As the seasons shift from sunny summer to chilly fall, it gets harder to stay motivated. The days get shorter, the rain gets colder, and the lure of holiday food is strong. That’s where goals come in.

In this episode of Just Ruck It, Lindsay shares why goal setting matters, how to build both big goals and micro-goals, and the many ways you can use your ruck as a full-body training tool. From the Great Range Athlete “Dismal Wilderness Challenge” to her own personal redemption goals, this episode will inspire you to set your own path before winter hibernation mode kicks in.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

• Why seasonal changes make goals more important than ever.
• How “big goals” and “micro-goals” work together to keep momentum going.
• Creative ways to use your ruck beyond walking with weight — from squats and presses to front carries and burpee rucks.
• The role of accountability — whether from a team, a coach, or just your own calendar.
• The October Challenge: pick one big goal, one micro-goal, and set both a reward and a penalty.

🧭 Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Seek to Do More and the Great Range Athlete program here (not affiliated): 46Outdoors.com
  
  
• Follow Lindsay on social: Instagram & Facebook @JustRuckingIt
• More articles, accountability check-ins, and community: JustRuckIt.Substack.com
  
  
• Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week info: nps.gov/fat-bear-week
  
  
• Fat Bear Week overview from DOI: doi.gov/blog/everything-you-want-know-about-katmai-national-parks-fat-bears
  
  

📣 October Challenge:

• One big goal for the rest of the year.
• One micro-goal just for October.
• One penalty if you fail.
• One reward if you succeed.

Share your goals with Lindsay on Instagram or Facebook @JustRuckingIt or on Substack at JustRuckIt.Substack.com
.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

This episode of Just Ruck It gets real. What started as a four-mountain weekend for my 46Climbs challenge turned into something I didn’t expect: a panic attack on the descent from Phelps Mountain.

I share the raw audio from the trail—slips, butt scoots, tears, and all—and reflect on how rucking prepared me to face that moment. From pacing and micro-goals to humor and humility, the trail taught me that resilience isn’t about being unbreakable. It’s about showing up, resetting, and carrying forward even when confidence slips.

Whether you’ve rucked a mile or climbed a mountain, I hope this story reminds you that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep moving—at your own pace, on your own terms.

💡 Resources

If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you are not alone. Help is out there:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) → Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line → Text HOME to 741741 (free, 24/7 in the U.S. & Canada)
• International Directory of Hotlines → findahelpline.com
  Learn more about and support the cause I hiked for:
• 46Climbs – Suicide Prevention Fundraiser → 46climbs.com
  
  

Follow my journey and join the conversation:

• Instagram & Facebook → @JustRuckingIt
• Substack → justruckit.substack.com
  
  

Until next time—Life is Rucking Wonderful, even if you cried and peed yourself a little.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

You don’t have to run to line up at a race. In this episode of Just Ruck It, I take you inside the Pound the Ground 5K — a local run/walk to support the Veterans Outreach Center — and show you how I turned it into a rucking win. From choosing weight and gear, to race-day etiquette, to the unexpected joy of finishing strong after a setback, this episode is your guide to bringing a ruck to your first 5K.

Whether you’re new to rucking or looking for your next challenge, you’ll walk away with practical tips, inspiration, and maybe even the push you need to sign up for that local charity 5K.

References & Shoutouts

• Pound the Ground 5K – Benefitting the Veterans Outreach Center, Rochester NY
  
  
• Rochester Ruck Club – carrying the flag and cheering the field
• Mammoth March (Letchworth State Park) – story to come in a future episode

Connect with Me

• Instagram: @JustRuckingIt
• Facebook: @JustRuckingIt
• Substack: JustRuckIt.Substack.com
  
  

Tagline
Life is Rucking Wonderful. Because sometimes the smallest races bring the biggest wins.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

What does it really mean to be strong? We all think we know — lifting, pushing, enduring. But the roots of the word tell a deeper story: one of tension, strain, and holding firm under pressure.

In this episode, I dig into the etymology of strong and strength, tracing the word from Old English strang to the Proto-Indo-European string-, meaning “tight, drawn together.” We explore how strength has always been about more than muscle — it’s about mental grit, emotional steadiness, and moral resilience.

I also share insights from Michael Joseph Gross’s book Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle and Strength — including why ancient physicians distrusted muscle, how modern science reframes it as a partner to the soul, and the inspiring story of 90-year-olds regaining strength through training. Finally, I connect this history to my own journey of rucking, and how carrying weight on the trail has shifted my mindset from I can’t to let’s try.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to ruck strong — this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The surprising linguistic roots of “strong” and “strength.”
• How strength expanded from physical power to include mental, emotional, and moral resilience.
• Why history once split “brains vs. brawn” — and how rucking bridges the gap.
• Michael Joseph Gross’s insights from Stronger on tension, training, and freedom.
• My own story of finding freedom through rucking as I approach 50.

Citations & Sources

• Gross, Michael Joseph. Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle in Our Lives. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025.
• Etymology references: Old English strang, Proto-Germanic strangaz, Proto-Indo-European root strenk- / string- (Etymonline, Oxford English Dictionary).
• Galen’s writings on muscle and the soul (historical summaries, secondary sources).
• Dr. Maria Fiatarone Singh’s studies on resistance training in nonagenarians (cited in Gross, Stronger).

Let’s Connect

📲 Follow me on Facebook
& Instagram
@JustRuckingIt
✍️ Read more on Substack
– weekly bonus stories, challenges, and reflections
🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help grow this rucking community!

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

1 Year of Rucking – What Rucking Taught Me About Strength, Grit, and Showing Up

One year ago, I was standing on Mount Jo, out of breath and wondering how the hell I let things get that hard. My knees hurt, my spirit was low, and I knew something had to change. So I picked up a pack. I picked up a coach. And I decided to start showing up for myself.

In this episode, I’m celebrating a full year of rucking—through injury, grief, chaos, weather, and every excuse in the book. I’m reflecting on what that journey taught me about discipline, healing, and grit. From my first ruck with a pair of dumbbells in a CamelBak to backpacking trips, races, and summit bourbon toasts—I’ve carried more than just weight.

This episode is for anyone curious about what happens when you commit to something—even imperfectly. Whether you’re just starting or already deep in your own journey, I hope my story reminds you that strength is built one step at a time.

💥 Want to start your own journey?
I’ve got a challenge for you inside. Whether you're a brand-new rucker or looking for your next big goal, this week’s two-part challenge will help you take that next step.

🌐 Links & Resources:

📸 Follow along on Instagram: @JustRuckingIt
📬 Join the crew on Substack: justruckit.substack.com
🥾 Explore Seek to Do More + Great Range Athlete: 46Outdoors.com
🎒 Rucking Events: mammothmarch.com
🌲 Cranberry Lake 50 Info: cranberrylake50.org
🔥 Firetower Challenge & ADK Info: adk.org

Life is rucking wonderful—because it starts with just one step, and it can change everything.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

 Links:
Instagram: @JustRuckingIt
Substack: JustRuckIt.Substack.com

Episode Summary:

This one’s personal.

In this raw and real episode, Lindsay opens up about hitting a wall—mentally, physically, emotionally. She’s home from vacation, facing chaos at work, grief on the farm, and a body that seems to be resisting every effort to train.

With a 20-mile Mammoth March looming in the rugged hills of Letchworth State Park, the question isn’t just how to keep going—it’s why.

This episode isn’t a pep talk. It’s a permission slip.
 To slow down. To be honest. To find your footing when life feels too heavy to lift a pack.

In This Episode:

• What happens when your body doesn’t bounce back like it used to
• The invisible weight of solo training and emotional burnout
• Reframing training to match your capacity (not your calendar)
• A challenge for listeners who feel like giving up
• And a gentle reminder: you don’t need to be at your best to still show up

Send us a text

Life is Rucking Wonderful!

Episode Summary:

In this honest and hard-hitting episode of Just Ruck It, Lindsay tackles something every rucker (and every human) faces sooner or later: what to do when you've fallen off the bandwagon—and how to start again when the weight you carry isn't just in your pack, but in your heart, body, and mind.

Whether you're dealing with injury, burnout, grief, or plain old life chaos, this episode is your permission slip to take a breath, reset, and begin again—without shame.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Lindsay’s own “Olympic-level” dive off the bandwagon (hello, poison ivy and prednisone)
• Why comebacks never look like movie montages—and that’s okay
• The truth about injury recovery and the courage it takes to ask for help
• How to start small, show up consistently, and build momentum again
• Real strategies for pushing past mental resistance and reclaiming your rucking rhythm
• A weekly challenge you can do today—even if your shoes have dust on them

Key Takeaways:

• You’re not starting from scratch—you’re starting from experience.
• Your comeback doesn’t have to be big. It has to be real.
• Progress starts with standing up—literally.
• Consistency will get you farther than motivation ever will.

🏁 This Week’s Challenge:
Go for one walk—just one.
No weight required. No pressure.
Just you, your shoes, and the decision to show up.

💬 Join the Conversation:
Have a comeback story or a weekend win to share?
Tag @JustRuckingIt on Instagram or join the community at JustRuckIt.Substack.com.
You might even be featured in an upcoming episode!

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Injury recovery and the value of physical therapy
• Building a sustainable, low-pressure routine
• Rucking during heat waves and navigating mental slumps

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

In this episode, Lindsay shares the story of her first solo hike into the Adirondack High Peaks—tackling Cascade and Porter, numbers 1 and 2 on her journey to become a 46er.

From freezing temps and gear decisions to calf-deep mud and a surprise family legacy, this is a story about more than just reaching a summit—it's about discovering how far ruck training, self-trust, and a little grit can take you.

Whether you're planning your first high peak or just need a push to take the next step, this one's for you.

🧭 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about becoming an ADK 46er: https://www.adk46er.org
• Weekly Ranger Reports (search for them through DEC's Forest Ranger press releases)

💬 Stay Connected:

• Instagram & Facebook → @JustRuckingIt
• Substack → JustRuckIt.substack.com

✅ Challenge of the Week:

Pick your own Cascade. Choose something just outside your comfort zone—whether it's your first solo hike, a longer ruck, or simply getting out the door. Commit. Train. Just Ruck It.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

Six months of planning, 30 miles of trail, and one very stubborn migraine—I just got back from a four-day, three-night backpacking trip through the rugged hills of Pennsylvania, and I’ve got stories.

In this episode, I’m taking you along for every soggy mile: the climbs, the crashes, the caffeine-fueled insomnia, and the gear that actually held up (plus what I’ll never bring again). From pit toilets to pit stops, raw hips to real growth, this trip was the ultimate test of everything rucking has trained me for—and it delivered.

We’ll talk about:

• How rucking built the strength and endurance I needed
• What it feels like to carry 40 lbs through elevation and weather
• The mental game of pushing through discomfort
• And why I’d do it all over again—kind of

Challenge of the Week:
Test your training. Go longer. Add weight. Tackle a climb. Push your comfort zone—just enough to show yourself what you’re made of.

💬 Let me know what you're tackling this week—tag me @justruckingit or drop your story in the Substack comments. justruckit.substack.com

Because rucking isn’t just for fitness—it’s training for life.
 And life is rucking wonderful.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

Practical Weight: What I Actually Carried on the Loyalsock Loop

📌 Episode Summary:
In this episode of Just Ruck It, I’m breaking down my pack list for a 4-day, 3-night backpacking trip through the rugged Loyalsock Link Loop Trail in Pennsylvania. The original plan? Keep it light. The reality? Rain, unpredictable temps, and bear territory meant practical weight took priority over ideal weight.

I cover what I packed, why I packed it, what I thought I’d bring, and how it all stacked up on the trail. Spoiler: I hit the trail with 40 pounds on my back—and I’d do it again.

🎒 Topics Covered:

• What makes up a true base weight
• How bad weather and wild forecasts can derail your gear plans
• Budget backpacking vs. ultralight dreams
• Real talk about bear cans, wet tents, and blister kits
• Luxury items I don’t regret bringing
• My final pack weight (and how it changed my perspective)

🧠 This Week’s Challenge:
What’s the heaviest ruck you’ve trained with?
What’s the heaviest backpack you’ve taken on a trip?
And for the ultralight crew—what’s your lightest base weight ever?
Tag the podcast and let me know!

🧭 Closing Vibe:
Life is rucking wonderful. Heavy packs, soggy socks, and all.

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!