Monday, Mar 11:
Before dinner, went on a neighborhood ruck with dad using 30# in a v2 rucker wearing Salomon XA Comps. Visited his future house.
After dinner, 18A "Upper Body Prep" in 25:02, Glute and pec PT v2 in 24:57 for light work before Bragg.
BRAGG HEAVY
One month out from Bragg, I had to decide whether to keep my registration for the Heavy or request a refund. I decided to stick with it, but not sign up for the T and B yet. I'd sign up in between events, if I still felt up for it. Worst case, I figured I could do the H and B or something. Or if it was a seriously worst case, I could just do the H. For people who easily psych themselves out of doing back-to-back events and don't even go out for the next event after having already signed up for it, this is definitely not the recommended approach, but I want it badly enough, so it wasn't really a risk. The main risk was running into issues using the Sandlot app and having enough mental acuity to get through the sometimes buggy interface and get registered.
Once I knew that I was at least doing the Heavy and that I'd worst case be able to stick around until War Stories and Free Beer after the Basic, I volunteered to make a team weight. Nobody else had up until that point (March 3rd). Sandlot said that we just needed a 25# team weight, even for the Heavy, so I was going to go with Sandlot! I turned the Time Turner team weight from the Harry Potter BBB into a "Fort Bragg, Center of the Universe" team weight. We historically haven't done much with team weights at Bragg, but we wanted to come with something, nonetheless. It at least looked cool.
I brought plates for people, though not as many as I have in years past. I drove up the day of, so that I didn't have to worry about finding a place the night before and had a little extra time to get ready.
The event began at noon. Cadre Dan started it all nicely, being glad that we all came out. Then, the Cadres went into Selection mode, saying that this was Bragg Selection. We held rucks overhead and then did ruck dumps. We've done ruck dumps at other events before, but this was the first time I've encountered it at a Bragg event.
Our first workout was the Robbie Miller WOD. We did 3 loops around the back part of the new SFA complex, where they were building a new trail. It was actually a little more than a mile long for each loop.
When we got back after the third loop, we did PT in the gravel. It was important to clear away the big sharper rocks, or else you might stab your spine during the getups.
I had been rucking with Jessica, so we stuck together during the PT and also waited for Natasha who wasn't far behind in reps to set off together on the second three mile ruck. It ended up being good that I waited, because as we were heading onto the trail, Cadre Dan pulled us aside, along with a few others, to go help some Grey Berets who were working on the land, as part of a pre-service project. We dug up post holes for future benches along the trail, for maybe six pairs of logs. My feet had started feeling a little bit off after the first three miles, so this was a blessing.
When we finished, we got a few minutes for priorities of work, and then we joined the rest of the class for log PT. As we did PT, we learned the 8 ARSOF attributes:
1) Integrity
2) Courage
3) Perseverance
4) Personal Responsibility
5) Professionalism
6) Adaptability
7) Team Player
8) Capability
We were highly encouraged to make sure we learned them.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We did some rifle PT... I like rifles! Left arm is weaker than right arm, though!
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
(Photo credit: Shannon Bass)
We might've switched back into logs...
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We broke into teams for "it pays to be a winner" events with loops around the mile+ trail... this part is blurred in my mind with many other times that we'd be doing this type of thing over the weekend, so this next part is a best guess...
We lined up in teams as people were evenly split based on event experience. Based on the # you were in your team's line, you got a certain role associated with a real role on an ODA.
When we got back after our first lap, we had to take turns going up to a whiteboard and trying to list one of the ARSOF attributes. You had a certain number of tries to get it right. As the leader, without anyone talking, I picked one person to go up at a time to put in an answer. Fortunately, we successfully completed the task, in spite of the one person who had initially answered "fitness", haha. Once we finished the task, we grabbed another sandbag and continued on.
(Photo credit: Shannon Bass)
On our next lap, we had two questions to answer, and the person going up could write down an answer either question. I was allowed to go up with the people this time. In retrospect, it was intended that I help them as much as I could without talking, but I didn't try to do that, because in case it wasn't allowed, I didn't want to get the team penalized with an extra coupon... anything that I'd do would be done right in front of the assessors. I know for next time, though. If it had worked out, everyone should've at least known their job on the ODA, although even that got messed up, because once someone writes down a role that is not their own and takes someone else's answer, the other person may be stuck trying to know the full list well enough to write down the name of a role that wasn't their own. We had 2 guesses left and 2 more answers to give... fortunately, we pulled it off! Another loop of carrying stuff was our reward.
(Photo credit: Shannon Bass)
At 1:30am, we did the deck of cards. Cleve knew that participants had been training for it, and he had a trick up his sleeve. Two people were leading it. We'd do the cards, go for a ruck on a joker, and come back. The cards were sounding familiar, like we had done the queen of hearts before. It turns out that the leaders weren't messing stuff up... the deck had been stacked against us, with a bunch of faces. It was alright, though... just keep good form so that you don't injure yourself. Use good form so that the Cadres don't jump all over you. We do all the reps as a class, so as long as you're not the slowest out of the giant group, you'll be OK.
It turned light as we rucked. In the morning, there was a funny moment where Addison yelled out his "Goooood Morning My Bragg People" like he does on Polos. Perfect. We knew that there was a service project coming up, and we weren't going to skip that, so we were probably going to time out before hitting 12 miles. I think we might've gotten 8 laps or something.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We got to do some priorities of work afterwards.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
For our service project, we helped to clear more logs and sticks from a farther area, putting them into future burn piles, I think. The sun was out, we were getting a physical break, and the mood was a lot happier.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
A group of us also worked on putting up the tarp for a gigantic permanent tent. It took some ingenuity to figure out how to get it across the very tall top.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We finished with the 515 Ruck Club ODA WOD, which has
- 12 deadlifts
- 12 rows
- 12 cleans
- 100yd farmer's carry
- 12 curls
- 12 OH press
- 12 squats
- 100yd farmer's carry
- 12 ruck swings
- 12 press
- 6/6 leg lifts / lunges (that was a strange one, because it wasn't a straight-up 12 of one thing)
- 100yd farmer's carry
We continued working at a team, helping each other out when needed. The farmer's carries were the hardest. It warmed my heart to see Marissa, who's new to GORUCK but a beast, helping out a guy who was struggling. Anyone can be strong for selfish purposes and that's not anything special... what's special is when people look out for each other, even when they don't have to.
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
During the workout, teams would get pulled aside to participate in a tug-of-war. Our team had a lot of smaller people, so we lost every time, I think.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
It was fun watching others duke it out, though.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
At the end of it, Cadre Dan was already advertising next year's series of Bragg events!
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
I estimate that we covered about 23 miles during the Heavy.
AFTER THE HEAVY
I went to a generous friend's house to shower. I dared not sleep there, though, since I didn't want to make it more difficult to force myself out of bed to get to the next event, or risk oversleeping, or deal with some unexpected traffic incident without enough time to make it to the start. I went back to the SFA to sleep and let SB know, so that she could be a backup, worse comes to worse.
BRAGG TOUGH
I did manage to sign up for the Tough in between events.
We knew the drill on where to start for the 4pm event. Cadre Dan gave his speech again.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We warmed up a little bit, thankfully. Nobody benefits from an avoidable injury.
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
Even with the warmup, the Cadres had standards of difficulty to maintain, though. Take it in stride... it's part of the game.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
For this event, there were a number of cadets. They're always enthusiastic and strong and good to have around. They'd naturally be sprinkled amongst the teams. Of course, people new to GORUCK may underestimate some of us at first, but when we carry stuff for long distances, they quickly realize that they shouldn't judge books by their covers! Our guys were really nice, though.
We had logs and sandbags and were moving in teams to a park. At some point, the cadres were pushing us to overtake other teams, similar to how they did at the HTB in NYC for the 20th during the Tough along the Hudson. It's not necessarily the best idea to do it on a road with a small grass shoulder, though. Inevitably, to overtake, people will be in the road. They did have cars providing coverage.
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
We got to the park and got shark attacked for a bit (enough for one guy to VW).
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
After priorities of work, we played "Cadre Baseball", where you rotate among stations led by different Cadres, which is also something we did at the 20th during the Tough. I think it's a great setup. It's great in multiple ways. Participants get a little one-on-one time with each cadre and get to know them a little better. The fact that you rotate also means that as tough as something may be, some time soon, you'll get relief from that thing and be able to switch to a different station. You'll be doing something else that's tough, possibly, but at least it's a different kind of tough.
At Chuy's station, we had a strategy and teamwork activity with shuttle runs carrying stuff while staying together. It pays to be a winner. I don't think we won, so we had to go to the next station via bear crawl.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
With Norwich, we did Burton Heartbreakers (of course) and low crawls with ruck pushes.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
With Mocha, we did some more log PT and had a little game where we'd hold logs over our heads with only half the team while the other half ran in a circle around the log... testing whether everyone is doing the work or if anyone is faking it on the log. That's good incentive to run fast, to relieve the team!
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
With LDB, we did the Centurion.
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
With Cleve, we did wheelbarrows, and the cadets got some good advice on being an officer - show that you care about your men and can do all the stuff they do right next to them.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We made our way back to the SFA as it got dark... we wondered what was in store for us.
Chuy organized us into ODAs, evening out the teams based on event experience level, like he would many times over the course of the weekend. # of Heavies, followed by # of Toughs, followed by # of Lights/Basics were the general criteria. The ones with the most experience typically ended up in leadership positions on the team. Each team member was assigned a position from a typical ODA.
We rotated among cadres again, but this time, for more involved evolutions.
With Chuy, we had to plan and execute a little recon mission, to locate and map out where a certain trailer with 2x4s and a wheelbarrow was. We had to be stealthy, so we went along the backs of downed tree mounds and around the treeline... being stealthy makes for slow movements, so it's tough to balance a stringent time hack with the need to be stealthy.
We had gotten a glimpse of a satellite image of where the items were and had to try to associate it with what we knew of the area to find it. We found a few trailers, but none matching the description. We didn't see any wheelbarrows. We did our best to report back on what we saw to the next squad after making contact with them with vertically moving red lights, though.
We spent time with Cadre Mocha, who took us on a loop where two giant logs had to be shoulder carried, while everyone too short to be helpful on those logs pulled security with rifles in the front and back. I felt bad about not being helpful on the logs, but I did my best to call out all the worn down stumps in the ground that we'd encounter.
We worked with Cadre Norwich, whose station was the receiving side of the intel on the trailers. He had us do rifle PT for a while, and we might've had time for a little bit of SUT movements before we had to go meet up with a different team. They had retrieved the trailer.
With the trailer, the class came back together. The teams took turns pushing/pulling the trailer full of the downed tree branches through the loop trail. We dumped some branches at several spots, I think. It was really easy to push that trailer and we made much better time than the cadres expected.
Our next evolutions got tougher... much tougher. Each team was now going at its own pace, instead of the class more or less staying together behind a trailer. On our first lap, we went slick around the loop. We had to do a lap low-carrying logs and sandbags. Fortunately, our team had a few straps to use. I can't imagine what teams that didn't have those would've done. It's bad enough with straps. I think it was easier to be on the log or a shared sandbag carrying one strap than to have to solo-carry a sandbag at waist-level or below, though, which is what some people got stuck doing. Actually, I heard afterwards that one team's leader had decided to have the team use sandbags as straps, and had people farmers carry sandbags with logs on top of them... at least we didn't try that!
I was in charge, so I couldn't carry the whole time while effectively leading the team by going back and forth and keeping everyone together and checking on everyone and the rotations. I had no choice but to help maybe half of the time, though. We took lots of breaks. Finally, we had to do a lap high-carrying the logs and sandbags. It's really hard to motivate people when they're physically spent and sleep-deprived... this was the end of the Tough, after we had already done the Heavy.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We finished with a round of high-carrying, which is a little easier than low-carrying, but the cumulative demands on everyone made it so that it wasn't much easier to keep everyone motivated.
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
Our team got back last, but I think there had been one other team behind us that got short-coursed and therefore got back before us. We sat by a single giant roaring fire where all the wood and effort was now going and did priorities of work. I think at one point, LDB must've seen me staring in the distance, reflecting on what I could've done better to motivate the team during those tough movements, because he asked me if I was ok. I was... just reflecting.
Afterwards, we got a little shark attack before having a patching at an odd 4am in the morning. None of the usual post-Tough celebrations were happening, because we were all eager to maximize time for priorities of work before the Basic.
(Photo credit: Dan Sell)
I estimate that we covered about 12 miles during the Tough.
AFTER THE TOUGH
Same plan as after the Heavy... go back to the house to shower, but then head back to the SFA for a quick nap.
BRAGG BASIC
Mocha started it off with an explanation of what the flag meant. I've heard this before at GORUCK Games, but it's inspiring every time.
The Basic gave us more opportunities to develop team work, test leadership skills, and problem-solve. We split up into three teams again, balancing out experience level. Brandon P was my ATL.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
We did a lap around. We wanted to get a good finish, because as usual, it pays to be a winner. Like with all team events, you must stick together, but also push everyone. You only go as fast as your slowest.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
When we got near the end of the loop, we were met by Chuy, who told Brandon and I to run up to the start of the road and pick between apparatuses 1 and 3, since the first place team had selected apparatus 2. Apparatus 3 was a trailer, which had been so easy to push the night before. Apparatus 1 was a wheelbarrow and some seemingly stand-alone extra stuff to deal with. We were viewing all of this from maybe 100yd away. We had a time hack for making our decision, including the run, so we had to make a quick decision and sprint back. Apparatus 3 seemed like an obvious choice for me... more wheeling, less lifting. We announced our decision and then led the team to Apparatus 3, which was occupied by the first place team. Turns out that when they got there, they decided that they liked Apparatus 3 more than Apparatus 2, and since they were first, they were allowed to change their minds, so we now had to quickly choose between 1 and 2, before the last team got there.
(Photo credit: Shannon Bass)
Apparatus 2 was still a trailer, and still looked better than the wheelbarrow, so I went with that. It turned out that Apparatus 2 only had 1 wheel, so we'd have to manage that. Each apparatus had a log plus sandbags to carry. Apparatus 2 ended up being a really rough choice because its floor was made up of 2x4's, whereas Apparatus 3's trailer was made up of a grate. I think ours was way heavier, in addition to being larger. We started assembling ways to push and pull this thing and balance it out. I knew that a common mistake was to spend forever with analysis paralysis, trying to test ideas on how to set it up, and I decided that we'd start with something and move. I remembered that delegating was a good thing, so I tried to do that some, but it is hard for me to resist getting in there and starting to do the work. We did take time to set it up but didn't linger too long. That was one bright spot, I guess.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
Once we got moving, though, it was tough. The thing was heavy for those that had to balance it out. With the beams sticking out to give people ways to push and pull, team members inevitably had to walk off-road, too, which was not easy with all of the stumps and stuff. Sometimes with the little hills caused by the worn stumps, we'd have to build up enough momentum to get up, but then the thing would pick up speed on its way down and could potentially run someone over if we weren't careful. It sucked. People tried to look for ways to make it suck less, and proposed ideas. We stopped to try some of them. Some helped a small bit, but it still sucked. I tried to convince them that it was going to be rough nearly no matter what we did, and we just had to keep going. Stopping every 50m to try to change the setup wasn't going to get us anywhere.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
At one point, maybe the halfway point of the loop, Cadre Cleve, who was trailing us and observing, stopped us and shared his observations. We had a mid-evolution AAR. I needed to be more directive and decisive and not let all the cooks in the kitchen overwhelm the situation. Based on where we were on time, we got to re-assemble the missing wheel and head back into the start. The other teams that had already finished had come back to help, too, although we were nearly back when they got back to us. The wheelbarrow team had done a good job making that thing work for them. Melissa and Caitlin had been really effective at leading their respective teams. They are great leaders.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
We had a class-wide AAR, sharing lessons from each team on what drove their decision-making processes and strategy, what went well, what didn't, so that everyone could benefit from each team's experiences while getting to rest and refuel a little bit. I felt super ineffective as a leader and was beating myself up a lot about how it all went. It did make me feel a bit better when I saw the pictures after the event and realized how different the two trailers were. I do think we had the toughest apparatus. Even so, though, a good leader can drive the team forward and manage the chaos in any situation, and I did not do that. The one shining spot that Cleve identified was that we never fought with each other, as bad as the situation was. I am thankful for friends who tried their best to help me and the situation as I led, the girls who stood up for me and asked the team to listen to what I had to say when I was having trouble wrangling everyone, the workhorses who kept crushing themselves to move the apparatus forward.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
I know full well what it's like to take it for the team like the workhorses did. Sometimes, that's what needs to be done, because nobody else is able to fill that role. I'm not sure how much can be done to convince someone who is either mentally and/or physically not ready to try XYZ physical task. I think I kind of expect everyone to already be giving what they have, so if they aren't putting in the work, I assume it's because they have nothing left, because that's how I am. But it's probably not how a good number of people are, but I guess I'm not good at figuring out when someone has just mentally given up or if they are truly physically broken. With some, it's more obvious than others, but those who have clearly mentally given up have an act they put on of being physically broken. It would be nice to be able to push them to a point where they realize they can do more than they have been limiting themselves to, but that's a level of leadership that I may not have yet. Anyway, the workhorses felt like they were being abused by being stuck doing the work, but I'm not sure how many others could have done what they were doing.
I'd like to think that one of the reasons that there was no fighting was that the team knew that I was trying my best and that if I were in their place, I'd be giving 110% trying to move the thing, so I wasn't asking them to do something that I wouldn't do myself.
After the group AAR, we had a more shark attack cadre baseball. We were going to get pushed hard until the end. Chuy had us do movements in synch, and he makes sure that you maintain proper form.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
When time was up, we'd need to hurry over to the next station. Mocha had us do leg lifts and pass-the-ruck games. Get in tight, and hope that your buddies didn't overpack too much.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
We made it!
(Photo credit: Steel City Shadow aka "Eric")
When the shark attacks were done, we were given 7 minutes to switch into something comfortable (sandals), grab water, and make a transition into War Stories and Beer. We'd be doing patches after that. I estimate that we covered about 4 miles during the Basic.
WAR STORIES AND FREE BEER
I think they wanted to make sure that everyone stuck around and got to hear from some great speakers. Each speaker shared about a topic of their choice, passing down some of their wisdom, and then there was an open forum for questions at the end.
We sang the Ballad of the Green Beret, led by Kip.
I appreciated Chuy's prayer over us.
It's always great seeing people celebrate their accomplishments afterwards. We have good food, enjoy some beer that Addison brought from his brewery, and receive cadre patches.
(Photo Credit: Dan Sell)
Afterwards, even though I hadn't had much sleep and had a few hours of driving to get home, I still felt very awake and wanted to spend more time being there and around everyone (including SB, who was there the whole weekend in a volunteer role), so I helped to pack up a bit. I also got to see the mini-museum for the first time. It had lots of pictures and memorabilia.
OVERALL
I had a lot to process after this event. I felt like I had huge weaknesses in leadership that were brought to the forefront. Depending on future career aspirations, that could be a big deal.
I was fortunate that my glute didn't bug me much. I also had a few times where I was saved from some rucking or PT. Being in a leadership position also reduces the physical load a bit, although it can be a lot harder than just following directions and carrying heavy things. I still need to grapple with and learn more about how to motivate people. I guess observing what other experienced GRTs like Melissa and Caitlin do so effectively is a good place to start.
Wednesday, Mar 20:
Airport Yoga & Root to Rise Yoga with Adriene
