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!

This month, I’m taking on a new challenge:
 Rucking 50 miles to raise awareness — and real support — for Stop Soldier Suicide.

Rucking started as a way to carry the burdens of others.
 Today, we carry them still — for ourselves, for each other, and for those still fighting battles we cannot always see.

If you want to join the mission, there are a few ways you can help:

🔗 Support My 50-Mile Ruck Challenge:
👉 https://www.facebook.com/donate/3842860572691106/

🔗 Start Your Own 50-Mile Challenge:
👉 https://oclp.goodunited.io/1401/login

🔗 If You or Someone You Know Needs Immediate Help:
📞 Call 984-223-5721 — Stop Soldier Suicide Crisis Line (24/7, confidential)
🌐 Visit Stop Soldier Suicide Help Page Here

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Life is Rucking Wonderful!

We dive deep into one of the most important questions in ruck training: how much weight should you carry?

You’ll hear:

• Why men and women tend to make different mistakes when choosing pack weight
• What military research says about safe load carriage and injury risk
• How thru-hikers are redefining what “smart weight” looks like on the trail
• Personal lessons from Lindsay’s evolution—from a 10 lb beginner to 40 lb competitor
• Practical tips and a weekly challenge to help you ruck smarter, not harder

💪 Your Weekly Challenge:

Step-by-step instructions to weigh yourself, assess your pack, and adjust intentionally for your goals. Bonus points if you share your loadout with the community!

📚 Sources & References:

• Easter, M. (2022). Two Percent with Michael Easter: How much weight should you ruck with? Substack Article
• Knapik, J. et al. (1990). Physiological, biomechanical and medical aspects of load carriage. Military Medicine, 155(3), 117–122.
• Orr, R. et al. (2011). Load carriage and its force impact. Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health, 19(3), 25–30.
• Hamonko, M. et al. (2011). Injuries Related to Hiking With a Pack During National Outdoor Leadership School Courses: A Risk Factor Analysis. Wilderness Environ Med, 22(1), 2–6. doi:10.1016/j.wem.2010.09.010

📩 Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to Just Ruck It on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you ruck and roll
• Follow Lindsay on Instagram: @JustRuckingIt
• Share your ruck weight and tag your post with #JustRuckItChallenge

Send us a text

Life is Rucking Wonderful!

Welcome back, Ruckers!
Today’s episode is a story about persistence, pain, laughter, and what happens when you stop waiting for perfect conditions and start moving anyway.

Since 2023, I’ve been piecing together a 32-mile challenge across three of Rochester’s historic trail systems:

• Genesee Valley Greenway
• Lehigh Valley Trail
• Auburn Trail

This personal project, now known as the ROC Rail-to-Trail Trifecta, took me through 8 towns, 3 counties, and one massive transformation.

🟢 It started on horseback...
🟡 Shifted to rucking...
🔵 Ended with strength, resilience, and a pack full of stories.

This isn’t just a recap—it’s a blueprint for what happens when you show up, even when it’s messy. From urban chaos and grief-fueled solo hikes to the joy of finishing with a stranger-turned-teammate, this one’s got heart.

Whether you’re dreaming up your next adventure or still trying to find your “why,” you’ll want to hear this.

🔑 What You'll Hear:

• How the idea of the ROC Trifecta was born
• Why horseback riding pushed me to start rucking
• What grief, failure, and a surprise protein shake can teach you on the trail
• Why I doubled back just to hit a perfect GPS number
• The unexpected community you find when you keep showing up
• The new challenge I’m chasing next (and how to join me)

💬 Your Turn:

What’s your next challenge?
 Use the hashtag #JustRuckItChallenge and tag @justruckingit on Instagram to share your goals, routes, and ruck-selfies.

You can also leave your story or “why” as a voice message on the Just Ruck It Substack for a chance to be featured in a future episode.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🎯 Take on the ROC Rail-to-Trail Trifecta Challenge:
ruckingrochester.com/product/roc-rail-to-trail-trifecta

Send us a text

Life is Rucking Wonderful!