Team O-01 

September 17, 2020 16:00

Everything written is as true but the order of evolutions maybe off due to lack of memory. 

Start Point 

After the volunteer withdrawal from Selection 021 in October of 2019 I was left with a disappointing feeling. I needed to prove to myself I can accomplish at the very least 48 hours of time. Team Assessment seemed to be the event to fill this void personally. I reached out to a fellow GRT, Mike Fierreira. Long story short he agreed to the terms of our contract as a solid team.

Fast forward, Covid-19 took over the world and GORUCK events were on hold. Luckily GORUCK decided to reschedule the event for the fall but this caused my teammate to not be able to make it. This was a bummer. I then reached out to my Selection training partner, Mark Guenther. Another long story short, he signed the dotted line for the challenge ahead.

Training

Training started off in the cold months. I found I needed to gain strength so I needed equipment. I joined a Crossfit Gym and started training harder. Covid then happened and life shut down. Knowing I needed to train, I started purchasing what I needed to achieve my goals for my partner.

Training schedule looked like this on average:

Monday-Friday 

• Sandbag Work and Rucking (Lunchtime)
• Lift with Circuits (Evening)

Thursday

This was Partner Workout day. I would meet my Teammate for a Ruck/Run/Sandbag Workout and we would discuss training, gear, situations, and the event it’s self.

Saturday 

• Long Rucks and/or workouts

Sunday- Rest

***Nutrition was also key for optimal training.

Pre-Event Challenges

Challenges of life always seem to be part of the event itself. While training in December I was laid off from my full-time job. As the sole provider of my home, this was a reckoning to my mental state. But by the grace of God and his ways, I was blessed with many guardian angels to guide me through this tough time. This is when I started building Joe Baker Fitness (JB Fitness). 

Training took a turn as well. Team assessment was scheduled for June and I was working full time running my Fabrication business, learning how to start a fitness business, being a Husband, being a Father, and dealing with the shutdowns from Covid-19. I was mentally not ready for Team Assessment but I was also not willing to let my Teammate down. I also personally needed this experience for my own state of mind.

Mindset is something you have to set yourself. This will determine your outcome of anything you do. I would lose focus but quickly realized this and quickly adjusted my azimuth.

Pre-Event

With a House Mom (Jon Cichelli) and an Air BNB locked down we met up with some fellow GRTs doing Team Assessment from both divisions at the start point the evening before. These pre-event gatherings or “Ruck-Offs” as we like to call them, are great for the soul. Normally there would be beers but the beers seem to be replaced with water and/or electrolytes. The conversations came to rest and we headed back for final gear check, prep, and some sleep.

Morning of Event

08:00 wake up

4 Cups of Coffee, Oatmeal, Protein Shake, and Vitamins to start. A lot of rolling, Ruck Wrapping, and stretching to get the body moving. We lounged around and watched a comedy to help calm the nerves and Jon made us a solid breakfast!! After breakfast, we hydrated, rolled, Ruck Wrapped, and stretched some more. Settled in and took a nap. This was clutch!! Jon then made us our last real meal of the next 48 hours. We owe a lot of our success to Jon. Thank you Jon for being everything and more of what we needed to achieve the task ahead of us.

16:00 Event Start Time

Nobody wants to be Team 01. Hey, someone has to do it so we started the event winning formation. Administration was simple as most things are at a GORUCK event. Name’s, dry weight check, info, formation. I would like to note that prior to check in I new my ruck was close on weight and was planning on using their scales to check before the event started to make any adjustments needed. Man was I close. Dry weight requirement was 45 pounds dry. I weighed in at 45.16 pounds. I call that perfect!

We are now at this point in our teams in formation. 10 Teams (20 People) for the Open Division and 8 Teams for the Female Division (16 People). I would like to note here of the atmosphere. Last year at GORUCK Selection is was a very intense feeling in the air. Team Assessment not so much. Its was like being at business outing. You can have some fun but don’t do anything stupid. Back to the story. DUMP YOUR RUCK! We are now in the event. The packing list was read off and checked by the Cadre. Team O-01 good to go.

Now it’s everyone’s favorite show to watch, Ruck Dump! Ruck Dump consists of 2 things:

1. Dump everything out
2. Put everything in as quick as possible

Easy right? Not if you can’t keep your composure. Practice this over and over again. Remember training needs to be done at home and not at the event. The event is the test. 

The Cadre gave us 45 seconds to complete to task of getting everything in our Rucks for a total of 10 Rounds. My partner and I got ours on the third round. Good to go and able to set and rest and do priorities of work. 

PT Test

• 1 Minute Max Repetitions
• Hand Release Push-Ups (minimum 30) 
• Butterfly Sit-Ups (minimum 40)
• Sandbag Squat Clean 80 pounds (minimum 15)

Welcome Party

Cadre had the Teams grab sandbags (Two 60lbs and Two 80lbs Sandbags) and line up facing the opposite side of a soccer field. We were instructed to perform our first task and for every evolution going forward, we are acquiring points.   

This evolution was instructed, Partner 1 (P1) will Low Crawl while dragging his/her Ruck. Partner 2 (P2) will Bear Crawl the same pace as P1 to other end and then switch. Note here that the distance is roughly 100 Meters (109 yards). 

Team O-01 2nd Place

This is where it gets a little hazy, so I’ll just write what I can remember and you can watch the Live Feeds on the Tough Page to get the rest. P1 and P2 Lunge walk down and back (200 Meters) with Ruck and 80lbs Sandbag. This my friends may be the worst evolution ever created. By the time Team 01 made it 100 Meters I was done. Forward progression and mental fortitude for my partner kicked in. I dry heaved, was cursed, and cursed at by the Cadre (Cleve), but Team O-01 made it. Thank you for the Cadre way of encouragement Cleve.

Team O-01 2nd place

There were sandbag shuttle runs, Thrusters, Clean and Tosses, and another round of those ______ lunges. We also did a 1 mile coupon Ruck and then capping it off with Cadre Cleve’s Deck of Cards. This was without a doubt the hardest Deck of cards I have ever done. With a Time Hack of 75 Minutes we had our work cut out for us.

• Hearts – Always 8 Count Body Builders (Ruck on)
• Diamonds – Sandbag Lunge (Ruck on)
• Spades – Sandbag Clean and Press (Ruck on)
• Clubs – Ruck Swings
• Joker – 800 Meter Ruck
• Face Cards 15 Reps
• Aces 20 Reps

Welcome to the Party

Next was a 5 Mile Ruck (75 minute time hack) back to Jason’s Dad’s house and get familiar with the field. We should really come up with a name for it. Here we got to do priorities of work before the work began. 

First evolution of the night, partner Wheel Barrels 1 Mile. Needless to say this was brutal. This followed by Bear Crawls, Lunges, Sandbag Tosses, Sandbag Carries, and probably more. These evolutions started from the bottom of what has now been deemed “Winner’s Hill.” Thanks Doug for helping with that one, and ending at the river bank. 

It was 40 degrees and the sun was coming up. We made it to morning. Cadre JC decided to wake us up a little and help with the inflammation that was increasing by the minute. Hydro Burpees for 30 Repetitions. Cadre JC was kind enough to allow us to take off anything we didn’t want wet. Thank you for that JC.

Bear Crawl back to the top of Winner’s Hill. Here is where we grabbed two 60lb Sandbags and was instructed to Farmer Carry the sandbags for 3 Laps (3 Miles) team O-01 was way out front and crushing it if I might add. Cleve then blessed us with being able to shoulder the sandbag once we completed our first mile. Finishing up the last 2 miles we where done first and proceeded with priorities of work.

The next evolutions is where we as a team dominated but should have slowed down to conserve some energy. 1 Mile Ruck then and exercise for 6 rounds.

Exercises:

1. Sandbag Clean and Toss 50 repetitions as a team
2. Low Crawl down Winner’s Hill and back up (100 Meters or so)
3. Bear Crawl Sandbag Drag down and up Winner’s Hill
4. Ruck Get-Ups

And 1 more that I can’t recall. Or maybe that was it…

As a team, we lapped our competition by 3 rounds. Once the evolution was over we realized it was a AMRAP and not a get it done and you win type of evolution. Physically we crushed it but mentally as a team we were concerned we exerted too much energy. This actually weighed on us and showed in our performance for the next few hours. When we put that behind us it was game on once again. Important lesson was learned through that evolution. Sure we could’ve slowed down and conserved energy, but the skill we learned was that even though you may have done something to compromise your results you have to forget about what you did and focus on what you are going to do.

24 Hour Break (Half Way)

Shoes/socks off, feet elevated, rucks refit, MRE in our bellies, and a solid nap! I would like to note that Chicken Pesto is not good at all!!!

Starting the next 24 Hours

The Day Started off with a 5 Mile Ruck, easy enough. Oh wait, you will carry a Sandbag (60lb) on your odd mile laps and carry a water bucket without spilling it under a certain line on your even mile laps. 

At dusk we were then given the task of a Timed 12 Mile Ruck. This was when the lack of sleep kicked in and the weird things started to happen. Miles 1-5, tired but good to go. Then I started to hallucinate. 2 different times I saw things that weren’t what they seemed. The ruck went on and we were checking in every mile with the Cadre who was waiting at the top of “Winner’s Hill”. 

As the teams completed the grueling 12 miler we refit and started the next evolution called the 9/11 WOD. 

2001 Meter Run (No Ruck) and 11 Reps of 9 exercises that I can not recall at this time. Step-Ups, Thrusters, Hand-Release Push-Ups, V-Ups, Ruck Swings, and a few others. We finished this at a record pace, I think. So Cadre Cleve decided 2 rounds would be better for our health. Also, it pays to be a winner. Team O-01 got to lay on some sandbags and are now deemed as the most comfortable beds in GORUCK-LANDIA.

After this was the start of a long night. We were instructed to grab parts of the apparatus that would play into the story later. We built a portion of the apparatus and then walked back up Winners Hill for a 60# Sandbag. Three laps around the field later we were done with this evolution. The 20 Steps and 1-minute rest was miserable. Everything was tired. 

As the field finished we were instructed to grab a second sandbag for more fun. Cadre JC instructed us to bear hug our 60 pound sandbags for 3 laps around the field. Here I learned a new hold that Chad Malone taught us to help with our grab and not wear ourselves out. Thanks Chad, for the life lessons.

Now the cold set in as we completed and we got a nice 30-minute break. As the sun rises once again, We were sent to the top of the hill for a well-deserved slosh pipe and water bucket. Here we were instructed to carry the items to the river, fill them up and carry them back to the Cadre for approval. This continued as laps were counted, water was spilled, people were made better.

With the hard nights’ work, we were graced with a break for final meals and preparation. The final evolutions were established. A team race for sandbags and back to your starting place were counted as points per sandbag weight. Pretty sure we crushed this one. Next was a grueling 2 hour-ish Double Bucket Carry down to the river and up Winners Hill to confirm with the cadre the water was at the line of approval.

Many trips up and down the trail were making us hot and sweaty so the Cadre took turns cooling everyone down with the water hose to the face. This was quite delightful and soothing. Thank you cadre may I have another? This then followed with two 120 pound sandbag carries to the river and back up Winners Hill for multiple laps. I would like to note Chad, being a solo participant at this time showed true grit and crushed these evolutions by himself. Strive to be as good as a human as Chad.

Now it’s apparatus time. These were the same ones used at the Rouge Invitational and were made actually really well. Putting them together took a little thought which was fun but not terrible. We then walked the apparatus down the hill and went back for our 120# sandbag to maneuver it through the trails for a single lap.

Instructions were given to place everything back where we got it and disassemble the parts. This is when 30-45 minutes of a goodbye party proceeded. Up, down, roll left, roll, right, bear crawls, ruck over head (Mark’s favorite) Low crawls, suck water, you get the point. 

Bear Crawling to stage us for index and having Cadre Mocha give his speech was very emotional. As soon as they ended us we all were overcome with emotions of the past 2 days. Crying with happiness and accomplishment we all hugged it out and smiled with our patches, beer and Old Glory in the background. Our time here was done but we all are not finished.

Gear used for GORUCK Team Assessment

• GORUCK GR1 26L Rucksack (Coyote)
• GORUCK Challenge Pants (Black)
• GORUCK Tough Tee (Tan)
• GORUCK Simple Windbreaker (Black)
• HOKA Torrent 2 Trail Running Shoes

Things Learned

• 2 MRE’s is not enough food and you should pack more than this
• Pack small shoes, low chance you will use your 2nd pair
• Pack a 2nd base layer depending on weather (I froze!)

Final thoughts and takeaways from GORUCK Team Assessment

I could write a book on this but there are a few things and people I would like to spotlight. To all the Cadre who worked hard to plan this event even when the world says you shouldn’t. The Cadre were very professional and expected the standard at all times. They were there for you but not there to feel sorry for you. They would encourage at the right times and play the mental games at the exact moment it was necessary.

The awesome humans who showed up in the open event and gave it their all, it was inspirational to stand side by side in battle with you and learn and grow from each other. Thank you GORUCK and Jason for building better Americans. You truly are doing something great in a lot of people’s lives.

My partner Mark for holding me accountable when life got tough to train and focus. Also for being there the entire time before, during, and after the event. Jon for being a solid house mom and semi-pro videographer. My family for supporting this great feat and believing in me. I couldn’t t have done this without my girls and family.

Lastly a huge shout out to the Female Division. Absolutely encouraging performance by all of you. I can not say enough how you inspired other females in this world. Showing how they can do something challenging if you work hard for it.

GORUCK and F3 have changed my life forever. The people they attract are above average humans that want to be better and accept nothing else. Their standards are high and their limits are higher. I am forever grateful for these 2 communities. This event in particular set new heights for me. I have even more confidence in my personal abilities. Doug and I talked after the event and he asked me a question which is true and I felt it.

“After finishing something like this, do you feel like you can do anything?”

My reply, “Yes.” This seems like the obvious answer but it’s the truth. Life is hard everyday. Every evolution is hard in its own way. You can either dread it or you can achieve it. Sometimes the task in front of you isn’t as hard as you think. 

Joe Baker