When I was living in Oklahoma City one of my closest friends there, Gena, told me about GORUCK. Her husband was deployed and she asked me to participate in an event with her.

I started rucking specifically to train for my event. A trainer at my gym, and a former Marine, programmed workouts specifically to get me ready for the event. Back in the day there wasn’t a lot of information online as to what a GORUCK event would be like.

Literally my favorite thing about the GORUCK community is the friends that I’ve made. I’ve been part of the community in OKC, So Cal, Nor Cal, Jax Beach – and the one thing that remains is that I will always find the best humans. The first GORUCK reunion I remember Jaala walking up to me explaining how nervous she was about the event and we all know she’s pretty much a badass. She’s since become one of my favorite humans. Because of the friends I’ve made, I’ve seen babies being born, marriages start and end. I’ve had people tell me their deepest darkest secrets and I’ve trusted GRTs with mine.

Let’s Talk Events

HA! At this point the hardest thing about GORUCK events is staying awake! I kid. It’s not knowing what type of Cadre you’ll get. Some will try to get you to quit. Some will try to teach you lessons. Some will keep you laughing. Someday I hope to do an event with Surf Hog because I hear he’s one of the hardest cadre and I feel like he will do his damnedest to f*ck me up and I like the challenge.

This may sound strange but the hardest event I ever did was the light of my HCL. I was pretty convinced I was going to die of hypothermia after being awake 72+ hours. I could barely even handle carrying my ruck that was 10#. I had to keep reminding myself what Cadre Cody told me during the challenge of that event – that sometimes being part of a team meant allowing them to be there for you. Those words forever echo in my head.

The second hardest event, for me, was the third light of the first ever LLL where we RUINED THE BRAND. It was a formal event and I wore my wedding dress from my marriage that didn’t last. I thought it would be comical, but I didn’t understand the weight (literally and figuratively) of wearing such a garment for an event. I later had the dress cleaned and donated it to a company that make dresses for stillborns.

What’s your favorite ruck?

Pink. All the rucks. All the pink. I own a GR1, Echo, Bullet and Field Pocket and we have several extra rucks that we like to loan out to friends for ruck club.

How is rucking part of your life now?

Though events are harder to commit to now that I’m a mom and sleep is precious, I’ve been part of several ruck clubs throughout the years. I intermittently participate in the local GORUCK HQ Ruck Club when it works around my tiny terrorist’s sleep schedule. I’m thankful she’s pretty social and that the GORUCK community welcomes kids with open arms.

The thing I like most about rucking is the time with the community. Smiles for miles is the best 🙂 and being able to catch up with friends while getting my fitness on is my jam.

I mean, if I have to explain at my core why rucking has helped me – it’s because it helped me find my family. At the end of the second reunion in NOLA some dirty looking hippy shoved his face in my neck and said “this is my spot” and turned and walked away. We had a long distance relationship for a while – he was living in Nicaragua and I was living in California. Flash forward a few years and we’re engaged with a baby living blocks from HQ. She has been the greatest aspect of rucking.

What would you tell someone thinking about rucking?

Sweaty friends are the best friends 🙂 Go out and try it, you’ll never know the conversations you’ll find while suffering besides strangers.

– Lindsay Luna, Mom to Baby Kai and GRT

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Featured Gear:

• GR1
• Bullet
• Field Pockets