Ruck March, as told by Mel
17042008, 2130. Set five alarms. Go to bed.
17042008, 2230. Fall asleep.
18042008, 0430. First alarm goes off. Get up, turn off alarm, go snuggle with blankets a little.
18042008, 0435. Second alarm goes off. Get up, get ready.
18042008, 0500. Depart for Armory with BDUs , Combat Boots - 2.5 lbs each , LCE with full canteens - 5 lbs? , and ruck with 25 lbs . Total weight: nearly 40 pounds. Proportion of Mel's body weight: over 1/3.
18042008, 0520. Arrive at Armory.
18042008, 0525. Begin stretching. Wince about blister currently on ball of left foot from last week's ruck march.
18042008, 0540. Step off with all of above, plus duck - 8.5 lbs . Weight on Mel is now almost 1/2 her body size. Lose all sense of time.
Ruck march, mile 1. Doing okay. Running to catch up with road guard carriers, Jackson and Pugh.
Ruck march, mile 2. Still running. Decker (fellow female) begins to run as well.
Ruck march, mile 2. Begin to complain. Threaten to saw off Jackson's legs if he doesn't slow down.
Ruck march, mile 2.25. Tell Jackson that she will shoot him with her fake M16. Decker laughs. Mel and Decker begin to successfully whine their way through this horror.
Ruck march, mile 2.3. Can feel old blister filling up with liquid and squelching around.
Ruck march, mile 2.5. Stop for water break. Hernandez (fellow female; ruck march leader) overly concerned about Mel's foot.
Ruck march, mile 2.5. Told that no more running is allowed; must take bigger steps.
Ruck march, mile 2.51. Bigger steps fail.
Ruck march, mile 2.51. Told to swing gun to assist movement.
Ruck march, mile 2.53. Keeping up.
Ruck march, mile 3. Start to feel miserable. Foot hurts with every step.
Ruck march, mile 3.5. Wince. Carry on. Jackson and Pugh begin to slow down.
Ruck march, mile 4. Almost back. Sing "Colonel Hiathi's March" in head.
Ruck march, mile 5. Back at Armory. Ready to collapse.
18042008, 0705. Arrive back at Armory.
18042008, 0710. Stretch. Wince. Do not put pressure on left foot.
18042008, 0730. Make it to Lenoir. Eat breakfast.
18042008, 0820. Arrive back to dorm. Take off boots.
18042008, 0821. Look at feet in horror.
17042008, 2230. Fall asleep.
18042008, 0430. First alarm goes off. Get up, turn off alarm, go snuggle with blankets a little.
18042008, 0435. Second alarm goes off. Get up, get ready.
18042008, 0500. Depart for Armory with BDUs , Combat Boots - 2.5 lbs each , LCE with full canteens - 5 lbs? , and ruck with 25 lbs . Total weight: nearly 40 pounds. Proportion of Mel's body weight: over 1/3.
18042008, 0520. Arrive at Armory.
18042008, 0525. Begin stretching. Wince about blister currently on ball of left foot from last week's ruck march.
18042008, 0540. Step off with all of above, plus duck - 8.5 lbs . Weight on Mel is now almost 1/2 her body size. Lose all sense of time.
Ruck march, mile 1. Doing okay. Running to catch up with road guard carriers, Jackson and Pugh.
Ruck march, mile 2. Still running. Decker (fellow female) begins to run as well.
Ruck march, mile 2. Begin to complain. Threaten to saw off Jackson's legs if he doesn't slow down.
Ruck march, mile 2.25. Tell Jackson that she will shoot him with her fake M16. Decker laughs. Mel and Decker begin to successfully whine their way through this horror.
Ruck march, mile 2.3. Can feel old blister filling up with liquid and squelching around.
Ruck march, mile 2.5. Stop for water break. Hernandez (fellow female; ruck march leader) overly concerned about Mel's foot.
Ruck march, mile 2.5. Told that no more running is allowed; must take bigger steps.
Ruck march, mile 2.51. Bigger steps fail.
Ruck march, mile 2.51. Told to swing gun to assist movement.
Ruck march, mile 2.53. Keeping up.
Ruck march, mile 3. Start to feel miserable. Foot hurts with every step.
Ruck march, mile 3.5. Wince. Carry on. Jackson and Pugh begin to slow down.
Ruck march, mile 4. Almost back. Sing "Colonel Hiathi's March" in head.
Ruck march, mile 5. Back at Armory. Ready to collapse.
18042008, 0705. Arrive back at Armory.
18042008, 0710. Stretch. Wince. Do not put pressure on left foot.
18042008, 0730. Make it to Lenoir. Eat breakfast.
18042008, 0820. Arrive back to dorm. Take off boots.
18042008, 0821. Look at feet in horror.