Marathon training is a physically and mentally demanding process that requires a combination of endurance, strength, and resilience. While traditional training methods focus on long runs, speed work, and cross-training, athletes are continually seeking innovative ways to enhance their conditioning and improve race performance. One emerging strategy that has gained traction among endurance athletes is rucking. Originally a military training technique, rucking involves walking or hiking with a weighted backpack, providing a low-impact but highly effective method of building endurance, strength, and mental toughness.
Incorporating rucking into a marathon training program can offer several benefits, from improving muscular endurance to reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Brent Yee Suen explores the advantages of rucking, how to integrate it into a marathon training regimen, and tips for maximizing its benefits.
What Is Rucking?
Rucking derives from military training, where soldiers carry weighted backpacks, or rucks, over long distances to build stamina and prepare for physically demanding missions. In a civilian context, rucking is essentially walking or hiking with added weight, typically using a weighted vest or a sturdy backpack filled with weights, sandbags, or other heavy objects.
Unlike running, which can be high-impact on the joints, rucking provides a lower-impact cardiovascular workout while also engaging the core, back, shoulders, and legs. This combination makes it an excellent complementary exercise for endurance athletes.
Benefits of Rucking for Marathon Training
1. Strengthens Key Running Muscles
Running primarily engages the lower body, but rucking increases resistance on muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and core. The additional weight forces these muscles to work harder, leading to improved endurance and strength, which can translate to more efficient running performance.
2. Reduces Impact on Joints
One of the biggest risks in marathon training is overuse injuries, particularly in the knees, hips, and ankles. Rucking is a weight-bearing activity that strengthens bones and connective tissues but with significantly less impact than running. This makes it an effective cross-training option to build endurance while allowing joints to recover from the repetitive stress of running.
3. Enhances Cardiovascular Fitness
Although rucking is a lower-intensity activity than running, it still provides a significant cardiovascular workout. The added weight increases the heart rate and oxygen demand, improving overall endurance capacity. This means that rucking can help maintain aerobic fitness on rest days or serve as an active recovery workout.
4. Builds Mental Toughness
Carrying extra weight over long distances requires mental resilience, which is essential for marathon runners who must push through fatigue and discomfort during long runs. Rucking helps develop this mental toughness by forcing athletes to maintain focus, discipline, and determination over extended periods.
5. Mimics Race-Day Fatigue
Marathoners often experience late-race fatigue due to muscle exhaustion and glycogen depletion. Rucking can simulate this fatigue by increasing the physical demands on the body without requiring excessive mileage. Training with weight helps condition muscles to endure fatigue more effectively, making it easier to maintain form and pace during the final miles of a race.
How to Incorporate Rucking into Marathon Training
To effectively integrate rucking into a marathon training plan, it’s important to approach it strategically. Here are some key guidelines:
1. Start Light and Build Gradually
Begin with a moderate weight, around 10–15% of your body weight, to allow your body to adapt to the additional load. Over time, gradually increase the weight to 20–25% of your body weight, depending on your fitness level and training goals.
2. Use Rucking as Active Recovery
On rest or cross-training days, replace a short run with a rucking session. Walking with weight provides an excellent active recovery workout, allowing you to maintain endurance while reducing the strain on your legs.
3. Incorporate Hills for Strength and Endurance
Rucking on hilly terrain enhances the challenge by increasing resistance and requiring greater muscular effort. This can be particularly beneficial for runners preparing for races with elevation changes or for those looking to build leg strength and endurance.
4. Mix Rucking with Running
A hybrid workout that alternates between rucking and running can be an effective way to simulate the fatigue experienced during a marathon. For example, start with a 2–3 mile ruck, followed by a 3–5 mile run. This type of session builds endurance while strengthening muscles under load.
5. Use Rucking to Strengthen the Core and Upper Body
Since running primarily engages the lower body, rucking helps address muscular imbalances by strengthening the back, shoulders, and core. A stronger core leads to better running posture and reduces the risk of fatigue-induced form breakdown late in a race.
6. Monitor Recovery and Avoid Overtraining
While rucking is a great addition to marathon training, it’s important to balance intensity and recovery. Rucking can be taxing on the body, so listen to your body and avoid excessive weight or frequency that could lead to overuse injuries.
Rucking Gear and Essentials
To ensure a safe and effective rucking experience, investing in proper gear is essential:
- Backpack: A high-quality, ergonomic rucksack or backpack with padded shoulder straps and a hip belt will distribute weight evenly and prevent discomfort.
- Weight Source: Use ruck plates, sandbags, or water bottles to add weight securely inside the backpack.
- Supportive Footwear: Opt for sturdy, cushioned running or hiking shoes that provide adequate arch support and shock absorption.
- Hydration and Nutrition: Treat rucking sessions like any endurance workout by staying hydrated and consuming electrolytes as needed.
Rucking is a unique and highly effective training tool for marathon runners seeking to build endurance, strength, and mental resilience. By integrating rucking into a structured marathon training plan, runners can develop greater muscular endurance, reduce the risk of overuse injuries, and prepare their bodies to handle fatigue more efficiently.
Whether used as an active recovery workout, a strength-building tool, or a cross-training activity, rucking offers multiple benefits for runners of all levels. With the right approach, it can become a valuable addition to any endurance training program, helping athletes reach new performance heights on race day.