit-based ruck workout. Thrusters, Air-squats, Push-ups, Hillclimbs, Flutter Kicks, I think. Groups were random - not scaled by ability - so some people were not challenged while others were really pushed to their limit.

After that, refilled on water and split into platoons with one Cadre each. Deliver-artillery mission, short dip in a pond, leisurely ruck around the hill and back up for a blister/footcare class.

Sustain: Blister class and patch ceremony on top of the hill was cool.

Improve: I’ve never done a Light before, but it seemed pretty easy and short. Cadre Garrett was very clear that this was the minimum time allowed to earn a light patch. I didn’t expect a real soul-crusher since it’s supposed to be a welcoming introduction to rucking and I know we were up against the hard timehack of starting the 5k, but maybe some casualties, maybe some buddy carries/guerrilla drills?

Rucking University Class 003

Kill That 5K

A little rushed for those of us coming from Rucking University graduation. Definitely should have re-applied sunscreen. No one was really clear on weight classes or heats for the race (answer: 1 start time for everyone, no weight classes). Free jerky from Jack Links was nice. I didn’t see anyone take advantage of the food truck they had arranged for, though. Course volunteers were friendly and gave me position updates at each intersection.

Sustain: Jerky beforehand, electrolyte voodoo beverage afterward.

Improve: SHADE. Seriously; we were baking out there and there was very little shady real estate to pop a squat after the race. This cut way down on the after-race camaraderie. I could have use a water point to hose off. Also maybe an official timekeeper.

Could feel my arms burning at this point

Buffalo Trace Presents: War Stories

Arlyn Studios is the coolest place. I wish we had more time just to explore and read the stuff on the walls. Buffalo Trace + Ginger Beer is something I never would have considered on my own, but it was a pretty good sippin’ cocktail.

All above photos by Sam All or Jill Bates, used with permission

The speakers represented Army-infantry, Navy-SEALs, and Marine-Force Reconnaissance and were each engaging in their own way. I wish we would have had time for Garrett or CT to give an SF perspective.

Product suggestions and questions overheard:

• Tac hats made out of the challenge pant/simple pant material.
• Simple Pants in the “Black Olive” color.
• Will GORUCK release rucks with laser-cut PALS?
• Will GORUCK Cache ever come back? Ingress tie-in maybe?

The weight carried and patches acquired

Hero WOD: Togi

Jason Togi (DERECHO 36)
KIA 26 AUG 2013

Collage by Samoa News

Hero Workout of the Day: Togi

400 meter run (warm-up)

36 Russian kettle-bell swings
9 24-inch box-jumps
100 meter sprint

27 Russian kettle-bell swings
18 24-inch box-jumps
100 meter sprint

18 Russian kettle-bell swings
27 24-inch box-jumps
100 meter sprint

9 Russian kettle-bell swings
36 24-inch box-jumps
500 meter rowing machine

Crossfit Kandahar created this workout challenge for everyone at Kandahar Airfield as a memorial a few days after he was killed. It's a good way for those who knew him to remember his sacrifice. RIP

Pi Day and Amish Four Grain

Despite what some crabby people will tell you, it's Pi day. And since it only comes every hundred years, we decided to celebrate a bit.

Pillsbury cheery-blueberry filling recipe

I was not successful centering my Pi symbol

Pizza Pie from Rollo's

Eleanor smelling our Pi Pie

She's too young to partake in either pie, but at least she can tease her future brother/sister about being there for a 5-digit Pi day.

Amish Four Grain

This Pennsylvania pale ale pours reddish amber with a thin head. What are the 4 grains? I assume there was wheat and rye in there, but they balance each other out too well. A little sweet, not bad, but I was expecting more flavor from the multitude of grains. 5.6% ABV. I wonder what the Amish community would think of the name, though. Maybe the grain were purchased from Amish farms?

Red Nose Day and Leute Bokbier

Red Nose Day is a charity telethon done every two years to raise money for children's medical research. It's produced by British charity Comic Relief and broadcast by the BBC and commonwealth affiliates, but hasn't had much traction here in the United States. I only know of it thanks to the Flight of the Concords song which I'm compelled to share with you:


Leute Bokbier

Photo from VanSteenberge.com

This is another Van Steenberge product, but one I failed to capture on film. I tried it in my Chimay chalice, not the goblet pictured. It pours a rich mahogany with towering rocky head. Flavor is sweet, malty, and a little sour, but not as harsh as Monk's Cafe. 7.5% AVB. Not my favorite of the group, but an interesting inclusion in the sampler pack.

Ranger Museum and Ranger IPA

Photo from CenTexFun.com

Eleanor's official first museum visit (of many, no doubt) is the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco.

Photo from TexasRanger.org

I'm not going to recount the illustrious history of the Rangers here. Go to the museum or wikipedia for that. But I'll tell you some things that stuck with me:

The organization is older than you think (1823).
The early Rangers were also surveyors documenting the Republic for settlement.
The 7.62mm AR-15-style carbine was created for the Texas Rangers.
Individual Rangers have A LOT more autonomy over their personal equipment than other law enforcement officers. Some of them like to look flashy. Lots of personalized etching.

Eleanor and Grandy

New Belgium Ranger IPA

This is a prime example of the American IPA style that I don't much care for. Hops just because they can. This was part of a New Belgium sampler, so it was fortunate for me there were only 2. It pours golden with a half-finger of head that dissipated to lacing. Floral hops, if that's your thing.