A-race goal
Under 40:00
8:00/km · 12:52/mi
Race load
30 lb
Train 30 · race 25–30 w/ water
Devil Dog best
42:56
8:35/km · 13:49/mi
Summer form
~46:51
~9:22/km · ~15:04/mi
Garmin Connect — type these paces
Watch stays in kilometres. Connect workout builder wants min/mi. Use the right-hand column when you program a structured workout.
| Zone | min/km (watch) | min/mi (Connect) | Feel / when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 9:55–10:50 | 15:58–17:26 | Full sentences. Rebuild, long, GRIT volume |
| Brisk | 9:00–9:30 | 14:29–15:17 | Ugly fast walk. Short sentences. Tue intervals |
| Brisk target | 9:15 | 14:53 | Center of the box. Hunt this number |
| Tempo | 8:15–8:45 | 13:17–14:05 | Uncomfortable even. Saturday quality |
| Checkpoint | 8:20–8:40 | 13:25–13:57 | Devil Dog 26 Sep. Honest, not reckless |
| Race | 7:55–8:05 | 12:44–13:00 | Zombie + race-pace reps |
| Goal 5K even | 8:00 | 12:52 | 5.00 km in 40:00 |
Pace alerts on interval days: too fast under 14:29/mi (9:00/km), too slow over 15:17/mi (9:30/km). Instant pace lies — use lap pace.
Event priority
| Date | Event | Pri | Job that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 11 Sep | 9/11 Remembrance · 6.4 km | C | Done. Chip 1:01:29. Sat 12 OFF. |
| Sat 26 Sep | Devil Dog 5K | B | First km 8:20–8:30/km · 13:25–13:41/mi. Hunt low-43. |
| Sat 3 Oct | Oktoberfest 5K | C | 9:10–9:55/km · 14:45–15:58/mi. Controlled. |
| Wed 14 Oct | DVA 5K | C | 8:50–9:30/km · 14:13–15:17/mi. No kick. |
| Sat 24 Oct | Zombie 5K/Ruck | A | First km 8:00–8:05/km · 12:52–13:00/mi. Sub-40. |
| 1–30 Nov | GRIT 100 virtual | VOL | 161 km. Easy/brisk. Log RunSignUp. |
| Sat 14 Nov | Turkey Run 5K | C | Counts toward GRIT. Not a time trial. |
| Sun 13 Dec | Reindeer Run 5K | REBUILD | After GRIT. Not a second peak. |
How you report
- Ruck: GPX + pack weight, feel, pain, closer yes/no.
- Strength: CSV from Connect + rounds / load / what you modified. Skip GPX.
- Race: GPX + official screenshot.
- November: GPX here and miles into RunSignUp the same day.
The standard
- Four training days per week when there is no event.
- Train 30 lb. Race day 25–30 with water. Weigh at the line.
- Easy means easy. C-events are not secret time trials.
- B-race (Devil Dog): honest. A-race (Zombie): empty the tank once.
- Training rucks: before 0700 or after the air drops. Events: show up at the gun.
- Sharp pain stops the session. Fatigue does not.
Week 1 · 31 Aug – 6 Sep · Rebuild
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 31 | Strength A | BW / DB | Full Strength A. Learn the circuit. |
| Tue 1 | Easy ruck | 30 lb | 4.0 km easy 10:15–10:50/km (16:30–17:26/mi). Last 400 m brisk. |
| Wed 2 | Off | — | No timed work. |
| Thu 3 | Strength B | BW / DB | Full Strength B. |
| Fri 4 | Off | — | |
| Sat 5 | Easy ruck | 30 lb | 5.0 km even. 10:00–10:50/km (16:06–17:26/mi). Finish 50–54 min. |
| Sun 6 | Optional easy | None/20 | 3.0 km easy or full rest. |
Week 2 · 7–13 Sep · 9/11 event
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 7 | Strength A | Add light load | 3 rounds. Rows 30 lb. |
| Tue 8 | Intervals | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 4 × 3 min brisk 9:00–9:30/km (14:29–15:17/mi) / 2 min WALK + 800 m easy.Hunt 14:53/mi. Walk the recoveries. |
| Wed 9 | Off | — | Mobility 15 min. |
| Thu 10 | Strength B — short | DB | 2 rounds only. No max carries. |
| Fri 11 | 9/11 RUCK · C | 30 lb | 6.4 km honor pace. Done. Chip 1:01:29. |
| Sat 12 | OFF | — | Moved rest day. No makeup kilometres. |
| Sun 13 | Easy or off | 20 lb | 3.0 km conversational or rest. |
Week 3 · 14–20 Sep · Introduce speed
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 14 | Strength A | Working | 3 rounds. |
| Tue 15 | Short reps | 25 lb | 1.5 km easy + 6 × 2 min at 8:35–8:50/km (13:49–14:13/mi) / 90 sec walk + 800 m easy.Lighter pack so cadence gets quick. |
| Wed 16 | Off | — | |
| Thu 17 | Strength B | Working | Full Strength B. |
| Fri 18 | Off | — | |
| Sat 19 | Tempo | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 2.5 km tempo 8:20–8:45/km (13:25–14:05/mi) + 800 m easy.Even. No last-quarter surge. |
| Sun 20 | Long easy | 30 lb | 6.5 km easy 10:15–10:50/km (16:30–17:26/mi). |
Week 4 · 21–27 Sep · Devil Dog B-race
2025 official 42:56. Job: beat summer form. Success under 44:00 (8:48/km · 14:10/mi). Not 8:00/km.
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 21 | Strength A | Moderate | Stop 2 reps short of failure. |
| Tue 22 | Race-pace taste | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 4 × 400 m at 8:00–8:15/km (12:52–13:17/mi) / 90 sec walk + 800 m easy. |
| Wed 23 | Off | — | |
| Thu 24 | Strength B — short | Light | 2 easy rounds. |
| Fri 25 | Shakeout | None | 20 min walk + 4 × 20 sec strides, no pack. Weigh race pack 30.0–30.5 lb. |
| Sat 26 | DEVIL DOG 5K · B | 30 lb | Warm-up 10–12 min easy + 3 strides. First km 8:20–8:30/km (13:25–13:41/mi). |
| Sun 27 | OFF | — | Walk only. |
Week 5 · 28 Sep – 4 Oct · Recover + Oktoberfest
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 28 | Strength A — light | Light | 2 easy rounds. |
| Tue 29 | Easy ruck | 20–30 lb | 4.0 km easy. No hills. |
| Wed 30 | Off | — | |
| Thu 1 | Strength B — short | Light | 2 rounds. |
| Fri 2 | Off | — | |
| Sat 3 | OKTOBERFEST 5K · C | 30 lb | 9:10–9:55/km (14:45–15:58/mi). Controlled. |
| Sun 4 | Easy or off | 20 lb | 3.0 km max, or rest. |
Week 6 · 5–11 Oct · Peak work
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 5 | Strength A | Working | Full Strength A. |
| Tue 6 | Hills + speed | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 6 × 45–60 sec uphill hard / walk down + 4 × 45 sec flat at 8:00/km (12:52/mi) / walk + 600 m easy. |
| Wed 7 | Off | — | |
| Thu 8 | Strength B | Working | Full Strength B. |
| Fri 9 | Off | — | |
| Sat 10 | Broken 5K | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 3.0 km at 8:10–8:25/km (13:09–13:33/mi) + 3 min stand + 1.5 km at 8:00/km (12:52/mi) + 500 m easy. |
| Sun 11 | Long easy | 25–30 lb | 7.0–8.0 km easy. |
Week 7 · 12–18 Oct · Sharpen + DVA
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 12 | Strength A — light | Lighter | 2 crisp rounds. |
| Tue 13 | Openers only | 30 lb | 3.0 km easy + 4 × 30 sec at race cadence / walk back. |
| Wed 14 | DVA 5K · C | 30 lb | 8:50–9:30/km (14:13–15:17/mi). No sprint finish. |
| Thu 15 | OFF | — | Rest moved here. No Strength B. |
| Fri 16 | Off | — | |
| Sat 17 | Short tempo | 30 lb | 1.5 km easy + 1.6 km at 8:05–8:15/km (13:00–13:17/mi) + 800 m easy. |
| Sun 18 | Easy or off | 20 lb | 3.0 km max, or rest. |
Week 8 · 19–24 Oct · Zombie A-race
| Day | Session | Load | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19 | Strength A — light | Light | 1 easy circuit. |
| Tue 20 | Openers | 30 lb | 3.0 km easy + 4 × 30 sec at race cadence / walk back. |
| Wed 21 | Off | — | |
| Thu 22 | Shakeout | None/20 | 20–25 min easy + 3 strides. |
| Fri 23 | Off | — | Lay out pack. Weigh it. 30.0–30.5 lb. |
| Sat 24 | ZOMBIE 5K · A | 30 lb | Warm-up 12 min easy + 3 strides. First km 8:00–8:05/km (12:52–13:00/mi). |
| Sun 25 | Off | — | Food. Not another ruck. |
Race scripts
Zombie · A-race
- Weigh the packed ruck. 30 lb means 30 lb.
- Km 1: 8:00–8:05/km (12:52–13:00/mi).
- Km 2–3: 8:00/km even (12:52/mi).
- Splits to beat 40:00 — 8:03 / 16:05 / 24:08 / 32:08 / 39:50.
- Km 1 at 8:20 is recoverable. Km 1 at 7:30 is a mistake.
Devil Dog · B-race
- First km 8:20–8:30/km (13:25–13:41/mi).
- If 42-flat is falling in your lap at 3 km, take it.
- Do not force 8:00/km.
- Finish. GPX + official screenshot the same day.
C-event rules · 9/11, Oktoberfest, DVA, Turkey
- Show up. Wear the pack. Finish.
- No “I felt good so I sent it.”
- Crowd / formation starts are slow to leave. Step aside when the road opens.
Strength
Strength A · Monday
3 rounds in build weeks. 2 rounds or lighter in event weeks. 30–45 sec between moves. 90 sec between rounds.
- Goblet squat or sit-to-stand — 8–10
- Step-ups — 8 each leg
- Reverse lunge — 6–8 each. Short step. Wall if needed.
- Push-ups — 6–12. Modify before form collapses.
- Bent-over row — 10 each side
- Front plank — 30–45 sec
- Calf raises — 12–15. Slow down.
Strength B · Thursday
2 easy rounds the day before 9/11, Devil Dog, and DVA. Week 7 Thursday is off. Farmer carry = 1 walk of 30–40 sec per round.
- Romanian deadlift — 8–10
- Single-leg deadlift to a toe tap — 6 each
- Farmer carry — 30–40 sec both hands. Once per round.
- Suitcase carry — 25 sec each side. Once per round.
- Side plank — 20–30 sec each side
- Glute bridge — 10–12. Pause at the top.
- Dead bug or heel taps — 8 each side
Ruck form · the ugly-fast-walk
- Pack high, tight, quiet.
- Short steps. Quick feet. Do not lengthen into a jog to hit pace.
- Brisk 9:00–9:30/km is an ugly fast walk, not a light jog. Jog = 8:30/km. Chop the step.
- Use lap pace or 30-sec average. Instant pace lies for 10–15 sec.
- Lean from the ankles. Arms pump.
Fuel, heat, recovery
- Training rucks: before 0700 or after the air drops. Events: start at the gun.
- Water on every ruck over 40 min. Salt if you dump it.
- Delaying a training ruck to the next cool window is the plan. Heat as punishment is not.
After Zombie · GRIT 100
1–30 November 2026. 100 standard miles (161 km) in RunSignUp by 23:59 on 30 Nov. Foot miles 1:1. Oct 25–31 after Zombie is recovery only. November average ~5.4 km/day at easy pace. Turkey 14 Nov counts. Reindeer 13 Dec is rebuild.
2027 direction
Same events, same distances, get faster at ~30 lb. Podium is dream-big only. Time ladder: Zombie 2026 sub-40 · 2027 first A-race 39:xx · second A 38:xx if 39 was real. Weigh the pack at the line every race.