Decided to go on a Ruck March today

[Erick]

As I follow the images from the fighting in East Ukraine and I see how both sides carry on fighting in a harsh winterland I cant help but admire the troops on both sides.

So I decided to go on a Ruck March out in the 18 F snow land outside my house.
One thing that impresses me (and should impress all of us) is the fact that the bulk of the fighting is carried my militia battalions on both sides.
That means Armed civilians.

On the separatists sides it is militia battalions stiffed up by russian volunteers both ex military and active military.

Kinda similar to how FREEFOR might fight in a US civil war if such a thing ever where to occur here.

The gov’t armed forces are severely weakened by desertions and very few maneuver forces remain intact compared to pre-war.

Instead volunteer Battalions have been raised, for the gov’t manned by those with an ideological stake in the war..
In this example the brave West Ukrainians.

in a US civil war, while in the US urban “progressives” will likely be completely ineffective and resistant to being raised, a pool of folks to man volunteer BNs against "We the People" might be illegal immigrants in return for a promise of citizenship plus an assortment La Raza activists motivated to fight agaisnt the "evil", "christian extremists", "racists", "reactionaries", "crazed militia types", or whatever the label de jour is.

If I were to write a SciFi novel thats what I would think realistic… ;-)

Anywhoo ...I decided to go on a road march in the ice and snow just to perform a little systems check on myself ..

 

[Erick]

Just got back.

Feels good ot have that ruck off, at 40lbs it was not real heavy but IMO def not trivial as the deep snow made marching harder.

Speed was variable ranging from a trot to a slow slog/climb through snow drifts

Took me a hair under 70 minutes

 

[outrider58]

Just got back.

Feels good ot have that ruck off, at 40lbs it was not real heavy but IMO def not trivial as the deep snow made marching harder.

Speed was variable ranging from a trot to a slow slog/climb through snow drifts

Took me a hair under 70 minutes

How far did you go? I use Runkeeper on my droid. It gives you speed, altitude and pace averages plus calories burned and a bunch of other info.

 

[trailman]

Way to go E

 

[clandestine]

I need to make time to do this more often. I do hike and take gear on my trips but not as often as I would like.

Good job.

 

[Erick]

How far did you go? I use Runkeeper on my droid. It gives you speed, altitude and pace averages plus calories burned and a bunch of other info.

Actually I dont know..
I got rid of my smartphone

But I am satisfied that it was a decent workout, and figitng against the elements when most other folks are huddling around the heater was very satisfying.

I saw only a single other pedestrian the entire time (and I am on the denser side of the suburbs )

 

[Blaster229]

I need to make time to do this more often. I do hike and take gear on my trips but not as often as I would like.

Good job.

He would more than welcome you to do it with the like minded civilian soldiers out in the woods of their WV training compound.

 

[clandestine]

He would more than welcome you to do it with the like minded civilian soldiers out in the woods of their WV training compound.

The founding Fathers charged all able bodied men to be ready. I'm no soldier.

I guess only the govt should be able to restrict who can stockpile food, water, go hiking, camping, and shooting. Silly me.

Where's my tinfoil hat? I must have lost it.

 

[rdc]

I think a lot of guys (myself included) would greatly benefit from spending half the time they do firearms training actually hiking, running, or working out.

 

[Erick]

I think a lot of guys (myself included) would greatly benefit from spending half the time they do firearms training actually hiking, running, or working out.

Thats were survival is at!

Physical shape.

And when thats there then yes, older dudes CAN fight.
Here are some pics by a journalist embedded with the rebels in East Ukraine around Debalsteve:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/avdeev/horr...he-sheer-brutality-of-ukraine-war#.lbR7RJMjN2

 

[casualmadness]

I used to do a couple rucks per month when I was still active duty. I would do them on Saturdays, usually stepping off as others were coming in from the bars. A lot of guys in my unit made fun of me but I always smoked everyone on the forced marches. Haven't done it since hanging up my uniform though.

 

[Erick]

I used to do a couple rucks per month when I was still active duty. I would do them on Saturdays, usually stepping off as others were coming in from the bars. A lot of guys in my unit made fun of me but I always smoked everyone on the forced marches. Haven't done it since hanging up my uniform though.

I am outprocessing active duty these weeks, but am determined to stay in some modicum of shape.
My new place of work will be on post so I will still have access to the gym and running routes even though I will no longer have the freedom to exercise during the day.
But we gotta find a way to make it work.

 

[casualmadness]

I am outprocessing active duty these weeks, but am determined to stay in some modicum of shape.
My new place of work will be on post so I will still have access to the gym and running routes even though I will no longer have the freedom to exercise during the day.
But we gotta find a way to make it work.

It's tough coming to the civ side where staying in shape is no longer part of your job. I tried for a while hitting the gym at Meade before work every morning but arriving one morning to find the showers out of commission...and subsequently not fixed for a couple months, pretty much put the kibosh on that.
After leaving the mil, I worked briefly in Huntsville, AL...just about a mile or so from RSA. Used to hit the gym there during lunch and after work. That was great. There was never anyone in there. Meade after work hours...tried that. So crowded, guys were taking dumbbells outside to work out.
I bought a really nice weight bench and some nice 2" weights. Try to lift at home every night but I do miss cardio. Maybe I should consider ruckin' again. Hell of a workout.

 

[Erick]

Did another one today. But did it as a run rather than a Ruck march before the snow got too deep.

it was fun feeling the snow build up on my clothes, jacket ,eye- brows

With tommorrow this will give me 4 cardios for the week

 

[slybarman]

Did my first ruck this morning. 25 lbs. 4.5 miles. 1 hr 5 mins.

Felt pretty good and will try another later this week. An article I read the other day said to keep the weight under 35 lbs to avoid damaging joints, etc.

I had 420 rounds of M855 in a metal ammo can and 5 lbs of lead shot in my backpack.

 

[ironpony]

Interesting, I have been ready to try this as soon as I get rid of this cold. Thanks for the 35 lb number, I had no idea.

 

[outrider58]

I'm hoping to get back to it this year. I've been having some difficulties in the last year or so and have not been able to hump. Hopefully, after mid-January(after some medical help), I'll be able to get back to it. I love the work-out.

 

[slybarman]

Interesting, I have been ready to try this as soon as I get rid of this cold. Thanks for the 35 lb number, I had no idea.

You're welcome. Came from this article:

The #1 Fitness Trend of 2015

http://flip.it/7ZoB0

Sent from my note 4 using Tapatalk.

 

[clandestine]

I'm hoping to get back to it this year. I've been having some difficulties in the last year or so and have not been able to hump. Hopefully, after mid-January(after some medical help), I'll be able to get back to it. I love the work-out.

You ever need a second man, let me know.

 

[slybarman]

Here's hoping you never need a second man for humping. Errr . . . ummm . . . :innocent.

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