#3 - Climbing more than Mountains

[00:00:00] Welcome back to Just Ruck It. I'm your host, Lindsey, and today we're going to talk about how rucking can prepare you for bigger, more ambitious adventures like mountain climbing and crew hikes. But we're also going to talk about how to explore something even more personal. The idea of setting your own mountain.

[00:00:28] A goal that just might feel as challenging as climbing up to the top of a peak. Rucking is more than physically training. It's a preparation for bigger adventures. Whether that's climbing a literal mountain, or achieving a personal goal that you've set for yourself. When I talk about mountains, I don't just mean the ones you climb with your feet.

[00:00:52] I also mean the challenges you set yourself in life. The personal mountains, you know, the ones that we all aim to conquer. Rucking builds physical endurance that you need for those steep trails and through hikes. But it also is going to strengthen your mental endurance. Both are key when you're facing a challenge.

[00:01:11] And when I struggled to climb Mount Joe that day, I encountered a physical challenge. But to show up each day since, to better myself, When you ruck, you're preparing your body for the demands of real adventure, but the act of rucking also mirrors the path towards a personal growth. Adding weight and committing to yourself to push forward, flow over to other aspects of your life.

[00:01:41] You know, maybe life tosses you hurdles. Like boulders on a trail, maybe it's a death in the family, or the water heater died, or the family dog isn't feeling well. All of these can be mental challenges to overcome. While it might sound impossible, committing to yourself through rucking can actually help.

[00:02:02] Rucking teaches you to face your physical challenges head on, but it's also going to prepare you for the mental work of climbing your own mountains in life. Whether your personal goal is to improve your fitness, change careers, or cultivate a new habit, rucking can help you develop the mindset of moving forward, one step at a time.

[00:02:26] There's a mindset shift. Climbing mountains, literal or figurative, is going to require patience and perseverance. Rucking teaches us that that journey matters just as much as the destination. The slow, Steady progress you're going to make on the trail is the same kind of progress that you're going to make towards any big goal.

[00:02:50] It's about showing up. It's about being consistent and pushing yourself when things get tough. That's called discomfort. Pursuing a personal goal is not always easy. There's going to be discomfort, whether it's physical strain of carrying weight or the emotional challenge of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

[00:03:13] Both rucking and personal growth teach us that this discomfort, it's temporary. And that is what makes the end result so rewarding. So when we think of climbing a mountain, we often picture a very straight line straight up to the top. Okay, so maybe in the Adirondacks that's true. But in reality, the trail twists and it turns and it has obstacles and sometimes there's a really long approach before you even get to see a mountain.

[00:03:42] The same is true when pursuing a personal goal. Rucking prepares you for this reality. You'll learn to adapt. You'll learn to adjust your pace and just keep moving forward. Even when the path's not clear, whatever you're preparing for, rucking is an incredible way to train both your body and mind. Here's how you can apply your rucking training to achieve those even bigger goals.

[00:04:08] When you ruck, you're stimulating challenges of real world adventures, but you're also stimulating a path that achieves a personal goal. You might start out with something small. Maybe like walking a local trail with a light pack and then you're gradually going to be big building up to bigger challenges This is the same approach you're gonna take when you're looking to achieve your personal goals Break them down to the small steps build the momentum as you work your way forward in Rucking you don't start carrying 50 pounds on your back You're gonna get hurt when you start small and work your way up the same goals for your personal goals You don't reach the summit overnight Whether it's like learning a new skill, making a life change, or reaching the fitness goal, it takes time.

[00:04:57] It takes baby steps. You're going to add weight and responsibility gradually. Trust that each step is going to get you closer to your goal. Just like rucking, consistency is key when working toward a big goal. If you commit to rucking a few times a week, you'll notice the improvement over time. The same applies to your personal mountains.

[00:05:22] I had a goal of connecting with my brother whom I lost contact with. We often didn't see eye to eye on many topics, and communication was hard. But through my consistency of reaching out, Often without a reply. We now have a more open relationship and I talk frequently with him. It was even during one of my rucks that I would formulate my communication plan and my messaging.

[00:05:46] Rucking gives you a lot of time to think versus react. So what's your mountain? What's your challenge? It can be physical or maybe you're training for a first peak or maybe a long distance hike or maybe it's something more personal like building the confidence, changing habits, or maybe taking on a new challenge at work, whatever it is, the principles of rucking apply.

[00:06:14] Start small, stay consistent, keep moving forward. If you're aiming for a physical challenge, choose a hike or a peak that excites you and motivates you to train. For If it's a personal goal, make sure it's something that's meaningful to you. Make it something that you want to push to, but also brings the fulfillment when you reach it.

[00:06:38] Just as you would for any mountain climb, you're going to want to set a realistic timeline for personal goals. It might be three months or six months or even a year out, but give yourself enough time to work towards that goal. Staying consistent with your training. It's going to help you stay on track.

[00:06:57] It's going to keep your eyes on that summit. Rucking will strengthen your mind and body. Your body, it will teach you the joy of the process of reaching the summit. Whatever that looks like for you. When you head out to your next ruck, I want you to think on your personal mountains that you want to climb.

[00:07:18] Remember, the pursuit of the goal is made up of small, consistent steps that lead to big results. Be sure to tune in next week as we discuss the physical benefits of rucking. Leave us a 5 star review if you enjoyed this content, or maybe even if you didn't. Reach out on social media and let me know how your rucking ventures are, and what your goal that you're working towards is going to be.

[00:07:42] And remember, life is rucking wonderful. The summit is always within reach if you keep climbing.

[00:07:51] Lindsay: Hi everybody, just popping back on here to let you know what my January, challenge was going to be. I've decided that my word for 2025 is to be consistent. So I have chosen the consistency challenge to start off the year, which is proving to be more difficult than I anticipated. Because I chose to do 2 kilometers, 3 times a week, outdoors.

[00:08:21] And right now, We have 30 mile an hour wind gusts with a feels like temperature of single to minus digits. It is not friendly, let's just say that. I am not carrying a pack, so technically it's just a walk. But that is not the point of this challenge for me. The point was to get out and be outside three times a week.

[00:08:48] And so far, my wind burnt face is half enjoying it and half thinking I'm crazy. So make sure if you are joining in on all this fun of rucking and getting out there and improving yourself, let me know what your challenge is for the January month. And we'll see you guys next week.