Embrace the suck: lessons learned for a 32-degree Ruck challenge
Week three’s side quest, a 3-mile sunrise ruck and coffee roast wasn’t a solo mission this time. My buddy Devine joined me.
Devine’s got a killer sense of humor and a big heart. He also happens to have a developmental disability, but that’s not what this was about. This wasn’t work or life skills “training that we do. It was two guys out there chasing a sunrise, embracing the suck, and doing something that made us feel alive.
It was 32 degrees when we hit the trail, frost on the grass, our breath hanging thick in the air. Shorts and t-shirts. No gloves. No hats. Just grit, stubbornness, and a mutual understanding that sometimes you’ve got to step into discomfort on purpose. Cold exposure style.
I had about 30 pounds strapped to my back, and Devine’s goal was simple: keep up and finish strong. And he did. Not once did he complain or slow down. The dude just kept grinding, one step after another.
The trail winds along the St. Lawrence River, and that morning it sounded like a war zone. Opening weekend of duck season. Shotguns echoing across the water, ducks lifting off in flocks as the sky lit up pink and orange.
Devine turned to me mid-ruck and said, “I really want to try duck hunting someday.”
I stopped for a second, looked at him, and said, “Alright then, let’s make that happen.”
So we set a goal. Before the season’s over, I’m going to get him the experience, the safety training, and the mentorship he needs to take that shot, literally and figuratively. Because that’s what Forge & Freedom is all about. Showing up for others, building confidence through challenge, and creating moments that forge real connection.
By the time we wrapped up the ruck, our legs were burning, hands numb, and faces red from the wind. A few other people on the trail looked at us like we’d completely lost our minds, bundled up in coats and gloves while we looked like we’d wandered out of a polar plunge. But we just laughed, brewed up a hot cup of fresh-roasted percolator coffee, and toasted to a solid morning.
It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t supposed to be. But those three miles reminded me, being a man isn’t about being the toughest guy out there. It’s about showing up for people. Inviting them in. Sharing the load. Building something stronger together, one cold morning at a time.
Here’s to brotherhood, grit, and goals worth chasing, even if it means freezing your ass off before sunrise.
Who could you invite into your next challenge, not to compete, but to grow alongside you?
From the Forge,
Zachary
