Madison "26.2" mile Star Course
October 17, 2020
Warm-Up:
Since it was first announced, I have had the Rucking World Championship circled on the calendar. Initially, a Speed Rucker was included in your registration and you had to have completed a Heavy, 50-mile Star Course, A marathon, or a 24-hour endurance event. I have not done any of those things, so I started looking over the event schedule. There were no Heavy’s or 50-mile Star Courses in proximity to me, but I decided I would keep my eye on things to see if anything changed.
And then it happened. The qualifications were amended to include a 26.2 mile Star Course as a qualifying option and there was going to be one of those in Savannah, just 40 minutes south of me; let’s do this! I got registered and joined up with my F3 brothers from the Coastal Empire to form 2 teams. Over the course of 2020, with one goal in mind, I dropped 45 pounds and looked for every chance available to ruck. Leading up to this event I did two 12-mile rucks and a 15-mile ruck. We got it done and it went really well! I was not the one that planned the route and I was not the one who navigated, I was along for the ride and it was great!
Within 24 hours of completing this event, I was registered for the World Championships. Now to turn my eyes towards training. I signed up for Pathfinder Horizon training and started thinking through what I would need to do. July was awesome, hot but awesome. I put in some miles, did a lot of workouts, and completed a challenge. I decided to get a Ruck Plate Carrier so that I could wear my plate all the time.
Three setbacks followed shortly. I am the lone IT guy for a small school and August kicked my tail. Also, the Ruck Plate Carrier was Sold Out and the time that they would be back got pushed back further. After a few weeks of frustration, I was facing a rapidly approaching September way behind on Horizon, without an RPC, and up 15 pounds. I had different reactions to each of these setbacks. I found someone in Texas that was willing to sell me their RPC. I decided to let Horizon go and focus on the RWC. I loved the program, but with the requirements of work and family, I didn’t see how I could get it done. I wanted my Horizon patch, but I wanted my RWC 001 patch more.
Isn’t this about Madison, WI? Of course, we are getting there. As a GORUCK local rucking club, the Bluffton Ruck Club occasionally gets event registration codes to use for event sign-ups. I got one as the co-leader. I thought the best use of it would be to find a 26.2 Star Course in October and use it to prep for the RWC. I would do it solo, I would carry 30 pounds, and I would try to get a few extra miles along the way. I looked at the events page and found that there was a slim selection of 26.2’s in October, but there was one in Madison, WI. My 2.1 moved to Madison in August and lockdown has her basically alone all the time. What could be better? I get to see her and get some crucial preparation.
Registration ✅
Plane Tickets ✅
Request time off from work ✅
Pick up a Pair of GORUCK Cross Trainers ✅
Let’s do this❗️
I started wearing my RPC with my 31.4# plate as soon as it arrived. Three weeks before the event I switched to my Rucker to get used to the weight with the same bag I would be using. Two weeks before, I went up to 40#. One week before I went to just under 50#. I shipped a 30# plate to my daughter in Madison so that it would be there for me and I wouldn’t have to worry about either carrying it on or checking a bag. I also checked in with my childhood best friend who lives in DC to start picking his brain about the RWC and I gave GORUCK my HARD YES! on their email confirmation. The week of the event, I added my hydration bladder to the back. I was nervous but very excited.
One more twist is yet to come. Wednesday, I got an email from GORUCK that the RWC had been postponed to November of 2021. That was a hard moment for me. I read it right as my class was coming in and I couldn’t speak for a few minutes. What do I do?
I have plane tickets, event registration, and a 30# plate in Wisconsin. Not to mention a wonderful young woman that I would love to see. Quitting is not an option; I have an event in less than 3 days. I was still not feeling great emotionally, but I had a small goal in sight even if I have temporarily been messed up on the large one.
The Thang:
Gear: As the event got closer I started checking the weather frequently. It looked like the start would be in the 30’s and it would get up to the 50’s. A possibility of rain started to emerge. Here is what I decided on from top to bottom:
Under Armour Men's UA Storm ColdGear® Infrared Elements 2.0 Beanie- head stays warm, but still moisture wicking
GORUCK 20L Rucker 2.0 with 30# GORUCK expert plate - I love this ruck!
3L Camelbak Hydration bladder - this bladder is tough
GORUCK facemask - I chose black
F3 Bluffton Half-zip pullover - warm and moisture wicking
F3 The Rake shirt - bright yellow but it will serve as a base layer for this event
5.11 APEX Tactical pants - My favorite rucking pants
5.11 Tactical belt - To keep said pants from falling
MudGear Premium Tall Compression Socks (extra pair in the ruck) - the highest standard in compression socks
GORUCK I/O Cross Trainers - Just got them broken in and they are amazing
Other Stuff in the Ruck: I love to carry Almonds with me for events. I also threw in a bag of Skittles, and a water bottle filled with AdvoCare Rehydrate from one of my coworkers. One of my biggest concerns was battery life on my phone, so I also threw in 2 portable chargers. I put an extra mask, wipes, and hand sanitizer in the ruck per COVID requirements and a small container of Vaseline, just in case. Notice there is nothing here for rain. My most common rucking choice is, “If it rains, I will get wet.”
Pre-Event: The Participant Packet for the event gave the start point at the volleyball court in James Madison Park. This is only 1 mile from my daughter’s apartment, so I decided just to throw the ruck on and get a warm-up mile in before the start. I wanted to give myself plenty of time so I left the apartment at 0430 to arrive well before the 0500 arrival time specified in the packet. As I walked up to the start point, there were already about 10 people gathered in the park. Over the next 30 minutes, we were up to about 24 people in the park, but we still had not seen Cadre. About 15 minutes later, Cadre Cleve arrived and started the pre-event briefing.
Event:
I got my hit list and I was surprised by the number of stops on the list. There were only 7 stops including the start/stop point. I didn’t even have to pay for the Road Warrior upgrade. All of the stops were given as addresses except for the Entrance to the Arboretum which was listed as an intersection. I was in the process of looking at the map of the city in Google to get an approximate address when another group came to check and see if my map was similar to theirs. When they saw what I was doing, they told me that you can enter the two streets directly into Road Warrior. I entered the streets and they popped up on the list. I optimized the route and it came up as 25.7 miles. This seemed pretty close and so I decided to go with it. The other group asked if I wanted to tag along with them and I said sure. As we were about to leave I texted HQ for a Coms Check. I received a text stating that I would need to submit a picture at the start point with #starcoursecheckin. I decided to take a selfie with Cadre Cleve to prove that I was there and the ruck begins.
First stop: State Capitol Building - 0.5 miles from the start
This would be the shortest distance between the points of the event. We got there quickly and found our photo spot, the Law Enforcement Monument, right away. I took the picture, added the #WIcapitol, sent it at 0614 and we were away again.
Second Stop: Swan Creek Park - 5.7 miles from 1st stop
We cut across the capital grounds and got started on the way. The other group’s navigator was using the links directly from Road Warrior to navigate from point to point. I was entering addresses directly into Google maps. Our routes were exactly synced. We made slight deviations frequently to avoid walking on major roads. There were sidewalks and trails available for the majority of the route. The sun was beginning to rise, so I took advantage of the darkness and brush cover for a quick pit stop. We made it to the park. Our instructions were to take a picture with the sign, but there was no sign. Other groups were also there looking for the sign. Closer inspection revealed a landscaped area with mulch that would be a great place for a sign. There were two holes where signposts may once have been. I snapped my selfie with the holes, added #swancreek, and sent the text to 0804.
Third stop: Funk Factory Geuzeria - 4.3 miles from 2nd stop
My worry about my phone battery increased as I had to use my first battery pack at just after 0800. This leg involved a good bit of backtracking. We saw numerous teams heading to the park on the way out and gave them a heads up about the missing sign. We got to take a trip over a highway and enjoyed some good conversation. We found our stop, snapped the picture, added #funkfactory, and sent at 0930.
Fourth stop: Annie Stewart Memorial Fountain - 1.3 miles from 3rd stop
As I turned the corner just one block, I stubbed my right toe on an uneven section of the sidewalk. The pain steadily lessened over the rest of the miles. We were feeling good and rapidly closing in on our stops and mileage. We found the fountain, snapped the photo, added #anniestewart, and sent at 0956.
Fifth Stop: UW Arboretum Entrance - 2.9 miles
We found a path of questionable quality that got us to our road quickly. We walked by a zoo and were on our way. We starting heading past a school when our paths started to deviate. I entered the next intersection directly into Google maps, but the other navigator was going directly from Road Warrior. We discovered that while Road Warrior said Seminole Hwy and McCaffrey Dr the point it was leading us to was not anywhere near that intersection. As we figure it out and head for the correct stop, the full ramifications of this discovery become clear to me. It means that our route was optimized using an incorrect point. The number of miles ahead of us was going to be higher than what we originally thought. We have an extra hour or so of rucking. It could have been worse, but it wasn’t good. I also had to plug in my phone to my second and only remaining battery. We kept moving and found our spot. I took my photo, added #arboretum, and sent at 1105.
Sixth Stop: 1847 at the Stamm House - 6.2 miles
This is going to be a long one, but the one after will be even longer. The mental impact of our mistake it starting to get to me. My motivation is dropping off and I am starting to become more aware of every discomfort. I thought I was at the halfway point 2 stops ago, but I realized that there were still 13+ miles to go. I also really needed a restroom. We were walking through a residential area in full daylight. There was no place available. About halfway through this leg, I saw a gas station on the other side of the road. I motioned for the other team to keep going and I crossed the street. I headed for the men’s room. I washed my hands for a full 20 seconds, picked up a melon Monster Hydro and got back to the road. I really didn’t want to be doing this anymore, but I certainly wasn’t going to quit. My whole school knew what I was doing this weekend, and I definitely did not want to have to explain to all of the kindergarten students why I didn’t make it. I sent a text message to a group of my coworkers and called my wife. I made it to the stop, said goodbye to my bride, and snapped the picture. Shortly after I found the duo that I had spent the first 18 miles with. I added #stammhouse and sent the text at 1318.
Back to James Madison Park - 7.4 miles
This was the longest leg that I had encountered. While I started it with the same duo I started the event rucking with, it became clear to me that I was not going to be able to keep up with their pace. Ever so gradually, they drifted further and further away and out of sight. I was on my own. 6 miles of the stretch would be along the same road. No turns, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I could feel my pace slowing, but I had to keep moving. I was seriously regretting my choice to do this with 30# instead of the required 20#. I was tired, but I was going to finish this out. This leg seemed to take an eternity. At about 2.5 miles from the finish, my left toe caught a seam in the sidewalk and I tripped. I managed to avoid going down, but I was hurting again. I called my wife again. This was a shorter call, but it helped to hear her voice. I was texting Adidas throughout the event, and he was giving me some encouragement in these last miles. My coworkers were encouraging me and ~ 300 students were keeping me going. With each step I would think of someone, “This step is for Yancey, this step is for Ava, this step is for Logan.” Anything to just keep moving. I made the final turn at the final mile. It was basically the same path that I had taken that morning on the way to the start. It seemed to take forever, I kept checking the map and the distance to go number just wasn’t going down. Keep pressing forward. You are going to make it. I made it to the road construction, I knew that was only a few hundred yards from the end. I cleared a group of trees and I could see Cadre Cleve. At 1609, I walked up to Cadre and he handed me my patch. In spite of the setbacks and frustration. I had made it. I took another selfie with Cadre Cleve, this time holding my new patch!
6MOM:
I knew that I still had the mile back to the apartment ahead of me, so I didn’t take my ruck off. I knew that once it was off, it would be so much harder to put it back on. I talked to Cadre and the other event finishers. Most of the people in the park had done the 12-mile event so I had not seen them that morning. We talked about all kinds of GORUCK gear and the differences and advantages of the different models of Rucks. This is the 6th event (3 Toughs, 2 Star Courses, and 1 Light) that I have done with my 20L Rucker 2.0 and I have to say that I love it. Cadre opened my ruck while it was still on my back and showed the people gather there the plate pocket that makes the Rucker such a beautiful thing. We also talked about shoes, my feet were hurting, but I was happy to have my GORUCK I/O Cross Trainers, I had racked up a total of about 30 miles at this point and I had no hot spots.
Behind me, I heard a voice mention F3. I turned around and found three of my brothers that I hadn’t met yet. Kodak, RA, and Rancid had driven up from the Chicago area and had done the 12 mile Star Course. Betty Crocker in Pooler had told me that they would be there, but our different starting times meant we had not yet met. We chatted about F3, our regions, GrowRuck, and rucking in general. Then they said the most wonderful thing I had heard that day, “Would you like a ride back to your daughter’s apartment.”
“Yes, Yes I would.”
Their car was about 3 blocks away, but good company made it better. I hopped in the back seat and put one more address in Google Maps, this time I touched the picture of the car and gave Kodak driving directions to the apartment. They dropped me off and I went straight to my daughter’s car, pulled out my plate, popped her trunk, and set my plate in it. I felt 100# lighter instead of 30 as I walked into her apartment. I was sore and walking slowly, but I had done what I came to do.
Moleskin:
I learned DO NOT put an intersection into Road Warrior. Take the time to look up a nearby address or find the coordinates to enter.
I learned that I need a better phone charging solution. I was worried about the charge situation during the entire ruck. I need to carry a better charging system, and I probably should get a new phone before the RWC in November 2021.
I learned that the combination of my GORUCK I/O Cross Trainers and my MudGear Premium Tall Compression Socks are my favorite of all shoe/sock combinations that I have tried to date.
I learned that a facemask is good for more than just stopping disease spread. I wore mine the whole event and it kept me warm.
I learned that I should have listened/followed the Pathfinder Horizon training more closely. I wish I had done more work on my pace.
I learned that I have some work to do before the RWC, but I absolutely can do it.
I learned that your F3 brothers are always ready to help, even when you have only known each other for 15 minutes.
Jennifer Lee, one of the Pathfinder Horizon course advisors, posted something for me the night before the event. Three simple letters, DFQ, but the meaning is so profound.
As much of a letdown as the postponement of the Rucking World Championship that started this whole thing was, this event was the opposite. I got to see a beautiful city, enjoy time with my daughter, and prove to myself that I could do it.