Welcome back to Just Ruck It. I'm your host, Lindsay, and today I'm taking us back to the foundation of Rucking. Before Rucking became a fitness trend or a mental toughness challenge, it was and still is, the burden carried by those who served, rucking began as a necessity. Soldiers carrying everything they needed to survive, to fight, and to protect. They bore the literal weight of their missions and the invisible weight of a nation's hopes, fears and freedom. Today, we ruck for wellness. We ruck to grow stronger, more resilient, more connected to our own purpose. But it's important to remember the roots of this practice are planted in sacrifice. That's why this month I'm taking on the 50 mile ruck March challenge. To stop soldier suicide, to honor those who carried the heaviest loads for us to recognize for some the weight didn't come off when they came home. And to do my small part to carry it a little forward in their honor and in hope. I've talked about my mentor, John. He actually spent his life helping veterans heal. He understood the invisible wounds, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, and the burden that they carried long after the battlefield. He used what he loved. The connection forged through horseback riding in the Adirondack wilderness to offer them a different kind of therapy. When John passed away, it wasn't just a personal loss, it was a loss for the entire veteran community, whether they knew his name or not. And since then, I've been searching for ways to pick up that torch, and in some ways it's this podcast and in others, it's every mile that I rook. That's why this month I'm stepping up and taking on that 50 mile ruck March challenge to stop soldier suicide. It's simple. I'm committing to ruck 50 miles throughout the entire month carrying not just my pack, but the stories, the struggles, and the memories of those who carried so much more. Every mile is a reminder that the weight that some veterans bear. Can't be dropped at the end of a workout for them. It's a daily reality and too often it's a silent one. But taking on this challenge, I'm hoping to raise awareness, raise funds, and most importantly, hope. Stop Soldier Suicide is the only national nonprofit focused solely on solving the issue of suicide amongst us veterans and service members. They aren't just raising awareness, they're taking action with real solutions. They offer Roger. A national evidence-based suicide specific telehealth program providing direct counseling, crisis intervention, and resources to veterans at no cost. They created the Black Box Project, a groundbreaking program that studies digital patterns of veterans who died by suicide to better predict and prevent future loss. And they provide firearm safety initiatives and partnerships with healthcare organizations to extend lifesaving interventions even further. And they're not waiting for the change. They're driving it. Their goal is bold. They wanna reduce military suicide rate by 40% by 2030. And with data research and relentless care, they're already making that happen. When you support this mission, you're not just making a donation. You're joining a team that's standing in the gap between veterans and crisis offering real hope. Real help and a real chance at a future. This challenge isn't just about fitness. It's about standing up, stepping forward, and saying, you are not forgotten. We will help carry that weight too. So how can you help? Well, you've got two powerful ways to make a difference. First. You can support my 50 mile ruck March fundraiser. Every dollar raise goes towards connecting veterans in crisis with lifesaving support through programs like Roger, their direct specific suicide wellness service built on the idea that when somebody says, I need help, the answer is, Roger, that help is on the way. Whether it's$5 or 50 or whatever you can give every bit helps carry that weight. You're gonna find a link to donate in the show notes or. If you're feeling called to do even more, you can sign up to take on the 50 mile Challenge yourself. Carry the weight, share the mission, set up your own fundraiser, and rock the miles in honor of veterans still fighting their hardest battles every day. Whether you walk beside me or alongside in your own community, know this. Every mile matters, every story matters. Every step makes an impact. Rucking started as a way to carry the burdens of others. Today, we're carrying them still in different ways, but with the same purpose. If you can support the mission or step up to the challenge yourself, thanks for being part of this because life is rucking wonderful when you r to save a life. Guys, spring is in the air so is the warm weather and the short good weather. R season of summer. From today on, I'm gonna be following an every other week podcast upload format. This will allow me to get out there, enjoy more of my weekends on the trail, and stay unplugged. When the season draws to a close, I will return to my weekly upload, but until then, get outside and rock something.