TOUGH. AS. NAILS.

In May, David, a Marine, completed a grueling GORUCK Challenge, an amazing accomplishment that inspired all of us at WillowWood. What does a GORUCK Challenge entail? See for yourself below, as well as David’s thoughts about the journey.

NAME:

David

“I often ask myself, ‘Am I mentally strong?’”

OBJECTIVE:

GORUCK Challenge (based on Special Forces training)

“How does a person know if they are mentally tough?”

LINER:

Alpha SmartTemp® (“It performed great.”)

“I had to do it. Otherwise, how would I know?”

RUCKING:

Carrying a weighted pack on your back

“The event is not a race, there is no prize or accolades.”

PACK CONTENTS:

30-pound weight

4 liters of water

Additional supplies

Total weight: 40 pounds

“All you have to do is endure, be a good teammate, and finish.”

TOTAL LENGTH & DURATION:

15 miles, 12 hours

“I felt a considerable amount of trepidation about the event before committing to it, fearing the combination of weight, distance, and pace would be too much and that I would fail and quit (which is the ultimate sin).”

GO TIME:

Friday, May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend), 2100

“The event coincided with the Memorial Day holiday, which honestly is a bit of a gloomy time for me.”

RENDEZVOUS:

Veterans Memorial in neighboring town

Each classmate shared the story of a service member killed in action

“I carried photographs of two Marines from my platoon who I was close with (to say the least).”

CLASS:

27 people

“The physical pain I felt during and after the event was not nearly as intense as my fear of failing.”

EACH CLASS MUST CARRY:

2 litters (stretchers) containing two 120-pound sand bags

50-gallon drum filled with approximately 12.5 gallons of sand

“I think the real failure would have occurred had I ignored those two questions and not signed up out of fear. I would have failed (and felt much worse) had I not tried.”

PENALTY FOR EACH MISTAKE:

Class must carry a classmate (plus pack) on litter over the terrain

“Ultimately, I finished the event. I feel like I was a good teammate and I honored my brothers who were with me throughout.”