Sunday row
/40 minute Row for max distance
9684m for me today
SealFit from the archives
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Goruck is in Chattanooga tonight. Good luck to all that are participating!
Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core:
120 pushups for time
120 situps for time Army standard
Workout: A.
Back Squat 5-5-5-5
Workout B.
SealFit Work Capacity from the archives
Complete the following for time:
60x KB swing (53#/35#)
60x calories on rower
50x KB swing (53#/35#)
50x calories on rower
40x KB swing (53#/35#)
40x calories on rower
Workout C.
Still Waters Run Deep or Fish Bowl
Good workout this morning! Back Squats started light and went to 245 for me because of my calf injury. I just stayed a little light and did not feel any strain.
The Row/KB workout was not as bad as it looked on the board. Ended with a 12 minute Still Water. Clear head...ready to roll
PM Workout:
Warm up:
General warm up
30 minutes of PT. Everyone got in a circle and called out exercises and numbers for 30 minutes. Selection Candidates wore 30 lb ruck.
Pushups, pullups, situps, burpees, bear crawls, crab walks, wall balls, monkey bars, air squats, tabata squats, Russian twists and flutter kicks.
Post workout:
Guys hung out, drank a beer and laughed. Great way to end the week and start the weekend!
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
6-26-14
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Hayden hits me with a hose during the 1000 burpee/5 mile Run-Burpee-Run workout
Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core:
5 minutes in front leaning rest (plank)
then, immediately 200 flutter kicks
Workout: A.
5 mile run
or
Row 500 m
10 burpees
AMRAP 40 minutes
Workout B.
Bench Press 5-5-5-5-5
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
I cant let my calf injury hold back the group. We need to be running and the one thing I know with running is that you either use it or lose it.
So, while the guys did a 5 miler, I stayed back and did a 500 m row/10 burpees amrap for 40 minutes.
I am frustrated with the calf injury. Got acupuncture yesterday, but I am just going to have to stay off it. No running or rucking for about 2 weeks. Then, I will move into it very slowly.
Our Selection training has started a while back, but we will be doing an intensive 10 week program that starts at the end of July. I HAVE to be sure that I am 100% healed and ready for the training to begin because there are alot of double days and alot of running and rucking ahead of us.
Sandbag Tailpipe
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Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core: Every Minute on the minute (EMOM) do max reps for 30 seconds of Pushups/Situps
Odd Minutes: Situps
Even Minutes: Pushups
Continue for 12 minutes (6 rounds of each)
Workout: A.
“Tailpipe” – Sandbag style
Partner 1 runs 200m, while Partner 2 Holds the sandbag overhead. P1 and P2 switch roles when P1 returns for the run. Do a total of three sets for time. If the partner holding the sandbag drops it, both partners do 10 burpees for each drop.
Workout B.
“The Bear and the Rabbit” – Sandbag style
Teams of two complete a total of
4 x 200m laps of Farmer Carry (60/30, per hand)
P1 (rabbit) performs 2 Sandbag Farmer Carry while P2 (bear) runs. When P2 catches up to P1 they switch off. P2 picks up where P1 left off. Continue to do this until a total of 4 x 200m laps of Farmer Carries are completed as a team. Make it harder by carrying heavier Sandbags. Do not run with the sandbags. Rule of thumb, if you can run with them, they are not heavy enough.
Workout C.
Still Water/Fish Bowl 10 minutes
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
Back from my trip to the Florida Keys with the family. Great trip with nice dolphin on fly and spearfishing for the boys. My daughter got to swim with the dolphins and we ate some amazing food. I hurt myself so badly at Chef Michaels in Islamorada and the night before at The Outpost in Marathon that I went on a 24, then 36 hour fast. I think I ate so much at those dinners that I wasnt even hungry. I have read that intermittent fasting is good for you...who knows. I can say that the feeling of being stuffed full is not as good as the feeling of being fasted, to me anyway.
I pulled from the Goruck training page today to do some sandbag work and overhead holds. I found one that was pretty good. They took the "Tailpipe" workout from Mark Twight at Gym Jones and put a sandbag twist on it. We then did a turtle and hare workout which ended up with more running than I thought.
I am still working to recovery on my calf. I made it about 100 yards before I felt a painful twinge and stopped immediately. I rowed the remainder of the workout.
Here are some shots from our recent trip.
33 free range organic, hook caught dolphin. Can NOT get any better protein source than these!
First dolphin on speargun for Turner
First Dolphin on fly for Hayden
First Dolphin on fly for Turner
First fish on speargun for Turner
First fish with a speargun for 7 year old Reed
Kids in the water with dolphins
Great family fun!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
/"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
John Wooden
Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core: situp progression x 5 rounds
Workout: A.
21-15-9 reps, for time of:
Pull-up
Ring Dip
Burpee
Workout B.
Every 1 min for 10 mins do:
3 Power Snatches, 135/95 lbs
6 Toes-to-bars
9 Box Jumps, 24/20 in
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
Beep Test
/"The cure for everything is saltwater - sweat, tears or the sea."
- Izak Dinesen
Trevor suggested that we do the Beep Test today. Here is a video demonstrating:
Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core: Lying Hip Swing x 30
Workout: A.
Beep Test
Workout B.
Death By Push-up
With a continuously running clock perform:
1 Push-up in the first 1 min, 2 Push-ups in the second 1 min 3 Push-ups in the third 1 min ... Continuing this for as long as you are able. Use as many sets each minute as needed.
Start at round 10
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
Foot Care Kit
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Blisters are going to happen as you are getting ready for an event like Selection or Kokoro. They may even happen during the event and even if your feet are hard as stones, you need to be prepared to fix them.
In making my kit I continued to think that I was making it so I could help out a team mate because I don't like thinking negatively. Either way, I will be prepared.
You don't need much to be able to prevent blisters or continue on after some have formed. My kit fits inside an Altoids box.
The contents are:
Leatherman Micra with scissors
Alcohol swabs
Needles
Thread
Moleskin
Duct tape wrapped on a pencil
Band Aids
This stuff easily fits in an Altoids can and can be waterproofed by putting that in a snack sized ziplock.
The whole kit can easily be put in your shirt pocket or in any backpack.
This stuff is what I need, but you may need more or less. The important thing is to have some sort of a kit that you can use to take care of yourself or a team mate. It could be the difference in finishing or not or in extreme cases, life or death.
Goruck Selection? SealFit Kokoro?
/I received this email today and thought that others might have the same question
Tom:
Love your website, check it every day and incorporate a part of your daily wod to add to my daily wod each morning. What is the “Selection” that you keep referencing? I am 43 and will 44 in September, I am wrestling mentally with attempting the Sealfit 20X challenge in September. Haven’t signed up for it yet but am moving closer every day. What is your experience with it?
Layne
and his follow up:
Thanks, and yes. On the other issue, I have been doing crossfit for over a year, am respectable in my performance at the box (not going to become master qualified at this point) but want to push myself a bit. Is the 20X challenge that opportunity? Have you completed it or Kokoro?
LCJ
My son, Turner 16, during his SealFit 20x
SealFit Kokoro? SealFit 20x? Goruck Selection? Goruck HCL? Death Race? Leadville? Tough Mudder? Spartan Beast? What the hell are you talking about?
I guess this world of events that try to kill you may not be in everyone's vocabulary. I had no idea what any of these things were just over two years ago. So when I talk about these events on this blog, some people may not know what in the world I am talking about.
Layne's email was a reminder of this and I hope that others who are interested but don't understand something I talk about here will simply send an email. I will do my best to explain.
As for Layne, he is 44 and doing well in CrossFit but looking for a bigger challenge to celebrate his birthday. Well, there are some great challenges out there. Here are some explanations and suggestions of things that are currently on my radar:
Log PT in the surf at SealFit Kokoro 30
SealFit
SealFit is run by CEO and founder, Mark Divine, former Navy Seal. He has created an amazing training program that incorporates the 5 mountains of development (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Awareness, Kokoro) and is the finest all around program I have ever seen. He has a training center in Encinitas, CA and runs academies and events from there as well as in remote locations.
Academies: SealFit offers 3 Academies
This is a 3-day SEALFIT Academy that focuses on the fundamentals of the SEALFIT physical training model and Unbeatable Mind principles. The event is available only as a live-in option at SEALFIT HQ. One can attend as an individual by enrolling in a public event through the SEALFIT.com web site, or you can contact us to customize a private event for your corporate team. There are no physical pre- requisites for this event. Read More
Not for the faint of heart, the Comprehensive Academy stretches you far beyond your current levels of performance and success. This is deep, immersive training into SEAL philosophy and 20x principle, helping you tap into deep inner power that can forever transform your life. Read More
The 3 Week SOF Immersion Academy could be just what you’re looking for. Based on THE original program Coach Divine designed for Special Operations candidates in 2007, it is the longest, most in-depth SEAL program currently offered to civilian trainees.
SealFit also trains the mind with Unbeatable Mind
http://sealfit.com/unbeatable-mind-events/
The Unbeatable Mind program is fantastic. I am an Unbeatable Mind Member and work on it every day.
SealFit also offers 2 signature events
20x is designed to teach you that you are capable of 20x more than you currently believe. It works...trust me.
http://sealfit.com/sealfit-events/20x-challenge/
Then, there is Kokoro, a 50 hour event.
From Sealfit.com
SEALFIT Kokoro Camp is, quite simply, the world’s premier training camp for forging mental toughness, modeled after the US Navy SEAL Hell Week. Yes, it is brutal. No, it’s not for everyone. You may not qualify, or make it through the training. Yet, if you’re ready for this challenge… - See more at: http://sealfit.com/sealfit-events/sealfit-kokoro-camp/#sthash.XcmOalkG.dpuf
I am a proud graduate of SealFit Kokoro class 30. I highly recommend this and all other events SealFIt offers, but I do not suggest that you take Kokoro lightly. Train for it specifically and plan no less than 4 months on top of your lifetime best physical fitness level to be ready for this. Repeat...no joke.
Further, I recommend the SealFit program and Unbeatable Mind for everyday training and a way of life. They are far more than just a challenging event. Mark Divine and the elite staff can show you how to challenge yourself and grow daily in all 5 areas of focus.
Our Team in Goruck class 404
Goruck is an organization founded and run by Green Beret Jason McCarthy. I love Goruck events! They have several events that stair-step in difficulty culminating in the ultimate, 48 hour Goruck Selection.
These descriptions come directly from the Goruck.com website
Goruck Light is an introduction to the team-based training found in Special Operations. It is also much less grueling than our original event, the GORUCK Challenge. Your class will consist of up to 30 participants (aka members of your new GORUCK family). One Cadre, an experienced member of Special Operations, will teach leadership as your class overcomes adversity to become a team. Team being a very important word. GORUCK Light is a team event, never a race.
4-5 Hours, 7-10 Miles
Average Pass Rate: 99%
Goruck Challenge is a team event, never a race. Think of it as a slice of Special Operations training where - from start to finish -- a Special Operations Cadre challenges, teaches, and inspires your small team to do more than you ever thought possible. Leadership is taught and teamwork is demanded on missions spanning the best of your city. The hardest part? Signing up.
8-10 Hours, 15-20 Miles
Average Pass Rate: 94%
The intent of the Goruck Heavy is to build better Americans, 24 hours at a time. Through the GORUCK Heavy, participants learn a different side of themselves from lessons learned from the Cadre. These lessons learned are either from the different backgrounds each Cadre has in their respective military or civilian careers and sharing experiences from overseas conducting kinetic and non-kinetic operations. These lessons learned are then applied in a 24 or more hour class through different events in a practical setting through shared misery, pushing each participant past their perceived mental, physical, and psychological breaking points.
The GORUCK Heavy is designed around six key objectives:
- GR Heavy will be the ultimate team event.
- Conduct leadership under very stressful conditions.
- Theme is built around AMERICA and why we are the greatest country in the world.
- This is a GORUCK Selection prep course.
- Earn your “individual” patch.
- Heighten each participant’s sense of accomplishment.
24+ Hours, 40+ Miles
Average Pass Rate: 50%
Goruck HCL There is not an official page for this but HCL stands for Heavy, Challenge, Light. Yes, people sign up for all 3 and do them consecutively. Seem like the hardest thing ever? Well they have another...
48+ Hours. Selection is an individual event. Our Cadre will enforce a standard adopted from our roots in Special Forces Assessment and Selection. Those participants who do not meet the standard at any point will be performance dropped at our discretion. Selection begins with a gear inspection and PT test.
Is This For You?
Probably not. Selection is not for everyone.
48+ Hours, 80+ Miles
Average Pass Rate: < 10%
Here is another 3rd party article about Selection. http://alldayruckoff.com/training/goruck/selection/
Death Race
(description from the Death Race website)
The Death Race is the ultimate challenge, designed to present you with the unexpected and the completely insane! Nothing else on earth will challenge you like The Death Race, both mentally and physically.
Every Death Race is it’s own uniquely brutal challenge, no two races are alike. The race, created by Ultra athletes Joe Desena and Andy Weinberg, was developed as a way for athletes to test themselves both mentally and physically. The Death Races take place in the unexpectedly challenging terrain of the Green Mountains in and around Pittsfield, Vermont and have lasted over 70 hours. We provide no support. We don’t tell you when it starts. We don’t tell you when it ends. We don’t tell you what it will entail. We want you to fail and encourage you to quit at any time.
They also have training camps which look fun in some sort of demented way
The Death Race has an affiliation with Spartan Race which offer a difficult but far less intense series of races called Spartan races. They are obstacle races that range between 3-12 miles.
As you can see there are plenty of challenges out there. These are, of course, in addition to an ultra marathon, Ironman, Obstacle Races or something like the Western States 100, or worse...the Leadville 100. If you want a challenge, they are out there...just don't kill yourself.
My take on all of these things
I am all for them if they help you to grow as a person. Of the events listed, I have only done the SealFit Kokoro camp, Goruck Challenge and am currently a SealFit and Unbeatable Mind member. The entire philosophy of SeaFit is to grow and to reach new levels of performance both mentally and physically. It is an overwhelmingly positive experience.
Goruck is also an overwhelmingly positive experience designed to build better Americans and teach you about leadership and team work. I love these aspects about both Goruck and SealFit. Selection, however, is a different animal altogether. It is not a team event and they seem rather proud of the 10% pass rate. We will see how that one goes. That is what I am currently training for.
I don't know enough about the others to have an opinion. I can tell you that I am drawn to the challenge and I think that doing Kokoro, Selection and a Death Race would put me in a pretty elite little group. I am getting WAY ahead of myself...only 1/3 the way there and Selection is not something that you look past...or really even anything that you look forward to.
I like it that there are goals out there beyond where I am currently and I am sure that there are other events that i don't even know about that are equally as challenging as some of these. If you know of any, put them in the comments.
So, to answer your question, Layne, I strongly encourage you to do the 20x. I watched my 16 year old son go through it and it is no joke either. He was transformed into a man in 12 hours. The effect was not fleeting, but permanent. Every 16 year old should be required to do a 20x. You will grow, you will develop and they will challenge you. Sign up, make sure you are in shape and can exceed the standards easily and be prepared to give it your absolute best throughout the entire event and you will do just fine.
Anyone out there preparing for any of these events? Alumni of any?
Sprints
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Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core: Lying Hip Swing x 30
Workout: A.
Sprint, 200 m Rest 1 min
x 8 rounds
Workout B.
Every 2 mins for 10 mins do:
Burpee Box Jump Over, 30 in, 1 min Rest 1 min
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
SealFit from 12/22/09
/"There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet."
-William Frederick Halsey, Jr.
From this morning...30 lb ruck makes this extra tough
Warmup:
Box Breathing 5 minutes
30 overhead squats with PVC
10x each: Pushups, Situps, Dips, Pullups, Burpees
Skill: Jump Rope 3 minutes
Core: 10 minute sandbag get-ups with 60 lb bag for max reps
Workout: A.
SealFit Work Capacity from 12/22/09
2000 m Row
Rest 2 mins
30 Hang Power Cleans 95 lbs
30 Pull-ups
30 Kettlebell Swings 53 lbs
30 Burpees
20 Hang Power Cleans
20 Pull-ups
20 Kettlebell Swings 53 lbs
20 Burpees
10 Hang Power Cleans 95 lbs
10 Pull-ups
10 Kettlebell Swings
10 Burpees
For time. Selection Candidates wear 30 lb ruck throughout entire workout
Workout B.
Still Water Runs Deep
Post times, reps and/or loads to comments
SealFit has been archiving workouts for many years and there is some real gold to be found in their archives. I ran across this one in my notes and included it today. It fit with what I was trying to accomplish. Pile a 30 lb ruck on top and it was perfect.
We had a visitor today who was brought in by a member who has been a little absent. Good to have both of them today.
3 man teams
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Before and after of the clean up. Thanks to my wife and kids for helping!
Yesterday, my family and I pulled everything out of the garage, pressure washed the mats and let it all have the MRSA baked out of it by the sun. It was long overdue and the amount of shit that was under the mats was amazing. The garage was cleaned from top to bottom including the doors, stereo, drawers and cabinets. Happy Father's Day. It was perfect.
I left everything outside last night as I knew that alot of strong guys would be here to help first thing this morning. The warm up was putting the garage back together. It took 10 minutes and everything was back in place.
We had 18 people this morning which could be a problem if you only had a little bit of gear. We are fortunate at the RRL to have plenty of equipment; more than most CrossFit gyms, but I like to do workouts that don't require alot of stuff and that are simple in explanation. The leap frog style is a great format to accomplish both.
I knew we would have a big group today so I set up 2 workouts both of 10 minute duration and both leap frog style. We broke into teams of 3 and did the following:
Workout A.
100 battle ropes
max pushups
max wall balls
Winner is the team with the highest running count of wall balls
Workout B.
20 GHD situps
Max Push Press @ 75 lbs
Row for calories
Winner is the team with the highest running count of calories on the rower.
Each of these workouts works the same way. There is one station which dictates the time the other athletes stay on all stations. One station is set as the determining station for winning. On workout A, the first athlete does 100 battle ropes. The second athlete is completing max pushups in the time it takes the first athlete to complete the 100 ropes and the third athlete completes max reps of wall balls. When the first completes the ropes, he moves to the pushups and the pushup guy moves to the wall ball and continues with the running count. We continue like this for 10 minutes and the team with the most wall balls wins.
The second workout was the same format. The GHD situps controlled the timing and the rower dictated the win.
3 people can be trained with no equipment or just one thing like a kettlebell or a barbell. Good format. I like it.
The Selection candidates wore a 45 pound ruck while doing both workouts. It was tough and there were some movements that were awkward and made far more difficult due to the ruck weight. I don't think we can be training too many weighted pushups or training with a ruck enough. From here on out, everything we do will be with at least a 45 lb ruck. We will also be taking some advice from Selection Graduate, James Vreeland, and giving penalties for getting beat by non candidates. It pays to be a winner.
We finished with a 10 minute meditation using Mark Divine's Still Water Runs Deep exercise.
A couple of new guys showed up today. I hope they will continue to come back. Seeing new faces at the RRL reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Lao-tzu
I wish them good luck in their journey and hope they can help us along ours.
Foot Care
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Proper break in and foot care can prevent this happening to you
With Selection looming on the horizon, I have had to really put some thought into foot care management. I am blessed with good feet, or shall I say, I have not had alot of problems with my feet, but I have put alot of effort into making sure that is the case.
In Kokoro 30, we traveled a LONG way over 50 hours. I really have no idea how far we may have gone, but we were constantly running, walking, moving. We rucked 25 miles, ran lots of 5 to 7 milers, and just moved constantly. Our feet were wet and boots filled with sand for about 97% of the time. Previous to my Kokoro training, I would have stopped running if a small grain of sand was in my shoe. If you want to do Kokoro, Selection or go to the real thing like BUDs or SFAS or anything like that, you can not stop for a little sand in your shoe. Get used to it, there will be far more time that your shoes or boots are wet and filled with muck than nice and dry.
Many people at Kokoro had issues with their feet, but I did not and it was a major factor in why I did well there and even more of why I actually enjoyed the experience. Your feet are everything and when they go, your mind is likely to follow. At the end of Kokoro, I saw some guys pull off their boots and socks to reveal the worst looking blisters I have ever seen. Some had 2 or 3 areas that were blistered, bleeding and extremely painful looking. I thought to myself and even out loud that if my feet looked like that I am not sure I would have made it.
Those were some tough guys with unbeatable minds. Hooyah to them, but I dont want to go into that pain cave for any reason. Here is how I avoided it last time and plan to keep my feet healthy for Selection:
Break in your boots. There are zillions of articles on the internet and forums that are written by professional soldiers and people with far more experience than me that are better than anything you will find here. Search out forums like Professional Soldier and search foot care or boot break in. They are very particular about posting there...dont do it. Just read the gold info on the site and learn from it. There are guys who have rucked heavy loads for more than 250,000 miles that share their knowledge. Use it.
New age boots. I used the Under Armour Valsetz boot and it has worked great. It is really like a running shoe. This boot and others like them require FAR less effort to break them in, but still need to be broken in in my opinion. If your event allows them, I suggest them from my own experience. Those in Kokoro with UA, Bates, Nike or New Balance sneaker boots all did fine. Others came with steel toe leather boots and boots that were brand new and really hurt at the end. One of the best things about this boot is that it is NOT waterproof and there is plenty of mesh where the water just flows right out. This is very important. I do not recommend a waterproof boot for these type events as the water typically stays in the boot as well. We are not talking about walking through mudpuddles. This is 5 foot deep full immersion for hours. Water IS GOING TO get in. Pick a boot that dries quickly and lets the water out as fast as it comes in.
Break in. I wore my boots as much as possible and got them wet before workouts every day for 3 months. I was careful to let them dry outside everyday so they would not get real funky inside. Walking wet, running wet and rucking wet along with just being in wet boots and socks was a huge factor in getting my feet prepped for the event.
I think anyone could probably break in a pair of boots and walk tons of miles with nice dry socks, but in Kokoro and, I am assuming Selection, that is just not reality. You will be wet the whole time. Even if you get a chance to change socks, your boots are still wet so your feet are wet right away. New socks still feel awesome but boot changes were nice to get the 3 lbs of sand out of the boot rather than to experience a nice dry foot again. Things change when your foot is wet. Socks can bunch up, sand gets in, and your foot slides around. If you are not prepared for this, your feet will get shredded. Do yourself a favor and live in wet boots and socks as much as possible.
Blisters/hot spots. This is going to happen. In fact, you need it to happen in training both to let you know if your boots need to be broken in further or if your feet need to get toughened up. When you get a blister, your body responds by building tougher skin or calloused skin in that area. It works perfectly every time. Soon you wont be bothered by that spot any more because your feet are tough. Make sure this happens in training NOT in the event.
After. After the ruck or workout and you have worn the boots until the are dry or until you cant stand it anymore, pull the boots off, rinse them off and hang them out to dry. I pull out the insoles too. I then dry the feet, and give them a bath in rubbing alcohol and let air dry. Watch for athletes foot starting and address it immediately. Check for blisters and hot spots. If you have blisters, consult the Professional Soldier site and various other websites about blister care in SFAS and you will get lots of good info. Tincture of Benzoin has fallen out of favor for blister treatment over the last few years. I have never tried it, but it is a sticky liquid that was injected into the blister to glue it back to the skin. I have heard good and bad reports. Some say that the pain will make you pass out. This is enough for me. I dont want that. I just pop the blister with a needle and drain it. If I have to keep going, Moleskin works well.
I will do an alcohol bath again at night which seems to help a little to toughen the feet.
The best advice is to get the boots broken in well beyond what you may think and continuously with water. Do everything in wet boots. Practice sock changes and pay close attention to the condition of your feet.
Toenails. Cutting toenails is so important. NEVER cut your toenails within a day or 2 of your event. I always cut them about 5-6 days out and my nails do not grow fast enough to cause any problems in that time frame. I can address any issues needed with a touch up but many people have had trouble when cutting nails the night before an event.
I have always cut the nails with fingernail clippers but after reading tons of info on Professional Soldier and other forums, I have gone to using toenail clippers which are straight, not curved and cutting the big toenail straight across rather than curved. So far so good.
If you are experimenting with different cuts, 200 days out from your event is about right. Do not experiment close to your event. It could be a disaster.
There is much debate over foot care and boot break in but there are also the constants which are; make sure they are really well broken in, be prepared for wet feet, and spend a ton of time in the shoes or boots you will wear in the event during training. Do this and you will both enjoy your event more, but primarily...finish!
