Steps of glory
The 12-hour endurance test to honor U.S. soldiers
Kieran Kesner
Most people celebrated Memorial Day by lighting up the barbecue and enjoying an extra day off.But on Monday, I got to follow — or rather, run — alongside a group of 28 men and one woman who paid their respects to fallen soldiers with a small sacrifice of their own. They chose to put themselves through a series of physically and emotionally demanding tasks, each of them in the name of a soldier killed in battle.
Some would call them dedicated.Others might call them committed.Still others might just call them crazy, but over the course of 12 grueling hours starting at 9 p.m. on an unusually cold evening, these 29 individuals added themselves to a small but growing group of men and women to complete a GORUCK, a series of mentally and physically draining tasks that would be done barefoot. They would carry backpacks loaded with bricks — in many cases up to 30 pounds — and under no circumstance would they be allowed to set down their backpacks during the event.The group met at Joe Moakley Park in Boston and were introduced to their “cadre”, the man who would lead and push them over the next 12 hours. The cadre, who earned the title of sergeant in the armed forces, was a self-proclaimed countryboy and gave the option to be called by several names, none of which were "sir."A person in the group made the mistake of calling him "sir," and within seconds, the group was on hands and knees, bear crawling through a field.The word was definitely off the table.
Before the group headed off, the cadre made everyone take off their shoes and socks and empty their bags of any food. All 12 hours would be completed without taking in a single calorie — the only thing allowed was water — and the first few miles of the event would be spent totally barefoot.
So ... why? What's the point?Many of the friends and families of participants couldn't understand the reasoning behind leaving a comfortable home on Memorial Day weekend, on an extra day off of work, to undergo grueling tasks.
“My buddy and I signed up for this event before we even knew it was going to have this kind of a focus on recognizing the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice," said Neil Andrito, one of the participants. "But in preparing for this event I have a whole new appreciation for the men and women who serve our country.” The Goruck.com website boasts a mission of “Building Better Americans.”As the sun rose in Boston on Monday, the small group reflected on the power and spirit of Boston Strong through the heroic acts of those who gave their lives to protect their country.