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Training To Run Apsan Mountain


glock17w

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I am currently training to run Apsan Mountain. I have my plan in my mind. I am also making my Soldiers do it as well. The course is 4.14 km or 2.58 miles up at a 20% grade one way. Total of over 5 miles with going up just as hard as coming down I have walked it 3 times this week. It took me an hour to go up and about 40 minutes to come down. Hopefully I can be able to run it completely by August or September. I have attached some pictures to give you a view of it. The train up should put me in excellent shape.

glock17w

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I have started my train up. I am riding the bike at the gym and running sprints in order to build up my leg strength. I am going to run it two hills at a time to build up. It is going to hurt but I want to do it. I will keep you updated on my progress.

glock17w

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  • 4 weeks later...

I walked and ran Apsan Mountain this morning. I broke it down into 11 hills. My plan is to run the odd numbered hills and then walk the even numbered hills in order to get ready to run up the whole mountain. It was nice and cool this morning so I didn't over heat. I have my Soldiers wanting to tackle the 20% grade mountain. I have added it to the Company PT schedule once a month. I will give another update next Saturday when I run it next Saturday morning.

glock17w

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That's moving out. 12 miles in 2.25 hours. How much did your ruck weigh?

This morning the detachment ran a 10K (6.2 miles). I was slowing around and came in at 48 minutes. It was a good run. Building up the leg endurance to tackle the hills. Tomorrow we will do a sprint workout to build up the lungs and fast twitch muscles. I love hard PT. It seems to start the day off right.

MTF (more to follow)....

glock17w

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I was in a groove sir. However it was 2 hours, 25 minutes so more like 2.42 hours. The load was standard "combat" load. The EFMB/EIB/Air Assault, standard packing list (probably about a 40# ruck), LBV, ACH Kevlar, BDU's and boots. The one way we helped the cause was ditching our canteens (we had them, they were just empty) and both had 3L Camelback's attached to our rucks.

That and carry some little hard candies in easily accessible pockets and you can fly (the sugar is mostly to keep the juices in your mouth flowing, but the water keeps you from carrying that "sticky" sensation and obviously hydration).

We did the first 6 miles (1st lap around the perimeter at Humphreys) in right at 51 minutes (8.5 minute miles...we were targeting between 8 and 9). We hit mile 9 at 1 hour and 45 minutes (so you can see we slowed from our run by a lot but it was to make the home run - 53 minutes ~ 18 minute miles). Then, finished on cruise control, doing a run/walk in, finishing at 2 hours and 25 minutes (40 minutes ~ 13 minute miles).

We were really happy just to have completed it without any issues. Being both medics, we properly cooled down and then hung out watching Family Guy, after hooking each other up to IV's of NS and LR to re-hydrate. B)

Gotta love Battle Buddies!

Rich

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More PT in order to get ready for Apsan Mountain.

On Tuesday, we did sprints. On Wednesday, we did a slow 2 mile run.

On Thursday, we did some Land Navigation training on Hill 303. If you know anything about the Korea War, a major battle was fought on Hill 303. It is straight up rugged terrain. Walking it was a pain in the butt, but we did it for about 2 hours trying to find land navigation points.

On Friday, we did a 2.5 mile run but we sprinted every hill we came to. 3 hills. We sprinted up them running forward and running backwards. Running backwards builds the quadricep nicely. We sprinted each hill 3 times each.

On Monday, we ran a 10K (6.2 miles), well a little more than a 10K because I had to go back and run in with my Soldiers since I never leave them on the PT field alone.

We will focus on building our upper and lower body instead of running the rest of the week. Give them some time off from running a little.

MTF

glock17w

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On Friday morning, I ran and walked Apsan Mountain with my Battalion Commander, Command Sergeant Major and a few others. My CSM is a beast and ran the whole way to the 2/3rds mark in about 24 minutes. He is a runner. I made it half way walking and running.

TO make excuses, I had to stand in a Brigade Change of COmmand and Inactivation ceremony for an hour on Thursday and go to the Army Birthday Ball on Thursday night. I had 4 hours of sleep and got up an ran. I was very tired.

I will plan to run and walk the whole thing one day soon in the early morning when I am well rested.

It is a beast of a mountain though. My legs are getting stronger and more defined. I feel good about myself everyday after I do hard PT.

MTF

glock17w

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

3.2 miles at 20% grade going up is a killer on your lungs, heart, and legs. 3.2 miles at 20% grade going down is a killer on your legs and knees. It was a killer. I ran and walked it one morning. I have heard of route that is not as steep. I plan to run that one soon. The Battalion Command Sergeant Major ran Apsan Mountain with me. He ran the Army 10 miler in 54 minutes. He didn't have too much trouble doing it. He did state the first couple of hills knocked the breath out of him.

It is not a route for everyone.

It felt like I was going to pass out. My heart was beating way faster than normal. It felt like my heart was going to pop out of my chest. I couldn't get enough air. My thighs were burning within the first two hills. Imagine sprinting about 6 or 7 400 meter sprints. It was killing my legs.

I made it to the point where I was running and could not move very much. I had to walk and catch my breath and lower my heart rate before I could start running again. My legs never stopped burning. Walking became harder on my legs than running. It was a good burn though. I want to do it again. It will give you an update once I do it again.

glock17w

Edited by glock17w
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  • 8 months later...

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