A 4-Pax posted this morning to test themselves via Part 2 of the August #RuckingChallenge.  Mission Statement & Disclaimer were given to the group and we got started.  YHC had a special coupon for Little Dipper as well as one if we had an odd man out.  Alas, they were not needed.  Missed seeing you in the gloom, Little Dipper … and others.

WARM-O-RAMA

• Sungods, IC, 10x, Reverse 6x (YHC misued vocal inflection on the reverso)
• Cotton Pickers, IC, 10x
• Hamstring & Calf Stretches OYO

MACV-SOG had an extensive area of operation that included Thailand, Laos, North Vietnam, and Cambodia.  The Command and Control Detachments were located in the North (CCN), Central (CCC), and the South (CCS).  Each team in these detachments used different code names; the North used venomous snakes like cobra and viper, the Central used state names, and the South used tool names like hammer and miter.  All teams were self-sufficient, yet worked toward the same general goals.

THE HAMMER

• 400M Partner Carry – As a team, cumulatively complete a 400M Buddy Carry.  Swap partners at any time.
• As a team,  accumulate total reps:  300 Ruck Swings, 300 Sit Ups, 200 Lunges, 200 Overhead Ruck Press**
• 400M Partner Carry – As a team,  cumulatively complete a 400M Buddy Carry.  Swap partners at any time.

** Each partner will do half the reps, but they can be split up however you choose with one Pax working at a time.  IF YOU ARE SOLO, COMPLETE HALF OF THE REPS

This ended up being a burner of a workout (lungs, legs, shoulders, abs).  YHC thought there would be leftover time, but there was not.  All Pax were fully engaged with the only down time coming either when you were the passenger for the Buddy Carry, or were the “Pax-At-Rest” while your partner was busting out reps.  The team of Double Dipper and McRib were most impressive during the Buddy Carry, with each Pax carrying the other at a high rate of speed, either with a Fireman Carry or Piggyback.  Hilfiger and YHC were slow and steady, and still got the requisite work done.

Today’s workout reminded YHC of a particular maxim — “In theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.  In reality, there is.”  How did this apply to today you might ask?  On paper (i.e. In theory), the workout seemed easy enough.  However, the reality showed that the workout was indeed a test, and took the entire allocation of time to complete.

Any Pax who are interested can complete the workout OYO, either with a partner as described above, or solo, also as described above.  If solo, in addition to your ruck, you will need to carry another coupon (sandbag, bucket of sand/rocks, section of tree, you get the idea).  Get the workout done so you will remain on track for the August #RuckingChallenge and earn your patch.  Mr. Roboto provided a link in his BackBlast from last week.

We circled up for a quick prayer and then were dismissed.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  See above right for GrowRuck17.  If you want a test, this is your event.  Sign up, pay up and train up.

Great work by the Pax today.

Bitcoin out!

7 HIMs showed up despite the coin-flip chance of Thunderstorms this morning. It would have been all good, because a majority of the work was done under the cover of the Gazebo.

This month, Ruck It is focusing time to complete GORUCK’s August #RuckingChallenge in attempt to recognize the Green Berets who operated in the jungles, mountains and rice paddies of Vietnam. Here’s the link to learn more: https://www.goruck.com/august-rucking-challenge.

This week’s workout was the MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group). Special Forces’ involvement in Vietnam began just prior to, and during, the early days of President Kennedy’s administration. In small teams and detachments, SF supported CIA guerrilla operations in Burma and Laos 1960-1962. Then, in September of 1962, SF teams began arriving in Vietnam from the 1st Special Forces Group (based in Okinawa) and from the 5th and 7th Special Forces Groups (based in Fort Bragg, NC). By the end of 1962, SF had established approximately 30 Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) camps, known as A-camps. Many of these SF soldiers would become part of MACV-SOG, which was established through the “MACV-SOG General order #6,” January 24, 1964.

The exercises for this workout were as follows.

100 no push-up burpees (ruck on)

– THEN 2 ROUNDS of –

– 24 ruck swings
– 64 push-ups (ruck off)
– 24 ruck squats
– 64 sit-ups (ruck off)

**Each partner did half the reps, being split up however was choosen with
ONE person working at a time. IF YOU ARE SOLO, COMPLETE HALF OF THE REPS**

YHC had a false start and then tried to make it easier than it should have been. Thanks to Bitcoin for keep us straight both times.

The PAX finished shortly before 6, so we had time for 3 laps and then a lazy COT. No Mary.

If you haven’t ordered your patch, go and do it now – https://www.goruck.com/patch-guerrilla-ops/. It costs nothing other than honesty, hard work, and sweat. Even shipping is included, so there’s no excuse. If you missed today, go ahead and do this workout on your own and show up next week. Bitcoin will lead. Hopefully he doesn’t screw up because YHC won’t  be there to help him. We know Bitcoin is solid though.

Mr. Roboto
ども ありがと

• WHAT: Ruck It
• WHERE: Union Point Park
• WHEN: Monday, Aug 5th - Gather 0525, Hard Start 0530, Hard Stop 0615
• WHO: Any man or FNG
• WEATHER: Upper 70s with 50% chance of Scattered Thunderstorms
• WHY: You have the chance to earn a patch with this one.




This month, GORUCK honors the Special Forces (SF) soldiers who served in the Vietnam War and shaped the history of the Green Berets. There are 4 partner workouts that when completed earn you a patch from GORUCK to proudly display on your ruck. Bitcoin and YHC decided we’d help everyone out and Q these 4 workouts at Ruck It. If you can’t make it to Ruck It each week this month, GORUCK includes an option to scale so you can do it solo.

Tomorrow’s workout will be the MACV – SOG WORKOUT.

• Step 1 – Order your patch here: https://www.goruck.com/patch-guerrilla-ops/.  Patches will ship late Sept.
• Step 2 – Show Up
• Step 3 – Rinse and Repeat for the next 3 weeks.
• Step 4 – ???
• Step 5 – Profit!!!

If you have to miss a week, here’s the link to the workouts so that you can keep working towards earning your patch: https://content.goruck.com/rucking-challenge/August-Rucking-Challenge-Guerrilla-Ops.pdf.

See you in the Gloom..


Mr. Roboto

A 4 Pax arrived at the appointed time an place on this wonderful morning.  Both Schrute and YHC had some lingering soreness plus blisters, courtesy of Saturday’s Sasquatch.  Sidenote: F3NewBern was well represented by the aforementioned Schrute and Bitcoin, plus Mr. Roboto, who absolutely crushed the last mile or so – doing a Running Ruck to the finish line.  Most impressive.  YHC is fairly certain all New Bern Pax finished in the top half of all Ruckers.  You really need to think about doing this event next year.  All three F’s on full display.

WARM-O-RAMA

• Mission Statement and Disclaimer
• Sungods, IC, 10x front; 10x back
• Slow Cotton Pickers, IC, 10x
• YHC demonstrated a way to quickly re-ruckify.  Pax performed 3 reps before moving to …

THE THANG

Leave Union Point Park Gazebo and head to Traffic Circle.  At Traffic Circle, Pax did a Bear Crawl for one complete revolution around the Traffic Circle.  Continued route up E. Front St. then left on Queen St. towards Police Station.  Right on George to Tryon Palace Entrance then left on Pollock.  Right on Metcalf to History & Education Center, then left on S. Front St. and return to Union Point Park.  Approximate distance covered of 2.2 miles at an easy pace.  Finished with Diamond Merkins, 10x, OYO and a Plank for 1:15.  Hard Stop @ 0615.

COT

Count-O-Rama and Name-O-Rama.

Announcements:  GrowRuck 17 (Sandhills) coming in mid-November (11/15 – 11/17).  YHC will have more details later.  In a nutshell, this is an F3 event that will entail both fun and an extreme challenge.  Convergence that Friday evening, standard Beatdown Saturday morning followed by breakfast and then a classroom setting with an emphasis on leadership.  Rumormill has it that there will be some F3 Royalty in attendance, and that Dredd has already signed on to attend.  For those who might not know, Dredd is basically the founding father of F3.  The big event will begin Saturday night sometime and will be a GoRuck Tough – 12 hours of effort over an unknown distance of perhaps a minimum of 15 miles.  Along the way, the Pax will be presented with various physical and mental challenges designed to give practical application to the classroom learning.  Victory Breakfast to follow.  Not just a CSAUP for the fun of it.  For now, feel free to direct questions to Deuce, McRib and/or Mr. Roboto, all of whom completed GrowRuck 02 in Carterico several years ago.  I’m sure the memories are still fresh in their minds.  YHC to be a part of a call-in meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening (7/30) and will no doubt have more information to share.

Closed in prayer.

It’s a great day, gentlemen.  Hope you all have a super week.

An 8-Pax gathered this morning at the Union Point Park gazebo ready to do some final prep work for Sasquatch.  Today would be “slightly” easier than previous Ruck Its, as we are heading into our final few days before the event.  Still time to sign up, by the way.  Mission Statement and Disclaimer given and we got our day rolling with:

WARM-O-RAMA

• Sungods, IC, 10x forward, 10x back
• Rail-assisted leg stretch
• Short ruck to Convention Center gazebo

THE THANG

Pax had 3 stopping points — Convention Center gazebo, Corner of S. Front & Middle, Tryon Palace Seafood.  An “light” exercise was performed at each stop, before rucking to next place for the next exercise.

• Merkins, OMD, 10x followed by 30 second Plank
• Lunge Walk of approximately 20-25 yards (thank you Little Dipper for the inspiration)
• Ruck Thrusters, OMU, 10x
• Upright Ruck Rows, OMU, 10x
• Sumo Squats, OMD, 10x
• Ruck Curls, OMU, 10x
• Step Ups, IC, 10x followed by LSF w/ Ruck Chest Press, IC, 10x (All Pax paid appropriate homage to Butterball at this stop – if you were there when he was doing his thing, you know why)
• Ruck Kettle Ball Swings, OMU, 10x
• Quick-Pace Ruck back to Union Point Park Gazebo
• Overhead Ruck Press, OMU, 10x
• Pullups (unrucked), OYO, 5x

COT

Circled up for Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama and Announce-O-Rama.  YHC led the Pax in prayer.

Clown Car will be leaving SECU parking lot (beside Outback) at 0430 Saturday for Sasquatch.  Come if you are able.  Just bring a couple of towels if you do.

See you in the gloom ….

“Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course.” — William Shakespeare

A Pax of 7 strong posted this morning in the heat and humidity ready to get some Sasquatch-style Ruckercise done. Pax took full advantage of the gathering time to regale each other with tales from the weekend.  Double Dipper came in hot and arrived just in time for the Hard Start.  Mission Statement and Disclaimer was given.

WARM-O-RAMA (Rucked Up)

• Sungods, IC, 10x & Reverse
• Cotton Pickers, IC, 10x

THANG 1 (Station Work)

• Station 1:  Sandbag Cleans – AMRAP
• Station 2:  25 yard Bear Crawl with Ruck Drag and return in same fashion
• Station 3:  Upright Ruck Rows – AMRAP
• Station 4:  Ruck Curls – AMRAP
• Station 5:  Overhead Ruck Press – AMRAP
• Station 6:  Ruck Kettle Ball Swings – AMRAP
• Station 7:  Plank

Rotate Stations once Pax at Station 2 completed his exercise.  Continue rotating Stations until each Pax completed a turn at each Station.  Short Ruck to flagpoles and back.  Rinse & Repeat entire Thang 1.

THANG 2 (Partner Work)

• Partner A:  10 Merkins then Plank while waiting for Parnter B
• Partner B:  30 yard Bear Crawl and return with Lunge Walk
• Flip Flop
• Al Gore for the 6
• Rinse & Repeat Thang 2

THANG 3 (Individual Work)

• 7s with Merkins & WWI Situps.  Ruck 25 yards between Point A and Point B
• Breathe for the 6
• Cool-down lap around the block

COT (UnRuck Yourself)

• Shoulder & Tricep Stretch, OYO
• Pot Stirrers, each direction, OYO
• Announcements — Sasquatch July 27 (link at upper right of page)
• Name-O-Rama
• Prayer

Excellent work by the Pax this morning.  Temperature –  Warm; Air –  Thick; Ground –  Wet; Breathing – Heavy; Sweat – Free-flowing; Suck – Embraced.

Great way to start the morning and the week!

Bitcoin out ….