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Why I Ruck

June 1, 2025 By Thad Forester

beautiful scenery for rucking for fitness and mental health


How Rucking Benefits Me

When someone asks what my hobbies are, rucking is one that I normally mention. For me, it’s more than just throwing on a weighted pack and going for a walk. It’s about purpose, discipline, and the benefits that come with it—physical, mental, and emotional.

man rucking with weighted backpack in mountains of utah


Here are a few reasons why I ruck:

  • Fitness with Function
    Rucking builds real-world strength and endurance—no machines or fancy gear needed.
  • Mental Toughness
    Walking with weight on your back is sometimes uncomfortable or tiring. It reminds me that growth comes from discomfort. Plus, I often think of what my brother went thru in his CCT training and while deployed to Afghanistan.
  • Connection to Service
    As a tribute to my brother Mark and others who served, rucking helps me stay grounded in gratitude and purpose.
group rucking with weighted backpacks for community, fitness and honoring Mark Forester
2024 Participants of The Mark Forester JAG 28 Birthday Walk/Ruck
  • Community and Camaraderie
    Whether it’s a GORUCK event or a casual local ruck, there’s always a shared bond among those who show up and move. At least 50% of the time, I ruck alone, but I also often do it with my young sons and with our local F3 men’s group.
    • Further: for busy folks, this is a very good option for catching up with friends. It’s the fitness version of “talking on the phone”.
kids rucking with weighted backpacks for fitness and community, wearing GORUCK KR1

father and sons rucking in nature

men rucking with weighted backpack for fitness and mental toughness
Old friends catching up while rucking 28 miles

group of people rucking with weighted backpacks to honor SrA Mark Forester

  • Time to Think
    Rucking gives me space to reflect, pray, and reset without distractions. Bottom line, it helps keep me sane since my life is busy and loud.
peaceful scenery for rucking with weight to improve physical and mental health, Huntsville, AL

  • Minimal Gear, Maximum Impact
    All you need is a backpack and some weight. Simple, effective, and accessible. Normally I keep mine in my truck, but sometimes leave it by my home office door for easy access to mid-day rucks. It’s a great and convenient way to break up a busy or stressful work day.

If you’ve never tried it, start light and short. You might be surprised what it does for your body—and your mental health.

Why Rucking > Walking (and Easier on Joints than Running)

If you’re wondering how rucking stacks up against other forms of cardio, here’s the short answer: it gives you more with less.

  • Burns More Calories Than Walking
    Rucking burns about 30–50% more calories than walking at the same pace. That’s because the added weight increases resistance without requiring speed or high impact. For more details and backup facts, see what Michael Easter says about it.
  • Lower Impact Than Running
    Rucking is a low-impact alternative to running, making it easier on your knees, hips, and ankles—especially over long distances.
  • Better Posture and Core Engagement
    The weight forces you to engage your core and maintain good posture. It’s a hidden benefit that improves everyday movement and stability.
  • Sustainable for the Long Haul
    You can ruck for years without the joint wear-and-tear that often comes with high-mileage running.
group of people rucking with weighted backpacks to honor SrA Mark Forester CCT


Want to see what rucking shoes I prefer? Click here.

And, if you’re interested in what I’ve found to be the absolute best rucksacks, CLICK HERE.

Related article:

City Ruck Nashville. If you want to join me on my next City Ruck (Birmingham, AL, Nov 22, 2025). Register here for the 12 miler and let me know.

I’ve been using GORUCK products since 2015. And yes, I am a GORUCK affiliate–b/c I tested their gear for 8 years before becoming one. I trust what they produce–all of it.

Filed Under: Events, Exercise, GORUCK Reviews, Life of Thad Tagged With: community, fitness, goruck, health, low impact cardio, mental toughness workout, rucking, rucking vs running, rucking vs walking, sanity, weighted backpack workout

Best Long Walking Path in Huntsville

April 30, 2023 By Thad Forester

Aldridge Creek Greenway

I train for a 28-mile Memorial Walk each year and yesterday I needed to get at least 10 miles to make sure my feet are ready.

I was looking for a specific path for this walk. Here were my criteria:

-did not want to walk along a busy road. Walking/rucking is relaxing to me and I do not like consistent road noise.
-wanted a long path so I could easily get 10+ miles without making the same loop many times
-needed some seclusion and/or restrooms b/c I drink a lot of water and have to go at least every hour
-prefer some sitting options so I can take a quick break to snack, drink, stretch and change socks if needed
-since the annual event is on paved roads, I want a paved path. My family and I make great use of the many hiking trails in the area, but this specific event is paved roads, so that’s how I typically train, especially for long walks

Fortunately, Huntsville, AL has many greenways and I’ve spent time on most of them. But, the Aldridge Creek Greenway is one that I’ve never walked on. So, off I went.

I parked at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on the corner of Bailey Cove Road and Green Mountain Road, and headed south on the path.

It was a perfect spring day, late April. Birds were everywhere, kids playing in the water along the path, many runners, walkers and bikers–both families and individuals; all ages. Since the path is wide, there wasn’t a problem with being overcrowded.

Smells always stick with me. I don’t know what caused the wet dog smell for about the first mile, but after that the honeysuckle and other pleasant smells took over.

There are benches about every 1/2 to 3/4 miles–plenty of them. Generous people have donated, often times in memory of a loved one.

I walked to Ditto Landing, covered that area just a little, found a bathroom at the pavilion, took a quick break along the river, then headed back.

Note: there are more paths at Ditto Landing, but I didn’t take them. Next time, I’ll check out the path along the river.

Went straight back to the church parking lot, which was 10 miles. Took me 3 hours and 20 mins. Step count was around 21,300.

My goal is always around 18-19 min miles b/c that’s the pace we’ll do during the JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk. I wasn’t far off, but didn’t stop my counter when I stopped to talk with a biker, sat and ate a few snacks and used the bathroom.

If you’re looking for elevation gain, this isn’t the path. Over these 10 miles, my gain was only 154 feet. When I want elevation gain, I have a great spot in Hampton Cove that is a burner!

The only time I encountered road noise was close to Ditto Landing.

The scenery along the path was beautiful. Also saw some brightly colored birds and a mama duck with her ducklings.

These walks (actually a ruck since I was carrying 20 lbs on my back) are my time to get away from my busy and loud life, listen to a podcast, listen to silence and nature, and think. Basically, rucking is perfect outdoor therapy.

I hope this post is helpful to you as you plan your next short or long walk/ruck. Huntsville is a beautiful area and has many great outdoor options. I’m not saying this is my favorite path, but it’s definitely one of my favorite. And since I was looking for distance and seclusion, I got it on Aldridge Creek Greenway.

Post a comment below on what you like or don’t like about this greenway. Also, please share other paths that you like and why. And if you’re new to Huntsville, welcome! I’m far from an expert on the area since I’ve only been here 2.5 years. We’re still exploring too.

If you’re interested in my playlist for this walk (when I wasn’t listening to nothing), here are the two podcasts I completed:

Our Town Podcast – Lisa DeFalco
The Ready State – Jon Gregory

Gear used (and always used for rucking): Bullet Rucker, Ballistic Trainers shoes, Simple Shorts, American Training Shirt; all from GORUCK–gear and apparel that I’ve tested and proven since 2015.

Filed Under: Exercise, Reviews Tagged With: aldridge creek, ballistic trainers, bullet rucker, cross training, endurance walk, greenway, north alabama, outdoor therapy, ruck, rucking, training, walk, walking

How to Train for the Mark Forester JAG 28 Birthday Walk / Ruck – 12 Years of Practice

March 24, 2023 By Thad Forester

Mark Forester JAG 28 Walkers at stop 2 in 2018

This is an update to an article I published here in 2016. Since I’m now training for my 13th JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk, I’ve learned a few things, made some modifications to how I train and what gear I use. Some of it is based on necessity, some on preference and experience, and some may be that my body is changing ever-so slightly (I’m now 46 years old).

When do I start training?

The JAG 28 Walk is every May. Even though I ruck very often all year, I start my longer distance training in late January. This is where I may try new socks, shoes, underwear, belts, etc. I start out my low mileage using 30 lbs in my rucksack. Once I get into March or April, I lower to 20 lbs, then by late April, I’m not adding weight, just focused on mileage.

As of today, March 11, I just finished my last training ruck with 30 lbs (at 6 miles). I’m now going down to 20 lbs for about a month, then will remove all the added weight for training for this specific event.

I never get as many miles as I’d like b/c of limited time, however, it’s important to get up to at least half of what the official walk will be (this is a very bare minimum). Since I’ve done the walk for 12 years, I know what to expect and can follow my suggestions above. If it was my first time, I’d get more than 14 miles before the actual event. 14 miles is half and is normally enough distance to know if my feet will blister, socks and shoes will work, and that my legs and hips are ready. This is also enough distance to test out food and drink (if other than water) to see how my stomach reacts.

Don’t let there be any surprises pop-up 10-15 miles into the event. DO NOT show up day-of with untested gear or you will regret it. *It’s important to note that this 28 mile memorial walk covers mostly rural areas, including a 6-mile dirt road in a national forest. This means it’s not easy to “drop out” of the event. Therefore it’s critical to be prepared so there are no surprises with your body or gear.

thad_jag 28 walk
Year 2016, mile 12

How often do I train for the walk?

From January until May, I walk at least two times/week. I usually get one long walk on Fridays or Saturdays, and then a minimum of 1-2 smaller walks during the week. Sometimes we go out as a family after supper and get in 20 mins of walking. This may only be 3/4 to 1 mile, but it’s great for the family and a great post-meal activity. Another great benefit of rucking–it’s a family affair. I’ll also take a break during the day from working and ruck one mile in neighborhood. It does the body and soul good.

My training terrain

I walk on terrain that is similar to the actual memorial walk. Our route in Haleyville is mostly on paved roads and a somewhat hilly area. The elevation is on average 950 feet, with an elevation gain of the entire 28 miles being 1,194 ft. The terrain is important for a few reasons: 1) if it were off road, I would wear the MACV-1 boots since they are high-tops and I want the ankle support and more aggressive sole for traction, and 2) being prepared for hills or elevation, if applicable. This event is a fairly predictable environment, but weather could change that quickly.

Speaking of weather; if you have the chance to train in rain, do it. Rain will not stop our event. One year it was in the 40’s and rained for the first few hours. It’s important to know what you’ll wear in that instance–poncho, jacket or nothing different. I put on a jacket that year, but that’s it. My pants covered the tops of my shoes, so my socks and feet didn’t get too wet (obviously they weren’t skinny pants).

Hydration

Although I’ve never had problems with this, it can be tricky. With training being in the winter and spring, most of my walks don’t require much water, but come May the heat and humidity will demand it. I like a mixture of Gatorade and water. I’ve seen very healthy and active people drop out due to cramps b/c they didn’t get enough salt (coming from me as a non-medical professional, I know). We tried hard to ‘revive’ a young guy last year, but it was too late. We were 23 miles in and he was done due to dehydration. He was okay, just his pride hurt and physically couldn’t walk any more.

Also, I don’t recommend trying new energy drinks or gels without testing them out. Seen this happen too–someone’s passing out energy drinks and samples, people take it for the first time and get sick or dehydrated. On the day of the walk, only use what you’ve tested.

Gear I use

Here is what I use to give you some ideas. Hopefully it’s helpful to others.

Shoes: GORUCK Ballistic Trainers (previous years I used the MACV-1 and other hiking boots, but now I like these shoes since it’s mostly paved roads for this event)
Socks: Balega Hidden Comfort (previous years I used Smartwool, but these new ones work well with the Ballistic Trainers). Note: GORUCK just released some new socks that I will be trying.
Backpack: GORUCK Bullet Rucker 4.0 (previous years used the GR2, but the Bullet Rucker is smaller, which is more appropriate for this walk).
Underwear: SAXX. Laugh all you want, but for me, this is very important. I don’t really need to elaborate here, but since I don’t have 4% body fat, my inner-thighs will rub together, therefore I must have something to prevent that friction. SAXX does the job very well, and doesn’t hold too much moisture. I will not use cotton for this event.
Shirt and pants: Dri-fit or tri-blend shirt with thin, fast-drying pants or shorts. Of course, I use GORUCK shorts or pants.

Extra socks, shirt, underwear, first aid and Bulletproof Bands (formerly Ruck Wrap)
Year 2022. First time I wore shorts and the Ballistic Trainers shoes

What I do at each rest area

We have designated rest stops every 4-7 miles. This allows us to sit, eat and recharge. I also take this time to change into fresh, dry socks (that I’ve kept dry in a zip lock bag). Normally, I put some body powder/talc on my feet to help dry them quickly. I also use Body Glide on my feet–heels, ball and any high-friction spot. In addition, I use this on my inner thighs.

My priority at each stop is to get my feet dry, socks changed, address any hot spots, compression therapy on my achilles, refuel, pee and get ready to go as quickly as possible. We aren’t in a huge rush, but time is of the essence at each stop. Sitting too long, especially later on in the day, can make it more difficult to get up and move again. So, figure out how to be as efficient as possible at each stop.

foot care
Lots of foot care at every rest stop
I developed my first blister on the walk in 2021 at mile 24

Since my achilles rupture and surgery, I’ve started using compression therapy on my achilles/ankle. Last year I used it at the rest areas during the 28 mile walk. This helped with swelling and inflammation (had zero swelling last year). I plan to continue this year. It’s also a big part of my recovery after my training walks/rucks.

Other tips/blister kits

Since we’ll be outside for about 10.5 hours, don’t forget sunscreen. Most years I wear pants just to have less skin exposed. Last year I wore shorts, with a long sleeve, dri-fit type shirt. I like that combo too.

Put together a simple blister kit with various sizes of moleskin, band aids, possibly scissors and tape. I’m not an expert on doctoring blisters during the event since I’ve never had many. The ones I’ve gotten, were small and we got moleskin on them quickly. I’ve seen many big ones and some participants have popped and drained the puss mid-event, while others left the bubble until the walk was over or they popped it if they had to drop out.

Also, clip your toenails. It’s amazing what pain or discomfort this simple act can prevent.

A walker from 2018. It could be worse, but this is bad enough. Avoid this happening.

Previous Years Surprises

Fortunately, I’ve had only a few surprises over the years. What stands out the most is for a few years my ankles swelled pretty big and I had to elevate them for a couple days after.

Also, every year until 2022 I used Smartwool trekking socks. They felt great on my feet, but by the end, my ankles broke out in a rash that lasted a few days. This happened every year. Not a big deal, just itched a little for a few days. Once I switched to the Balega Hidden Comfort socks, no more of that issue.

Some years I’ve gotten severe chills after the walk too. I’ve not researched why, but it’s never been a problem, just noticeable.

It will be different for all. The goal is to be so prepared that you’re good after the event. Of course you’ll be tired and sore, but you should be able to go about more normal activities the following day. This is usually my experience. After the 2022 walk, I felt better than I ever have. I attribute that to the Ballistic Trainer shoes and the Balega Hidden Comfort socks. Getting plenty of miles in before the event was pretty crucial too.

Walkers in 2015

Summary

Train, train, train. As Mark Lauren always says, “you only get good at what you do.” It’s important to mix in some weight training too. Those legs will get tired. And when we do Memorial Push-ups at the end, you want some gas left in the tank. Training only by walking will not prepare you for that.

Too many times to count participants have shown up to the event and told me they didn’t train b/c they workout regularly or do CrossFit. Also, I’ll never forget the face of a walker as her husband removed (aka yanked) her toenail at about mile 27. She was not happy. So, training by walking is the best preparation.

For additional tips on training for the ruck/walk, a former combat controller Matt Mueller provided these to me years ago, which are absolutely spot on (scroll down under the first picture in the link to read the add’l tips).

I’d love to hear how you train, what gear you use, tips on preventing or treating blisters, etc. And I’d really like to see you at the Mark Forester JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk this year. Come on and just do it! It’s a unique event with a great spirit about it. How many events can you exercise and spend many hours with others, while being able to talk?

Affiliate disclaimer: I earn a small commission from GORUCK if you purchase their products with my links listed above. This is no additional cost to you. I chose to become an affiliate b/c I believe in their products and use them–and have since 2015.

Filed Under: Exercise, Life of Thad, Reviews, The Mark Forester Foundation Tagged With: ballistic trainers, goruck, jag 28, mark forester, memorial pushups, memorial walk, ruck, rucking, training

How to Train for Long Ruck Without Looking Suspicious

March 10, 2018 By Thad Forester

2016 JAG 28 walk
2016 Mark Forester 35-mile Walk

Ever been accused of breaking into homes?  I have.

Let me set this up:  As I was training for my annual Mark Forester JAG 28 Memorial Walk a few years ago, a home owner came out of his house as I passed by on the street and yelled “Hey, what are you doing?”  Said I, “Just walkin.”  Then he said, somewhat accusingly, “You know a guy with a backpack broke into a home here recently?”  I told him I knew that but I wasn’t that guy.

I started training for this annual memorial walk/fundraiser back in 2010 to honor my little brother, Mark Forester.  When I first started walking in Dec 2010, I had someone pull up beside me and offer a ride, more than once.  The large backpack full of heavy items must have made me look like I was carrying all my belongings across the country.

Then, I moved to another city in a huge neighborhood.  I can walk many miles without leaving our enclosed streets.  So, as I started walking late winter thru May each year, I got suspicious looks.  To really add to the fun, we had some break ins and a man wearing camouflage entered someone’s home thru a window, was seen, and fled.  Another important detail:  he was wearing a backpack.

desert camo pack

What are you doing in our neighborhood?

So, the weekend following that event, I was doing my normal walking on Saturday morning with my desert tan camo backpack.  This brings us back to my first paragraph – A home owner came out of his house and yelled “Hey, what are you doing?”  I said, “Just walkin.”  Then he said, somewhat accusingly, “You know a guy with a backpack broke into a home here recently?”

Later, a friend told that man who I was and what I was training for.  He felt bad.  But, I can’t really blame him.  Don’t we want neighbors who are aware and protective of our communities, without being too nosy?

Regardless of my drive and commitment to do Mark’s walk each year, I felt more and more uncomfortable walking around my neighborhood b/c I got so many suspicious looks.  This encounter with being questioned made it even worse.  A good friend, Roger Long, used to do the same thing b/c if he didn’t walk, the effects of his Parkinson’s were too strong, i.e. shaking and poor balance.  He also got those weird looks all over town.  Then he moved to CO and he blended right in.

I decided that a few changes could make a big difference in people’s perception of who I was and what I was doing in “their” neighborhood (in this case, it was my neighborhood too).

Small changes go a long way

Now, I realize in some areas you won’t stand out, but where I live, seeing someone walking thru a neighborhood or around town on paved streets with a ruck sack or backpack and hiking boots draws suspicious looks.  So, here’s what I did:

  1. got rid of the desert camo backpack and got a solid color pack (mine is a gray GORUCK GR2)
  2. started wearing bright colored shirts
  3. added velcro reflective strips to my rucksack.  Originally got these for a GORUCK event
  4. posted on my neighborhood’s Facebook page about what I’m doing and who I am.  This brought out some doubters who were relieved to learn my motives.
  5. optional: put a flag on your backpack.  Pretty sure criminals trying to hide wouldn’t carry a waving flag with them.

Left is my old pack. Right is my GR2.

forester-sprayberry Jag 28

I feel much more comfortable training now and the long, strange looks have subsided.  In this case, it’s good to be just another guy on foot.

For tough rucking gear with a lifetime guarantee, check out GORUCK.

If you’ve experienced this, I’d love to hear your story and what you did to change.  thad@patriottothecore.com

For more details about my gear and actual training, I wrote this article two years ago.

Filed Under: Events, Exercise Tagged With: blend in, goruck, memorial walk, ruck

Training to walk 35 Continuous Miles

March 8, 2016 By Thad Forester

Walk participant in 2012.
Walk participant in 2012.

After Mark’s death, I organized an annual memorial birthday walk. This event would serve two purposes:

  1. To raise money for Mark’s foundation
  2. Put myself thru some pain to honor Mark and his sacrifice

So, it’s that time of year again that I’m training to walk a continuous 35 miles. Many people have said to me over the years, “I think I’m gonna walk with you.” I really appreciate it, but most people don’t realize the toll on their body and feet. Sounds easy to just walk. But, think again. If you don’t train, you will regret it. I don’t care if you’re an avid runner, CrossFit-er, or how good of shape you’re in, this is different. I will admit there are a very few people I’ve seen just show up and walk, without painful injuries.  You don’t want your feet looking like the picture above–he didn’t last.  This was a few years ago after about 11 miles.

There are only a few tips I can share for preparing for this walk:

  1. Train, Train, and Train.
  2. Get the right shoes and socks

Beginning in Feb/Mar, I walk every Saturday morning. I increase my mileage each week and wear the shoes, socks, pants, and backpack that I will wear for the actual event in May. And since the weather is getting warmer, I start going barefoot more often to harden up my feet. It’s important to get your feet prepared. I’ve seen too many people regret doing the walk–even after four miles–because they didn’t train. Some of them are tough guys and they think they can slip on some sneakers and walk. Trust me, this normally doesn’t work out too well.

Since Mark’s walk is mostly on paved roads, all my training is on pavement. The terrain in Haleyville, where the walk is held, is hilly so I train with hills. I also like to ruck with a weight plate in my GR2 backpack early on, then as the miles get higher, I remove the weight.

For shoes, I like to use hiking boots. I’ve used Scarpa and La Sportiva brands. I like the latter best. They are wider and lace up faster. However, the Scarpa are pretty comfortable and very durable, they are just narrower and lace up higher than I need for this event.  Wear whatever shoes you want, just train beforehand.  There are some people who prefer tennis shoes/sneakers, but just because they are soft and are great for around town, doesn’t mean your feet will like them after several continuous miles.

*Update: I started using GORUCK Macv-1 boots, then moved to GORUCK Ballistic Trainers.  As-of late 2023, I’m training with the new GORUCK Rough Runners.  I’ll determine if I’ll stick with them or the Ballistic Trainers.  Regardless, all the footwear from GORUCK is built for rucking long distances in any terrain.

For socks, I only use Smartwool Trekking (and have recently started to slowly implement Vermont Darn Tough hike/trek. Be aware these specific Smartwool’s are thicker than the Vermont hike/trek). When I get over about seven miles, I change my socks. I also apply some talc powder/Gold Bond directly to my feet to help keep them dry. Even if my feet feel good, I normally go ahead and change to a fresh pair of socks. For the actual event, I change at each rest stop, which is every 4-7 miles. Some years, I’ve opted not to change at the last stop b/c my feet feel good and there’s only 4 miles left.

There are other variables that are good to prepare for like rain, heat, cold, hydration, blisters, and chaffing.  We’ve had temps in the 40’s and raining to sunny and 80’s, with high humidity.  If you want to use a bladder system for hydration, train with it.  The day of the walk isn’t a good time to have to adjust your gear or find out it’s just not doing what you wanted.

Training for the walk is very time consuming. It’s also a great workout, especially with added weight. In addition, it’s a great time to listen to music, podcasts, or just enjoy the sounds of nature, mingled with cars driving by giving suspicious looks.

For more info on present and past walks, visit Mark’s site here.

For my GORUCK gear reviews, visit my YouTube Channel here.

Another walker after mile 30.
Another walker after mile 30.

Filed Under: Exercise Tagged With: blistered feet, gear, gold bond, rucking, scarpa, smart wool, walk

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