Some events land on your calendar months in advance.

Others appear quietly. You look back across the miles behind you and realize the trail has been pointing you somewhere all along.

That’s how ROCK CREEK 100 feels.

It wasn’t originally on my schedule. I had been watching it quietly from a distance, but life has a way of shifting priorities. A couple things I had planned had to come off the calendar because of work commitments. At first that felt frustrating.

But endurance has a way of doing that.

When something moves off the schedule, the right challenge sometimes moves into its place.

When I stepped back and looked at the last three years of training and racing, something became clear.

The path had already been preparing me for this.

And it was pointing straight toward ROCK CREEK.

Green Beret Fitness events are some of the most demanding endurance rucks you’ll find—long distances under load designed to push athletes past the point where physical strength alone matters. These events demand systems, discipline, and the ability to stay composed when the miles begin stacking up.

The One That Stayed With Me – Operation CENTURY

In August of 2024 I stepped onto the course at Operation CENTURY.

I remember the start clearly. The excitement. The anticipation. The feeling that the miles ahead were wide open.

But that day didn’t end the way I hoped.

At 42 miles, I stepped off the course.

There was no dramatic moment. No injury. No collapse.

Just a quiet decision.

And afterward, a quiet regret.

Anyone who has stepped away from a race early understands that feeling. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t demand attention.

It simply stays with you.

For me, those forty-two miles became unfinished business.

Operation OCALA: When the Florida Trail Decides

Not long after CENTURY, I returned to the Florida Trail for Operation OCALA, a 67-mile endurance ruck through the Ocala National Forest.

OCALA takes place in January, and the weather can be wildly unpredictable. One year it might be cool and manageable. Another year the humidity rises, storms roll through the pine forests, and the trail becomes something entirely different.

I wrote about one of those experiences in Operation OCALA 2026 – When the Trail Takes What It Wants.

If you’ve spent time on the Florida Trail, you know the air can feel alive out there. Lightning flashing through the trees. Thunder rolling somewhere off in the distance while you keep moving through sand and roots.

That race became something more than just another endurance event.

Somewhere out there in those miles, something shifted.

For the first time during a long endurance ruck, I felt the systems coming together.

Training.

Pacing.

Nutrition.

Foot care.

Instead of surviving the miles, I was moving through them with intention.

That finish meant more than I expected.

It helped me let go of some of the failures I had been carrying for years.

If you want the full background around that race and what it takes to finish it, I also wrote The Ultimate Guide to Operation OCALA and The Return to OCALA: Preparing for My Third 67-Mile Ruck with Green Beret Fitness.

Learning I Needed a Better Endurance System

That second OCALA finish also gave me clarity.

Up to that point I had been figuring most of my training out myself.

Experimenting.

Grinding.

Trying to connect the dots.

The sandbag training I had done for a few years built incredible durability. Throwing sandbags around, carrying awkward loads—it builds a kind of toughness that translates well into rucking.

But durability alone wasn’t taking my rucking where I wanted it to go.

I realized something important.

Too much strength work and the engine begins to fade.

Too much endurance work and durability slips away.

Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot.

And after that race, I realized I needed help finding it.

That’s when I began working with OMNI Athlete Training Systems.

What I found there wasn’t punishment.

It was precision.

Structure.

An understanding of what endurance training actually requires over months and years.

That shift changed everything.

I talked more about that transition in Recovery After a 67-Mile Ruck – Operation OCALA.

OCALI – 70 Miles Through the Santa Monica Mountains

Then came OCALI.

Seventy miles through the Santa Monica Mountains with roughly 14,000 feet of elevation gain.

If OCALA teaches patience, OCALI teaches humility.

Climbing under load changes everything. The pace slows. The breathing deepens. Every step reminds you that the ruck is still there.

But something fascinating happened during that race.

Even though the terrain was completely different, the systems still worked.

The training translated.

The pacing held.

The nutrition stayed consistent.

And eventually the miles added up.

Seventy mountain miles.

Completed.

I shared more about that experience in OCALI – 70 Mile Ruck Through the Santa Monica Mountains, and how different those two events can feel in OCALA vs. OCALI – The Trail Decides Who Survives.

Why Rucking Became Part of My Identity

Over time I’ve realized something about myself.

Rucking is part of my identity.

I fight it sometimes.

Trail running feels free. Light. Fast.

But life keeps pulling me back to these long endurance rucks.

The heavy miles.

The slower rhythm.

The discipline required to keep moving forward when nothing feels particularly good anymore.

Rucking strips things down to the basics.

Just you.

The pack.

And the next mile.

The Phases of Long Endurance Rucks

Long endurance rucks break down the same way shorter rucks do.

The phases simply stretch out.

First you feel good.

Then you start questioning what you’re doing.

Then the grind begins.

The middle miles are where things get heavy. Your mind starts negotiating. Every step becomes deliberate.

But if you stay in it long enough, something interesting happens.

The heaviness begins to lift.

Your brain loosens its grip.

It gives back some of the things it was restricting earlier in the effort.

And suddenly those final miles feel different.

Not easy.

But freeing.

Those are the miles filled with something deeper.

Gratitude.

That’s part of what I’ve witnessed in Green Beret Fitness too—the moments where people stop negotiating with themselves and become something stronger in the process. I wrote about that in The Moments People Become Unbreakable: What I’ve Witnessed in Green Beret Fitness.

Giving Yourself Grace in the Middle

A good friend of mine has given me advice that has stuck with me.

When things get heavy, think about three things you’re thankful for.

It sounds simple, but the middle of a long endurance event is where the mind begins to spiral. Doubt creeps in. The miles feel longer than they should.

That’s when perspective matters.

Instead of focusing on how hard the moment feels, you shift your attention to what’s still good. The people who helped you get here. The body that carried you this far. The opportunity to even be standing on that trail.

In a strange way, gratitude lightens the load.

I know there will be moments during CENTURION where the middle miles feel heavy. When the doubts start whispering.

When that happens, I’ll remember her advice.

Three things.

Then take the next step.

Because without question, this will be the most mentally demanding thing I’ve ever attempted.

The Rowing Moment That Confirmed the Engine

The last six weeks have been different.

Recovery.

Light strength work.

Allowing the body to absorb everything the past couple years have demanded.

A few days ago I got on the rower.

Nothing dramatic.

Just planning to move a little.

After a short warm-up I pushed the pace.

The stroke felt smooth.

The breathing stayed calm.

I glanced at my watch expecting to see my heart rate climbing.

But it wasn’t.

It was sitting comfortably in Zone 1.

That moment surprised me.

Not because it felt hard.

Because it felt easy.

The engine was there.

The recovery was there.

Everything felt aligned.

And right there something clicked.

I realized I could handle any endurance event I wanted to put on my schedule.

ROCK CREEK 100 – The 100-Mile Goal

Now the next challenge sits clearly in front of me.

ROCK CREEK 100.

Ten loops.

Roughly ten miles each.

About 679 feet of elevation gain per loop.

One hundred miles under load.

The loop format changes everything.

Every ten miles we return to a central point where our crew can help with food, hydration, and foot care.

Reset.

Refuel.

Reset the system.

Then head back out.

One hundred miles isn’t solved all at once.

It’s solved one loop at a time.

The Line Ahead

When I look back now, the path feels obvious.

The unfinished miles at CENTURY.

The storms and lessons of OCALA.

The climbs through the Santa Monica Mountains at OCALI.

The systems that slowly came together over years of training.

Every mile was preparing something.

And now the next line is waiting.

One hundred miles.

Under load.

With good friends on the course.

With a crew supporting each loop.

And with a level of excitement that’s hard to put into words.

Because the truth is…

I’m stoked for this race.

The kind of excitement that shows up when you know you’re about to step into something difficult in exactly the right way.

So the plan is simple.

One loop at a time.

And when the middle gets heavy…

I’ll remember to be grateful.

Forged in Failure. Fueled by Grit.

People Also Ask: Endurance Rucking & 100-Mile Rucks

How hard is a 100-mile ruck?

A 100-mile ruck is one of the most demanding endurance challenges you can attempt. Unlike a standard ultramarathon, you’re carrying weight the entire time, which changes everything. The load increases fatigue in your legs, shoulders, and feet while also raising the overall energy cost of movement.

What makes it especially difficult isn’t just the distance—it’s the mental grind. The phases of long endurance rucks stretch out over many hours: feeling good, questioning why you’re there, grinding through the middle miles, and finally reaching a place where the finish begins to feel real.

What is the Green Beret Fitness ROCK CREEK 100 event?

ROCK CREEK 100 is an endurance ruck event organized by Green Beret Fitness designed around completing 100 miles under load.

The event format is typically structured as 10 loops of roughly 10 miles each, allowing athletes to return to a central point between loops. This provides opportunities to refuel, hydrate, and address foot care before heading back out on the trail.

That loop format turns the challenge into something manageable—one loop at a time—while still demanding the discipline and endurance required to cover 100 miles with a ruck.

How do you train for a 100-mile ruck?

Training for a 100-mile ruck requires more than simply walking long distances with weight. Successful preparation usually involves a system that balances several components:

• Long rucks that gradually increase distance and durability
• Aerobic training to build a sustainable engine
• Strength work that protects the body under load
• Recovery practices that allow the body to adapt

One of the most important lessons many endurance athletes learn is that consistency matters more than intensity. Building the ability to move under load for extended periods takes months—and often years—of steady work.

What weight do you carry in endurance ruck events?

Most long endurance ruck events require a minimum dry weight of around 20–25 pounds in the pack, not including water or food.

The exact weight depends on the event. Green Beret Fitness events like Operation OCALA typically require a 25-pound dry ruck, which becomes heavier once hydration and nutrition are added.

The load is enough to make the miles significantly more challenging without turning the event into a purely strength-based effort.

What are the phases of a long endurance ruck?

Many experienced ruckers notice that long events follow a similar pattern:

1. Early Miles – Everything feels good. Energy is high and the miles move easily.
2. Questioning Phase – Doubt creeps in. You start wondering why you signed up.
3. The Grind – The middle stretch. The focus shifts to simply moving forward one step at a time.
4. Release – The heaviness lifts. Your mind relaxes and the finish begins to feel real.

Those final miles often carry a surprising emotional weight. Fatigue is still there, but it’s mixed with a deep sense of gratitude for the experience and the journey that brought you there.

Why do people do endurance rucks?

For many people, endurance rucking offers something different than traditional running or racing.

The pack changes the experience.

Movement becomes slower, more deliberate, and often more reflective. Long rucks strip away distractions and reduce the challenge to something simple: keep moving forward.

For those who find meaning in that process, the miles become more than a physical challenge.

They become a way of understanding what you’re capable of when things get heavy.

Forged in Failure. Fueled by Grit.