ZacSquatch Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) So..... we going to be on dirt/gravel running trails or hardball? Need to decide on footwear. Also, 45 pound ruck not including water sources, correct? Edited July 15, 2018 by ZacSquatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 1 hour ago, ZacSquatch said: So..... we going to be on dirt/gravel running trails or hardball? Need to decide on footwear. Also, 45 pound ruck not including water sources, correct? Dirt, gravel, asphalt, goat path. Mud pit, obstacles, rocks, cave. That should about cover it. Matt will clarify, but as I understand tier 1- 45# pack includes everything in the pack expect primary rifle and handgun, chest rig (if used), and 1st line ammo. water will be included, assuming you don't drink it. Weigh in is at finish line, so if you drink it up, it won't count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZacSquatch Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 15 minutes ago, Bryan 45 said: Dirt, gravel, asphalt, goat path. Mud pit, obstacles, rocks, cave. That should about cover it. Matt will clarify, but as I understand tier 1- 45# pack includes everything in the pack expect primary rifle and handgun, chest rig (if used), and 1st line ammo. water will be included, assuming you don't drink it. Weigh in is at finish line, so if you drink it up, it won't count. Ok, I will plan for water weight on top of ruck weight then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 21 hours ago, Bryan 45 said: Dirt, gravel, asphalt, goat path. Mud pit, obstacles, rocks, cave. That should about cover it. Matt will clarify, but as I understand tier 1- 45# pack includes everything in the pack expect primary rifle and handgun, chest rig (if used), and 1st line ammo. water will be included, assuming you don't drink it. Weigh in is at finish line, so if you drink it up, it won't count. Bryan is right on all counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike From Philly Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 (edited) 1234 Edited July 17, 2018 by Mike From Philly withdrawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 Reposted from a similar thread on FB: The intent is that you have a "fighting load" and a pack. You drop the pack to fight/shoot, so you'll need some mags on you that are NOT in your pack to get by. You can certainly store extra mags and/or ammo in your pack, and if they're still in your pack when you finish it will count toward your 45lbs. For example: 5th Groups's basic load is 7x30rd rifle magazines carried on their person, along with three pistol mags and a pistol. Their "double basic load" includes a total of 14 rifle magazines, with 7 on their person and 7 more in their pack. As long as you don't stop before the finish line, empty your chest rig and belt and shove it all into your pack to make weight you'll be fine. Stick with the intent and the spirit of the match. This is not a gamer match with a thick and specific rulebook, but a chance for everyone to actually experience just a taste of what 5th SF Group lives every day. Anyone found cheating (in a purely subjective call made by me and/or 5th Group) will be made to do burpees and/or run until you puke - which will be added to your run time. Or some other "military type" punishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 (edited) I am amazed at people's kindness: Robert Hundley had to cancel, and instead of getting a $100 refund for the 10k he donated his slot to the next shooter on the waitlist "because this is for such a good cause". I've contacted that shooter and let him know - not only did he just get in, but he got in for free! I also told him he'd better bring plenty of cash for the side matches and other fund-raising goings-on to make up for his good fortune. And since I was in the registration data anyway, I had to pull some stats. We have 21 5th Group guys currently signed up out of 158 total competitors. And here's the other data summarized: Edited July 19, 2018 by Matt in TN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZacSquatch Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Whats the word on round counts and max distances? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 6 hours ago, ZacSquatch said: Whats the word on round counts and max distances? Coming soon. I've got a meeting with the guys Tuesday to try to nail down those final details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZacSquatch Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 On 7/28/2018 at 4:24 PM, Matt in TN said: Coming soon. I've got a meeting with the guys Tuesday to try to nail down those final details. Sweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 2, 2018 Author Share Posted August 2, 2018 I've had a few RO cancellations recently, so I need to find two more volunteers. You'll run/work Friday, and then work all day Saturday and Sunday. I can promise you that you'll work your butt off all three days, and have both frustrations and plenty of last-minute changes to deal with along the way. But you'll also have one of the most rewarding experiences of your life - working with these guys really is a treasure. And you'll get a comped run slot, half-price hotel room, and lunch provided and delivered Saturday and Sunday. Preference given to anyone who has RO'd a RNG before. This is going to be a pretty complex match and I need experienced people who can move quickly for three days straight. If you haven't ROd a RNG before but would still like to help don't be shy - just let me know who you are and how you're qualified and we'll go from there. Email me at mstennett-at-twlakes-dot-net if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 6, 2018 Author Share Posted August 6, 2018 Round Count: It's complicated. First of all - the Group guys in general hate the idea of shooting anything with a pre-prescribed number of shots. If they see a threat, they engage the threat until it is no longer threatening. Or as Matt Sipe says: "shoot it until it changes shape or catches fire." Since we haven't figured out a way to do that at a match, they went back over various encounters they've had and tried to guess at an average number of times they shot something with various weapons. That's how we came up with 3 shots to neutralize a paper rifle target and 5 shots to neutralize a paper pistol target. Oh yeah - and D-zone hits don't count. Second - you will have some options on what you shoot and how. I'll let Tier 1 guys figure out their own game plans based on the target counts, but in general pistol targets must be hit with pistol rounds and rifle targets must be hit with rifle rounds. Steel and clay pistol targets CAN be engaged with shotgun birdshot ONLY if you are shooting Tier 1 and decide to carry a shotgun. Shotguns are not allowed on paper targets - mostly because I don't want to paste that many holes! And finally - one stage has 9 total paper targets that can be engaged with either pistol or rifle, or any combination of the two. Just know you have to get 5 hits if you use pistol or 3 hits if you use rifle. And if you're smart (or lucky), you may not have to engage all the targets. You'll see... So all that to say: here's the required hit count on various targets. The totals at the bottom assume you have to engage every target just to be safe. I'd recommend carrying AT LEAST double that amount of ammo - but that's totally up to you. Group guys definitely change their equipment to match the mission - you should do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 6, 2018 Author Share Posted August 6, 2018 Just a reminder: August 9th (Thursday) is 30 days before match day. The refund policy is non-negotiable: Full refunds will be given if you withdraw more than 30 days before the match. Half your fee will be refunded if you withdraw between 14-29 days before the match. NO REFUND will be given if you withdraw less than 14 days before the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 13, 2018 Author Share Posted August 13, 2018 Everyone knows how to shoot from a horse, right? If you don't know the story of 5th Special Forces Group's Horse Soldiers, you should. Read the book Horse Soldiers: the Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan (https://www.amazon.com/Horse-Soldiers-Extraordinary-Victory-Afghanistan/dp/1416580522) And watch the documentary Legion of Brothers (https://www.amazon.com/Legion-Brothers-Jason-Amerine/dp/B06Y4Q213B) to learn more about these amazing men. Pro tip: the pic above is NOT the way to shoot from a horse. It's just me goofing off and testing the patience of my mighty steed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclaypool Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Everyone knows how to shoot from a horse, right? If you don't know the story of 5th Special Forces Group's Horse Soldiers, you should. Read the book Horse Soldiers: the Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan () And watch the documentary Legion of Brothers ([url=]https://www.amazon.com/Legion-Brothers-Jason-Amerine/dp/B06Y4Q213B) to learn more about these amazing men. Pro tip: the pic above is NOT the way to shoot from a horse. It's just me goofing off and testing the patience of my mighty steed.Thank God for you Matt. We definitely found the best possible partner in you. Sent from my SM-G900FD using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 15 hours ago, jclaypool said: Thank God for you Matt. We definitely found the best possible partner in you. Sent from my SM-G900FD using Tapatalk That is far too kind, sir. Or do you mean "slightly mentally ill, but capable of still functioning in polite society"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 Reminder: you will need a light of some kind to navigate and shoot in the cave (Stage 3). If you show up without a light you will not be allowed to shoot and will be given a zero for the stage. Weaponlights are fine to shoot with, but you'll also need a separate light to navigate parts of the cave before the shooting starts. I don't care if you carry a giant spotlight with a 12V truck battery, but you must carry it for the entire course! If you've never been to the cave before, here's a preview video from March 2017 that will give you a better idea what to expect. The details will be different, but this is the same cave we'll be using. https://youtu.be/hq52C43sXD4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 Reminder: This Saturday, August 25th is the cutoff to withdraw and get a 50% refund. Any withdrawals after that for any reason will get ZERO refund as per the cancellation policy. The Special Forces Association, Chapter 38 thanks you for your donation! The best way to withdraw is through Practiscore - that time stamps and sends me an email so I can keep track of the requests and get the refunds processed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 Reminder: you will need eye and ear protection in order to shoot. Yes, running with eyes and ears on sucks. Either figure out how to do it, or take the extra time to take them off and put them back on again before shooting. But if you show up to a shooting stage without eye and ear protection, you will not be allowed to shoot and receive a ZERO score for that stage. Also - has everybody figured out by now that Kentucky has hills? Here's the elevation map for the new 10k course. It royally kicked my a$$ on Friday during a weight vest recon run. And a public service announcement: running it in pants sucked. But running it in shorts would have sucked even more. You do what you want to, but I would STRONGLY suggest long pants, and treating all of your clothing with permethrin. I forgot to treat my socks and ended up with this on both ankles: #fugginchiggers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 So we’re a little over a week from match day. I’m guessing several of you are second-guessing yourselves right now. Maybe you didn’t get in as much training as you’d hoped. Maybe you trained you’re a$$ off and didn’t see the results you wanted to. Maybe you’ve seen all of these crazy hints and promises about what’s to come, and are intimidated as hell about trying to do all of this while 30-ish bada$$ Special Forces soldiers and even more Run N Gun regulars stand by and watch you. Don’t be. If you signed up and just SHOW UP to start this race, you’re already better than 90% of the shooters out there who stayed home on the couch on match day. If you FINISH, no matter how long it takes you, you’ve won. Trust me – you’ll feel it just as soon as you cross that finish line – and for many days (months?) thereafter. At some point in the course, you will ask yourself: “Why on earth am I here? I’m not ready for this. I don’t belong here.” The dirty little secret I can promise you: EVERYONE asks themselves that at some point. You DO belong here. The satisfaction and self-image you will get from just finishing this course will stay with you forever, and is something no one can ever take away from you. Many people have found matches like these to be a turning point in their lives, and in a year or two you may not even recognize the person you have become. Just remember - for every person you see pass you, there is someone behind you wishing they could keep up with you. Look behind you every so often just to acknowledge how far you’ve come. And before ANYONE judges anyone else as being "too slow, too fat, or too lazy" - bite your tongue and listen to their story first. Across the country at matches like these we've had people recovering from recent strokes, heart attacks, cancer, pregnancy, amputations, and any other issue you can think of; just because "F#$K CANCER", that's why! Give them an encouraging word when you pass them - it really makes a difference. Even better - if you pass someone really struggling on the course: finish your race, set down your gear, and run back out to find that person. You can run beside them and offer them all the words of support and encouragement that you can think of - you just can't physically help them in any way. Let's do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 I sent an email to all competitors this morning through Practiscore with all the final details I think you need to know before the match. Let me know if you didn't get it or if you have any other questions. And I screwed up some details using copy/paste between the two matches, so just for clarity's sake: the 5k is on Saturday, September 8th, and the 10k is on Sunday, September 9th. Sorry for the confusion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 I am pleased to announce Heckler & Koch has donated an Exemplar knife and a whole box of hats to support the match - thanks HK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 And I am also excited to announce our own Todd Banus has contributed a certificate for a free entry into his HeartBreak RnG coming up in February! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in TN Posted September 3, 2018 Author Share Posted September 3, 2018 (edited) A word of warning: this is not your typical match, in which I design stages so most people succeed. To give you a taste of 5th Group life, the shooting stages are pretty complex. The shooting itself is fairly simple - IF you were fresh (not exhausted) and had all the time in the world. But you don't. And you won't be. It will be a rare person that finishes the entire match without failing at SOMETHING. I'm guessing there will be a few who fail to complete EVERY shooting stage. When that happens, keep in mind 5th Group is not successful because they never fail. They are successful because they KEEP GOING despite failing over and over again, and being faced with situations MUCH more dire than simply failing a stage at a match. Then pick yourself up, gather your gear, and trudge forward to the next challenge. I promise you, you will NOT be the only one to fail. Embrace it. Learn from it. And keep going. Edited September 3, 2018 by Matt in TN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 You're a sick man, Matt Stennett. Probably why we get along so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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