GORUCK 101

 So it’s your first event...

My first event: April 8, 2017
Pittsburgh GORUCK Light 

One thing that scares people about GORUCK is the unexpected, and while you can never really anticipate exactly what will happen at an event, here are some basic tips so you know the lingo and a general gist of what is going on...

EVENT DYNAMICS

•GORUCK is a team event. This means if you are a fitness all-star, you help those who are struggling. Grab the coupon from them, go at their pace for PT, even take their ruck if you have to.

•That being said, on the flip side, this also means you should prepare adequately for an event so you can contribute to the team.  No one wants someone showing up for a Tough or a Heavy who has obviously not completed the proper training for said event. Don’t come into an event expecting the team to pick up your slack because it is a “team” event. Heavies, especially, have specific requirements. If you can’t fulfill those requirements in training, maybe you shouldn’t do that event.

•If you want to know what proper training entails, look up Pathfinder, Heavy Drop Training, or Joe Baker Fitness.


SHOWING UP

•DO NOT BE LATE. Plan to show up AT LEAST a half hour before the start time. You never know when you will run into parking/traffic issues, not be able to find the team in a large park, etc etc.

•If you are late, 99% of the time the team will be punished because of you. No one wants to start out an event being the one everyone is side-eyeing after their 30 8-count bodybuilders.
•When you show up to the start, introduce yourself. Make some bonds. The earlier you connect with people, the better the event will be for you. You will be with each other for many hours. The team works better together when personal connections are made.

FORMATION

•About 10 minutes before start time you should start to get in formation.

•The flag is always front-right. 

•You will line up to the left of the flag in ranks. Say there are 21 people, you would form 3 lines of 7, directly behind the person in front of you.

•Your rucks should be on the ground all facing the same way with the ruck handle facing out, in front of your feet. 

•If you have an odd number the last row should have less people.

•When the Cadre has you stop moving, form back in the same rank from the start with the flag front-right. Do not take off your ruck or put coupons down until you are directed to do so.

GEAR CHECK

•Make sure your ruck is organized.

•Review the mandatory gear multiple times before you leave your house. Ensure you have all required gear. There will likely be a team punishment if you don't have everything on the list.

•Make sure everything is easy to get to and easy to put back. The Cadre will check your gear. When they are done checking, put it all back in as quickly as possible.

•Sometimes the cadre will have you "dump your ruck" and put things back in a time limit (ex. 30 seconds). If they do this, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ORGANIZATION. Literally shove everything back in, zip up your ruck, put it on your back and then help your teammates who are still packing. You will have time to organize later.

RUCK WEIGHT

•Your ruck weight will consist of your weight, your gear items, and your food & water.

•Don’t be light. Don’t be heavy. Put the appropriate weight plate/bricks/whatever in your ruck based on the 150# GORUCK standard. Absolutely do not carry less and it is very, very unwise to carry more. I understand once you’re a badass and you think Lights are NBD, you want to carry an extra 25# to “get your workout in”, but you don’t know what the event is going to entail. You may have to line up and switch rucks with the person next to you. You may have coupons galore, and your extra 25# is preventing you from contributing as much as you potentially could have. You may do PT that involves everyone doing an exercise with your ruck. Don’t screw your team over. Train with your training weight. Do events with event weight.

•Show up with a FULL bladder and Nalgene. Yes, I know it weighs more, but while the Cadre do have water refills, I can promise you, if you do enough events, there will come a time when you run out of water and can't refill immediately. If you show up with a full bladder, that just means you will already increase your chances of staying hydrated.


FACEBOOK/SANDLOT CHATS

•Always check the discussions on Facebook or Sandlot prior to the event. Sometimes the Cadre will assign a special item to bring or if there’s a service project being organized.

•Make sure someone has committed to bringing the flag and team weight. If these don’t show up, there will be hell to pay.

•Currently, things are in limbo with event platforms. They used to have a Facebook event for every GORUCK event, but since Sandlot that has disappeared. Now, I'd recommend joining the local ruck club's Facebook group to see if there are any discussions going on in there.

COUPONS

•Coupons. They aren’t something you bring to the grocery store. They are random items the Cadre will have you carry. Logs, sandbags, ammo cans, water bladders, telephone poles, literally an endless list of heavy stuff.

•You will need to carry these things until the Cadre says otherwise. Do not put them down, even if you are at a stop, until the Cadre gives the OK.

•Once he gives the OK, do not drop it. Gently lower it to the ground. If you need help lowering it in a controlled manner, ask someone. 

•Put all the coupons together, usually the cadre will want them in the specific order that they were in at the beginning of the event.

•You do not have to be told to switch up coupons while on the move. If you are under a sandbag and your shoulders are dying, speak up. Tell your TL (Team Lead) or other teammates if someone can take it.

•On the other end, if you have been walking without weight or you have a smaller weight, offer to take something off someone. If they tell you no, then just standby. If they look like they are suffering and continue to say no, literally take it from them. Some people try to be heroes and overwork themselves to prove something. There’s no need for that if there are fresh bodies.

•Most people go to events with the intention of pushing themselves, so don’t be a coupon hog. Give everyone a chance to carry.

•Coupons should always be up front behind the flag, with the heaviest first. They will likely be the slowest people due to the additional weight.

•Once you carry a coupon, go to the back of the line so someone else who is fresh can rotate on next.

•Another way coupons are rotated is by organizing small groups to rotate specific coupons (ex. Four people rotate an 80# sandbag, a water bladder, and a 55# kettlebell, leaving one person with a rest break).

•Coupons are for everyone. A pet peeve of women is that many men assume the girls can’t handle the heavy stuff. If a female asks to take it, let them take it. Even if they can’t carry it far, every step they go with it is a step that someone else has recovered. Don’t assume the girls just want to/can only carry the flag/light weight.

TEAM LEAD/ASSISTANT TEAM LEAD

•Cadre will assign a Team Lead (TL) and Assistant Team Lead (ATL). This is purely at the Cadre’s discretion. Some pair up a newbie with a vet, some choose the youngest person, some just point with no method at all. Some ask for volunteers, and let me tell you...someone better volunteer quickly or it will get ugly fast.

•TL and ATL typically do not carry weight unless in dire circumstances, and even then, it should be a very light weight that will allow them to also do their leader duties. 

•They should also never carry the flag, as the flag is always in front. 

•TL’s and ATL’s keep everyone in check, they do not stay in ranks with the rest of the team. They are off to the side, usually one hanging around the front and one in the back. 

•They make sure people are swapping coupons, making sure the lines stay tight, reminding people to hydrate, telling everyone where to go (with Cadre’s direction). 

•If you are assigned TL or ATL, do not be afraid to be loud, even if it’s your first time, but obviously watch your tone. There's been more times than I can count where a team lost respect for their TL/ATL simply by how they were saying things.

•If people aren’t volunteering to swap out on a coupon, assign someone. Some TLs estimate time and have people swap out every 5 min or so no matter what, some allow the participants carrying the coupons to determine when they need to switch. It’s totally up to you. 

•When crossing streets, you need to call for road guards (people not carrying weight to block traffic on both sides to allow the team to cross). 

•Oh and if you’re not assigned TL or ATL, don’t act like you are. It’s ok to give suggestions and tell people to stay in formation, etc, but you are not the director. Let the leader lead. No one cares if you think you can do a better job.


STREET CROSSINGS

•When crossing the street, especially in traffic, do a double step or a shuffle. You need to get your entire team across as fast as possible. If you are in the front of the line, don’t slow down once you hit the other side...the rest of your team needs to get on the sidewalk as well. 

•Follow traffic laws, wait for crosswalks, etc...unless otherwise directed by your Cadre.  

•If you are the last person to cross, say “last man” (or woman 😉) to the road guards, so they know to fall in behind you....as they should be facing traffic and not watching the team.


FLAG

•FLAG IN FRONT!

•When you start moving, the flag is ALWAYS in front, except when there are road guards going ahead to watch traffic. Pay attention to this. 

•If the team is going the wrong direction and have to turn around, stand and wait until the flag passes you and fall in behind. Sometimes even just a step is all it takes to get punished. 

•Typically people fall into two ranks after the flag. The only time this is changed to a single line is if the path is too narrow to allow people to walk side by side, in which the TL or ATL should call single file. You stay in single file until they tell you to line up in two ranks again. 

•When you are in two ranks you should be directly next to someone and within an arms length of the ruck in front of you.
•Flag carrier: keep the flag high, but be aware of your surroundings.

•If you are in the city going under awnings or in the woods going under low branches, do not let the flag smack off of stuff, but most importantly: DO NOT LET THE FLAG TOUCH THE GROUND.

•If you’re at a rest and the Cadre allows you to put the flag down, neatly furl it and stack it on the coupons or something else sturdy so it won’t fall. Seriously, you may actually die if the flag touches the ground.

GENERAL PUBLIC

•If people ask what you’re doing, what you’re protesting etc, just say “this is GORUCK...a team endurance event”.

•If they have more questions direct them to the Cadre.

•If they are agitated, don’t engage. Just ignore them and keep rucking.

CLOTHING 

•Avoid wearing anything you haven't tested in training.

•For hot events, especially Toughs and Heavies, it is still in your best interest to wear long sleeves and pants. Make sure they are breathable and quick drying. You may do low crawls, carry logs, etc and will want as much skin covered as possible. 

•For cold events, layer up. Don't wear one thick layer, as you will likely get overheated during movement. Wear multiple thin layers. I have a whole write up on Ruck.Beer about cold weather clothing. 

•Never wear cotton! Once it gets wet from sweat and/or water it will stay wet and you will very likely chafe. 

•For longer events it is wise to have shoes a size or two bigger than your normal size. Your feet will swell and this will help prevent blisters.

•Many Ruckers recommend wool socks as they repel moisture and are quick drying. 

HYDRATION/NUTRITION 

•Hydrate. Even if you don’t think you need to...keep drinking. Your Cadre will find you water if you run out. It is wise to keep your bladder full of regular water and have electrolytes in your Nalgene. Sip on the electrolytes throughout the event. NEVER chug electrolytes. Too many at one time can cause an imbalance and cramp up your stomach.

•Pack snacks that are high in calories and take up little space (nuts, dried fruit, PB&J, jerky). Obviously, pack what you know and like to eat, but it's wiser to replenish your carbs with complex carbs and protein instead of sugary snacks. 

•Do not pack anything that you haven't already tested in training!

•For longer events, Tailwind is a good way to drink your calories and get some electrolytes. If you put it in your bladder, just make sure you clean it as soon as the event is over. 

•Eat during priorities of work or on-the-go if you can. There is no designated "food break."

PRIORITIES OF WORK

•When you take breaks, you will likely hear someone say "priorities of work" and give a time (ex. 15 minutes). This means you have 15 minutes to do the things you need to do.

•Develop a strategy in your head before you break. Do you know you're almost out of water? Do you really have to pee? Do you have a hot spot on your foot that needs addressed? Figure out the order of importance so you can make the most of your time. 

•Examples include: using the bathroom, fixing feet, stretching, eating, drinking, filling up water, taking pain meds, closing your eyes (this should always be the last priority)

•If you have addressed all your needs and get to the point where you can lay down and get some rest, make sure your ruck is zipped up, shoes are on, and you're ready to go. Oftentimes Cadre won't give "2-minute warnings" and will want you up in a hurry. 

CADRE PET PEEVES

•Every Cadre is a stickler for different things. Some focus on the flag, some focus on safety with road crossings, some want tight lines, some will punish you if your ruck touches the ground. You will find out what it is when you are being punished for it. After that, don’t screw up again.


THEMES

•GORUCK typically has themed events like different battles, holidays, etc. 

•Learn about the theme before you show up. Oftentimes Cadre will quiz the team on your knowledge about certain events...and the punishments are less than fun if you don’t come in with some background knowledge.


BUDDY SYSTEM

•You never go anywhere alone. Most common example is the bathroom. Even if you are the only girl at the event, take a guy you trust, but never go anywhere alone


HEAD COUNT

•At the beginning you should do a head count. Make sure you remember how many teammates you have. After breaks, the TL should do a head count either him/herself or have everyone sound off.

•Be sure you are aware if someone drops and adjust your number appropriately. Make sure the entire time is aware of the new number. 


ATTENTION TO DETAIL/ENTHUSIASM

•Pay attention to detail. For example: If you are counting PT (PT is the exercise portion of the event), typically everyone should be shouting the rep unless otherwise directed. Make sure you know what number you are on. A miscount can mean starting over, or worse. On that note, be enthusiastic with your counts. If you are whispering or not participating at all, you will likely pay for it.
•Show initiative. If the Cadre or TL say you need to be ready to move in 2 minutes, do not start getting ready to move after 2 minutes. Be on your feet, ruck on, with a coupon in your possession, in rank literally ready to move. 

DROPPING 

•If you have to drop at any reason, don’t just try to fade into the shadows because you’re embarrassed. Have the decency to let the Cadre know what’s going on. Headcounts are done and if someone is missing and no one knows what’s going on, the worst could be assumed...and that’s not fair to put that on other people.


SHADOWS

•These are people who walk (or ruck) with the team, but don’t participate in the event.

•If you shadow an event, you are NOT a team member. You shouldn’t be offering anyone support in the form of nutrients, first aid, or advice, unless it is a legit serious situation. 

•Your job is to take pics, taunt people with alcohol and bacon, and watch people suffer.

•As a participant you should have limited contact with shadows. It’s ok to exchange a small convo, but they should definitely not be your focus.


RESPECT

•This should go without saying, but have respect. If a Cadre or a TL is speaking, listen. Do not have side conversations.
•Another bullet on respect....things get really real when people get tired and things get harder/confusing/stressful. Please remember your tone when you speak to people. If you have a suggestion for a better way of doing things, don’t shout like a crabby pre-teen; simply voice your suggestion and if it’s not implemented, take a deep breath and get over it.


PHONES AND WATCHES

•Cellphones are allowed to be on your person, but should absolutely not be taken out during an event unless it's an emergency.

•If a Cadre catches you snapping a selfie or texting someone while at the event, I will pray for you and your team.

•If you know you need to be in contact with someone throughout the event, let the Cadre know ahead of time so he knows why you have your phone out.

•Some Cadre allow watches, some don't. You will find out when you get there. If they don't allow them, you simply store them away in your ruck.

HURT VS INJURED

•Don’t be a whiner, but if you are legit suffering, speak up. If you are dizzy and feel like you’re going to pass out, say something before it happens. If you pull your shoulder doing PT and are in excruciating pain, stop. If your (urinary) bladder is going to explode, say something. Most people who do these events hate to look weak, but it’s just a recreational event, don’t push yourself to do actual stupid things.


HAVE FUN!

•Sure it’s not most people’s definition of fun, but if you’re there, you’re already some level of weird. Just embrace the suck, challenge yourself, make friends, and get that little 2x3 patch.

•Everything ends at some point and you will be comfortable soon enough. The more challenging events are always the most memorable and the ones you will take the most pride in completing.