Interview with GORUCK Grad Brian Hicks

SGPT interview with GoRuck grad Brian Hicks

SGPT: Tell us about yourself?

BH: I’ve been a firefighter paramedic for over 7 years. I am in about average shape. I have completed 2 Tough Mudders and numerous FireFighter stairclimbs. My normal PT is mainly bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, and hiking through the east bay hills.

Video – GoRuck San Francisco

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SGPT: Did you have an athletic background growing up?

BH: I was a 2 sport athlete from the age of 5 through highschool. I played football and baseball, but was stronger at football.

SGPT: How did you train for the GoRuck event?

BH: Basically I just did weighted ruck marches through the hills.

SGPT: Tell us a little about the event?

BH : I went through class #449A in March of 2013. It was about 12 hours long and just over 12 miles I believe. It was a very large class that was split up into an Alpha and Bravo class.

SGPT: Where was the event?

BH: San Francisco, CA

SGPT: What was hardest part of the event?

BH: For me, the hardest part was doing the weighted crab walk UP flights of stairs with your ruck on your lap. Also, the bear crawl from the beach seemed to take me forever.

SGPT: What is one thing you wish you would have done to get ready for GoRuck?

BH: I did not prepare for the awkward crabwalks and bear crawls. Cadre Beau also made us carry our rucks like satchel charges on our forearms. You find out really fast how weak you are when you do movements that aren’t common for really extended periods of time.

SGPT: Any tips for up and coming athletes that want to do the GORuck?

BH: Train to carry your ruck in all different methods. Carry it overhead, on one shoulder, and on your forearms. Bring a buddy or make friends fast. Hydrate before, as you don’t get a food/water break for probably the first 4-6 hours.

SGPT: What boots did you wear? Double socks? Bodyglide?

BH: I wore hiking boots. They were well worn in, but next time I would wear a hiking shoe. They made us take off our shoes aftyer about an hour and do some miles in our socks, then some more miles in our barefeet. That was all mental. However, they gave use 30 seconds to get our shoes back on and I didn’t make the cutoff because I had to re-lace them. This meant that I was now a “casualty” and had to be carried for the next 2 hours. The guys that carried me through to the next checkpoint were beasts.

I also wore Smartwool Liner socksBodyglide Anti-Chafe Balm . Thanks for the tip Coach Brad.

SGPT: Which backpack did you use?

BH: GORUCK Radio Ruck. I can’t see spending $300 on a backpack, so I picked the smaller GoRuck Radio Ruck. My 50lbs of bricks and 2L Camelbak just barely fit.

SGPT: Many thanks for the interview

BH: Thanks Coach Brad. Looking forward to 20X in September.

Do you have a big event on the horizon and you want to finish the drill?