Rucking?!
No! Rucking is a bit of a new thing that’s really taking off in the states. It’s simple really, it’s running, or more often walking/shuffling, while carrying weight on your back. In the UK many people will be familiar with the Long Distance Walking Association or with military “yomping” and it builds on those traditions. You don’t need to be in full camo, to have served in the forces or to be out for 20 hours drinking cups of tea for rucking!
There are a few small facebook communities and a few UK based brands who sell rucking gear but it’s very much in it’s infancy. I think it’s great though! I started doing the school run carrying 10kg and it made a leisurely stroll feel like a bit of a workout. I’m sure it must help with training for longer stuff but regardless I really enjoy it. As with many things the 6 hour events really work for this too…
In a standard fixed distance event you’d be awarded based on the weight you carry, maybe with bronze, silver and gold awards for the weight you carry within a time limit. I’m taking a different approach! If you can carry 10kg for 20 miles I think that’s similarly as impressive as carrying 20kg for 10 miles! So, to reward both equally I’ll be implementing a multiplier system, distance x weight (miles x kg). Full details can be found here.
The beauty of the rucking movement is that although it obviously has some military links it’s not military in it’s foundations. I’ve never been involved with the military so I’d feel uncomfortable going out with a full bergen, a bit of an imposter (I’d also get odd looks at the school gates!). However a rucking backpack just looks like a backpack, mine is a simple black one, so I don’t feel like I’m pretending to be something I’m not and just blend in.
The way it’ll work is simple. If you want to ruck at the event when you register let us know and we’ll weigh your pack with our baggage scales (to be clear this is additional weight, not your water, snacks and clothes etc). Then when you’re finished we’ll work out the multiplier and grade and give you the corresponding patch. Patches…! This is where there is cross over with LDWA events and military based events – Velcro patches! These are free additions for ruckers, the same as the dog tags are free for canicross runners.
That’s it. It wont effect anyone else on the course or anything else we do but hopefully you’ll see some people going a bit slower carrying a bit of weight (on their backs!). Much like with the canicross addition over the last couple of years the hope is to add a sprinkling of different people and entries to the events, not change them.
If you are intrigued by rucking I can suggest joining the UK facebook group here, purchase top quality gear from UK based Yomp here (with a 10% discount code too with BIGBEAR10) and getting out and trying it! A word of personal advice, start light and build up! I bought a 20kg weight thinking I can lift that with ease in the gym but the weight across my chest was way to much for me to handle! I then got a 10kg one and it’s much better! I can still feel the weight with the pack on and off so I know I’m getting a workout but I am able to breathe too!
Rucking patches will be with us at every event from the Owl Challenge (2024) onwards. You can ruck at any event, the only caveat to that is that for the evening 10ks (Summer 10k and Petzl Night Runner events) you must be confident of finishing not much after 1hr45 as our medical support goes home at this point…! At all other events it’s not really an issue. Do ask if you think there may be a problem though.