This week, I had the pain and pleasure of participating in the Connecticut SWAT Challenge as a team medic with the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team.
It all began on Tuesday the ninth. The team assembled at Auburn PD at 0600 for the ride to Simsbury, CT. We would be competing against thirty three other SWAT teams.
We arrived to find it had rained during the night, making the parking areas a mud bog. Tow trucks were busy pulling out stuck vehicles, some of which were very large SWAT command vehicles. Tuesday was an easy day; we set up our tent and checked gear. We found out we were going to need two snipers. Great. We didn’t have a dedicated sniper with us; an operator was going to fill in with a sniper rifle. We’ll get by though with a little help from Metro SWAT.
There were two competitions, the Smith and Wesson handgun shoot, and the Trijicon rifle shoot. The prize for the top handgun shooter was a new Smith and Wesson handgun. The prize for the rifle shoot was a Trijicon scope. They also gave away a handgun and scope to a random shooter that didn’t win. I shot the handgun course in a light rain. You had to use a provided Smith and Wesson M&P 40 cal. Pistol at four targets at varying distances. I shot well, being one of few who hit the smallest clay target, just not well enough to win.
Shooting was suspended when a deluge came over us. Heavy rain and wind threatened our tent but it held together. We didn’t have hotel rooms yet to run to so we rode out the storm. The rain let up after lunch and shooting was resumed. The rifle shoot was similar to the pistol shoot. You used a provided rifle with a Trijicon TA31 scope. You shot three targets at varied ranges from prone, kneeling, and under a four-inch high platform. I was very impressed with the scope’s versatility. It had a Doctor Optic red dot sight mounted atop it for use at close range. Again, I shot well, but not well enough.
I spent a good amount of time talking to the 80+ vendors that were there. I think every aspect of SWAT operations had a vendor. Anything from tactical uniforms to performance enhancing supplements had a representative to assist and educate you. They gave out the usual shwag and also generously donated prizes. Lots of prizes, over $80,000 worth. We had a number of mandatory demos to go to. We were shown how to fast rope from a portable tower, put on air packs, and breaching doors with shotguns. All things we will need to know for tomorrow. Not every one was familiar with this stuff and the staff didn’t want someone’s first time seeing it, in competition.
We made our way back to the hotel. We stayed at the Avon Old Farms Hotel. A very nice luxury hotel in Avon, CT. It was very odd to see two Bearcat armored vehicles holding a SWAT Challenge banner in front of the main entrance.
Wednesday, September 10th. The real competition begins. We had to report in at 0750. I woke up with a sinus headache and had to find a store for Motrin since I forgot mine at home. The rain had trashed the parking area so no team vehicles were allowed off the pavement. We parked by the CSP range and humped our gear over a mud bog to our tent, a minor inconvenience. Our first competition came around 0900. The times were actually up to an hour later because stuff happens at an event this big, vehicles get stuck, tires go flat, things get forgotten, etc. A moment of silence for New Haven Sgt. Dario Aponte, who was killed in a cruiser accident early this morning.
The Tyco/Scott Mystery Challenge was a sort of hostage rescue scenario. All operators had to wear Scott air packs. A sniper shot initiates the team movement. The team then shotgun breached a door into a small building filled with smoke, recover a friendly, and move out the back to engage targets. Then pull a dummy onto a litter, cuff it, and carry it to the start line where one operator runs up a tower, shoots a target, and fast ropes down to stop the clock. Like all the challenges this week, this was challenging and fun to run. We thought we did well but could be faster.
Around 1030 we were off to the U.S. Armor Hostage Rescue Challenge. Again, a sniper shot starts the event. The team then moves to a row of four windows at different levels to engage targets downrange. Then the team has to go over a six foot wall to a Z shaped balance beam, then walk over a three foot see-saw, (which almost took my nose off when the guy ahead of me went over it), to a steel door. One man rams the door open, I throw distraction device through the door, aiming for a barrel. If it goes in the barrel you get a time bonus, I missed the barrel. After the bang, the team moves through the door and onto tow swinging platforms and engages handgun targets. After all shots are fired we pick up the 175-pound dummy hostage and carry it to the start line to stop the clock. This was another physically challenging event. It looks so much easier from the sidelines. After running the event in 50-pounds of gear, every team comes to the finish line out of breath.
We were served lunch each day by the Fraternal Order of Police. We had hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chip, beans, and drinks. Our next challenge wasn’t for a few hours so we had some time to peruse the vendor tables and joke around at our tent. A ton of great stuff was raffled off in the vendor tents, Revision eyewear, Arcteryx rainwear, S&W handguns, Glocks, and Sigs. The vendors just keep throwing stuff up for free, they’re amazing. A few of the team members not competing came by to watch and cheer us on.
Next up was the Remington Sniper Challenge. We didn’t bring our regular snipers due to schedule conflicts, so one of the guys had a rifle and was going to fill in. But now we need a second sniper and a second rifle. Luckily one of the guys has had some training and was willing to step up and give it his best. We asked another Massachusetts team, Metropolitan SWAT if they could lend us a rifle. They agreed and gave our guy a few pointers. The Army reserve team was also very helpful in providing some tips and tricks of the trade. Our two guys had four minutes to shoot a number of targets at varied ranges from varied positions, one of them from an uneven rooftop prop. The guys had one target left when the horn went off after the four minutes. They came in seventeenth, not bad for a couple of rookies.
At about 1430 we headed over to the EOTech Rifle Challenge. As the name would imply, it was all rifle shooting. I thought we would be at a disadvantage since we were under the impression that no optical sights were allowed, not true, just nothing greater than four-power magnification. Too late, left my sight at home, good thing I’ve been practicing with the iron sights. Anyway, we were told there where red, white, and blue targets, and we would only shoot red targets. A sever penalty would be incurred for shooting the other colored targets. A sniper shot starts us off, two guys head for a barricade and engage targets, when finished, the team moves up to a wall with three holes at different heights for one guy to shoot targets through. After he shoots, I drag the dummy to a sign on the ground and engage three sets of targets. Soda bottles hanging on strings filled with colored water forty to fifty yards away. Two shots standing, two kneeling, and two prone. I shoot the first two and they rupture violently from the water pressure in the bottle. I hear my team cheering, I shoot the next two bottles with the same result and now even the range officer is yelling “Nice shooting right there”. I hit the last two bottles sending water spraying and the crowd cheering “And that’s a medic shooting!” Next man up has to drag the dummy to another sign and shoot then we all drag the dummy back to the barrier and run to the start line to finish. We shot very well, and did it very fast. The excitement gave me a headache you wouldn’t wish upon an enemy. Luckily one of our guys found his stash of Motrin and hooked me up. We happy to learn we came in third.
We were served a BBQ tonight. We had pulled pork, chicken, fiesta corn, and cornbread. It was a great meal. There were also a number of raffles; they gave away some great stuff, including a GSG5 rifle and a Yankee Hills AR-15 upper. I had the opportunity to fire a number of suppressed sniper rifles, MP5’s, AR’s, and handguns. I tried the new KRISS Super V 45 submachine gun. This was a very cool weapon to shoot. It was small and comfortable to shoot. The action, safety/fire selector, and magazine release were all easily manipulated. It fired semi, two shot burst and full auto. The full auto seemed real fast. It was fed by Magpul modified Glock 21 magazines, and I witnessed on failure to fire while it was test fired. I would have liked to try it with a suppressor.
Once it got dark, it was time for the Optical Systems Tech/ITT Night Vision Night stalker shoot. Operators were given different weapon sights, illuminators, and night vision devices for testing. Shooting in total darkness is an opportunity a lot of us don’t often get. Fear not the night, fear what hunts at night.
We headed back to the hotel around 2100. The feared PT Challenge is on every one’s mind. We all call it a night. No beer, no socializing, rest for tomorrow is more important.
Thursday, September 11th.
We have two events scheduled for this morning. First is the First choice Armor/Z-Medica Vehicle Assault Challenge. Unfortunately, the Metacon Gun range has suffered terribly from the rain and vehicle traffic. What was a nice green field is now a mud pit. The tow truck was bringing in the vehicles last night but got stuck so it was decided wisely to forego the vehicles.
Our start was delayed for a 9-11 memorial. It is customary at the club to come down and fire some rounds off to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks. A lone member came by and was then joined by a shooter from every team. Simultaneously, they fired their salute and then quietly left the range.
This challenge had a lot of targets. It started when the sniper fired. The team then rammed a door and threw a distraction device. Two riflemen and a hand-gunner took cover behind a barrel and engaged targets. When finished the team moved to the swinging platform where two operators with handguns engaged targets. When finished, I ran over to a dummy victim that had an injury that needed to be addressed. There was a tactical medic there to oversee care. Once the wounds were packed and dressed, the team had to take the dummy back to the start where the riflemen, would engage more targets and then run to the finish. This one went really fast, and my rifle shooting was again flawless.
The last shooting challenge was the Glock Handgun Challenge. You guessed it, all handgun shooting. A three-man team with a shield starts on the horn. They advance to a door, ram it and throw a DD into a barrel. Then go through the door and engage a row of targets. Move to the next position, reload and move forward shooting on the move, then backward shooting on the move. Reload and move to a barricade shooting three hostage targets. Then move to a litter with 200 pounds of weight on it. Put the ram on top of it and don’t drop it or get penalized. Move with the litter and shield to forty yards and engage targets the back to the start line where the three members of your team repeat the course. We did this one faster than most but our accuracy suffered. We had a great time running the course. We had a great time on every course.
We head back to our tent and break it down. The PT Challenge is a few miles away at a West Hartford reservoir. My anxiety level for the last event is high. I used this event as a goal to train for. We arrive at the reservoir and change into running shoes. We fill Camelbacks and wait for our 1445 start. At that time we are called to the start line with another team.
Station 1- Pugil sticks
For one minute, a member from each team stands on a platform and beat each other. The judges wanted to see enthusiasm and they did. You didn’t think two type A boys would go easy on each other did you?
All teams must carry one pack with a twenty five-pound weight in it for the entire event. You can pass it off to another member if you get tired, but it has to go the whole way. Each team must also carry their guidon. After that is a short run up a hill to Station 2-Kettlebell.
A gentleman with a thick Russian accent greets us with a 72-pound kettle bell. “A little gift from Russia.” That’s two pood for those of you that don’t know. You take the kettle bell and run 50 yards and run back passing to the next member of your team until everyone has gone. Then it’s a very short run to station 3-Bunji.
You hook a large Bunji cord to your belt and run as far as you can, placing a cone at that point. Then run back to the start with the Bunji pulling you down, touch the ground and go get your cone and bring it back to the start. Then run to station 4-Tractor Tires.
Your team must flip three large tractor tires fifty yards without rolling them, and then move them back to the start. Now run a short way up a hill to station 5-Pushups.
Forty pushups with one hand elevated on a brick, alternating hands every ten pushups. Now run over to station 6-Knee Kicks.
Run fifty yards then one person holds a pad while the other does twenty knee kicks, and then run back to start and switch for twenty more knee kicks. Run to station 7-Firehose Crawl.
Unbelievable, this sucked. You had to crawl through a fifty-foot length of culvert pipe while some sicko fireman blasts and inch and a half hose down it. Once a couple guys got through we were allowed to block the stream with our bodies for the other team members. Now run over to station 8-Fireman’s Carry.
Carry your teammate up a steep fifty-yard hill and run to station 9-Bus Crawl.
You had to low crawl a slalom course of cones under a school bus then run to station 10-Sand Bags.
All team members have to climb a steep root ridden, rocky, muddy hill. Four members must carry forty-pound sand bag. Now run to station 11-Car Tire.
Take a car tire and throw it as far as you can and repeat to a flag 75 yards away, then throw it back to the start. Run to station 12-Log Carry.
Carry a five hundred pound log fifty yards up a steep hill and back. Then run to station 13-Team-mate on a Pedestal.
Carry a teammate on a pedestal fifty yards around a cone and back to the start. Run up a long hill to station 14-Puzzle.
One member must complete puzzle blindfolded while being directed by teammates. I kind of missed this one. I was about to pass out so I leaned on the fence and caught my breath while they did the puzzle. No run down the hill to station 15-Tire Hammer.
Each member must strongly hit a tire twenty times with a sledgehammer. When finished, a long run to station 16-Rope Climb. Any number of teammates must make four trips to the top of the ropes and team must consume four donuts before moving on. Not so easy when you’re starving for air. Short distance to station 17-Log hang.
One teammate hangs from a log while two others carry it on their shoulders fifty yards. Now another long run to station 18-Zip line.
Two teammates travel hand over hand on a cable two hundred feet and back. Now a run through the woods to station 19-Log Chop.
Teammates take turns chopping a large log in half. Right next-door is Station 20-Mud Crawl.
A twenty-five yard low crawl through the mud. Not to worry, station 21-Culvert Crawl.
A ten-yard crawl through a culvert under the road, did I mention the roaring brook that runs through it as well? There were a few stones in there that dug up our arms a little. Run down to station 22-Litter Carry.
Carry one teammate shoulder high on a litter through waist deep water for fifty yards. The bottom was very silty and uneven adding to the difficulty. A short run to station 23-Fast Rope.
Run up the Patriot vehicle and slide down the rope. The finish line is now in sight and you can hear the crowd cheering the teams on. It gives you the strength to run down to station 24-The Wall.
All team members, pack, and guidon over an eight-foot wall. Now sprint with your head high to the finish. A total of six miles later.
We placed 18th in the overall competition.
This was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. I was winded very early in the run and my team carried me a long way. I could not have done it without their motivation. As bad as it was, I was not going to quit. I told my team leader they would have to carry me off the course on a stretcher before I quit. I walked a bit, I sang cadence, and kept drinking. Two hours and four minutes later, we all crossed the finish line. They told me on the run, pain is temporary, pride is forever. I will forever be proud of that run. We didn’t do great, but we finished.
Back at the start, team pictures were taken. Everybody changed clothes for the award dinner. I kept re-hydrating. My sergeant made me get checked by the medics before we left. They were great. They thought I was crazy to be 45, a year post knee surgery and try something like this. I guess I am. Because next year, I’ll be 46, and I’ll be back.
It all began on Tuesday the ninth. The team assembled at Auburn PD at 0600 for the ride to Simsbury, CT. We would be competing against thirty three other SWAT teams.
We arrived to find it had rained during the night, making the parking areas a mud bog. Tow trucks were busy pulling out stuck vehicles, some of which were very large SWAT command vehicles. Tuesday was an easy day; we set up our tent and checked gear. We found out we were going to need two snipers. Great. We didn’t have a dedicated sniper with us; an operator was going to fill in with a sniper rifle. We’ll get by though with a little help from Metro SWAT.
There were two competitions, the Smith and Wesson handgun shoot, and the Trijicon rifle shoot. The prize for the top handgun shooter was a new Smith and Wesson handgun. The prize for the rifle shoot was a Trijicon scope. They also gave away a handgun and scope to a random shooter that didn’t win. I shot the handgun course in a light rain. You had to use a provided Smith and Wesson M&P 40 cal. Pistol at four targets at varying distances. I shot well, being one of few who hit the smallest clay target, just not well enough to win.
Shooting was suspended when a deluge came over us. Heavy rain and wind threatened our tent but it held together. We didn’t have hotel rooms yet to run to so we rode out the storm. The rain let up after lunch and shooting was resumed. The rifle shoot was similar to the pistol shoot. You used a provided rifle with a Trijicon TA31 scope. You shot three targets at varied ranges from prone, kneeling, and under a four-inch high platform. I was very impressed with the scope’s versatility. It had a Doctor Optic red dot sight mounted atop it for use at close range. Again, I shot well, but not well enough.
I spent a good amount of time talking to the 80+ vendors that were there. I think every aspect of SWAT operations had a vendor. Anything from tactical uniforms to performance enhancing supplements had a representative to assist and educate you. They gave out the usual shwag and also generously donated prizes. Lots of prizes, over $80,000 worth. We had a number of mandatory demos to go to. We were shown how to fast rope from a portable tower, put on air packs, and breaching doors with shotguns. All things we will need to know for tomorrow. Not every one was familiar with this stuff and the staff didn’t want someone’s first time seeing it, in competition.
We made our way back to the hotel. We stayed at the Avon Old Farms Hotel. A very nice luxury hotel in Avon, CT. It was very odd to see two Bearcat armored vehicles holding a SWAT Challenge banner in front of the main entrance.
Wednesday, September 10th. The real competition begins. We had to report in at 0750. I woke up with a sinus headache and had to find a store for Motrin since I forgot mine at home. The rain had trashed the parking area so no team vehicles were allowed off the pavement. We parked by the CSP range and humped our gear over a mud bog to our tent, a minor inconvenience. Our first competition came around 0900. The times were actually up to an hour later because stuff happens at an event this big, vehicles get stuck, tires go flat, things get forgotten, etc. A moment of silence for New Haven Sgt. Dario Aponte, who was killed in a cruiser accident early this morning.
The Tyco/Scott Mystery Challenge was a sort of hostage rescue scenario. All operators had to wear Scott air packs. A sniper shot initiates the team movement. The team then shotgun breached a door into a small building filled with smoke, recover a friendly, and move out the back to engage targets. Then pull a dummy onto a litter, cuff it, and carry it to the start line where one operator runs up a tower, shoots a target, and fast ropes down to stop the clock. Like all the challenges this week, this was challenging and fun to run. We thought we did well but could be faster.
Around 1030 we were off to the U.S. Armor Hostage Rescue Challenge. Again, a sniper shot starts the event. The team then moves to a row of four windows at different levels to engage targets downrange. Then the team has to go over a six foot wall to a Z shaped balance beam, then walk over a three foot see-saw, (which almost took my nose off when the guy ahead of me went over it), to a steel door. One man rams the door open, I throw distraction device through the door, aiming for a barrel. If it goes in the barrel you get a time bonus, I missed the barrel. After the bang, the team moves through the door and onto tow swinging platforms and engages handgun targets. After all shots are fired we pick up the 175-pound dummy hostage and carry it to the start line to stop the clock. This was another physically challenging event. It looks so much easier from the sidelines. After running the event in 50-pounds of gear, every team comes to the finish line out of breath.
We were served lunch each day by the Fraternal Order of Police. We had hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chip, beans, and drinks. Our next challenge wasn’t for a few hours so we had some time to peruse the vendor tables and joke around at our tent. A ton of great stuff was raffled off in the vendor tents, Revision eyewear, Arcteryx rainwear, S&W handguns, Glocks, and Sigs. The vendors just keep throwing stuff up for free, they’re amazing. A few of the team members not competing came by to watch and cheer us on.
Next up was the Remington Sniper Challenge. We didn’t bring our regular snipers due to schedule conflicts, so one of the guys had a rifle and was going to fill in. But now we need a second sniper and a second rifle. Luckily one of the guys has had some training and was willing to step up and give it his best. We asked another Massachusetts team, Metropolitan SWAT if they could lend us a rifle. They agreed and gave our guy a few pointers. The Army reserve team was also very helpful in providing some tips and tricks of the trade. Our two guys had four minutes to shoot a number of targets at varied ranges from varied positions, one of them from an uneven rooftop prop. The guys had one target left when the horn went off after the four minutes. They came in seventeenth, not bad for a couple of rookies.
At about 1430 we headed over to the EOTech Rifle Challenge. As the name would imply, it was all rifle shooting. I thought we would be at a disadvantage since we were under the impression that no optical sights were allowed, not true, just nothing greater than four-power magnification. Too late, left my sight at home, good thing I’ve been practicing with the iron sights. Anyway, we were told there where red, white, and blue targets, and we would only shoot red targets. A sever penalty would be incurred for shooting the other colored targets. A sniper shot starts us off, two guys head for a barricade and engage targets, when finished, the team moves up to a wall with three holes at different heights for one guy to shoot targets through. After he shoots, I drag the dummy to a sign on the ground and engage three sets of targets. Soda bottles hanging on strings filled with colored water forty to fifty yards away. Two shots standing, two kneeling, and two prone. I shoot the first two and they rupture violently from the water pressure in the bottle. I hear my team cheering, I shoot the next two bottles with the same result and now even the range officer is yelling “Nice shooting right there”. I hit the last two bottles sending water spraying and the crowd cheering “And that’s a medic shooting!” Next man up has to drag the dummy to another sign and shoot then we all drag the dummy back to the barrier and run to the start line to finish. We shot very well, and did it very fast. The excitement gave me a headache you wouldn’t wish upon an enemy. Luckily one of our guys found his stash of Motrin and hooked me up. We happy to learn we came in third.
We were served a BBQ tonight. We had pulled pork, chicken, fiesta corn, and cornbread. It was a great meal. There were also a number of raffles; they gave away some great stuff, including a GSG5 rifle and a Yankee Hills AR-15 upper. I had the opportunity to fire a number of suppressed sniper rifles, MP5’s, AR’s, and handguns. I tried the new KRISS Super V 45 submachine gun. This was a very cool weapon to shoot. It was small and comfortable to shoot. The action, safety/fire selector, and magazine release were all easily manipulated. It fired semi, two shot burst and full auto. The full auto seemed real fast. It was fed by Magpul modified Glock 21 magazines, and I witnessed on failure to fire while it was test fired. I would have liked to try it with a suppressor.
Once it got dark, it was time for the Optical Systems Tech/ITT Night Vision Night stalker shoot. Operators were given different weapon sights, illuminators, and night vision devices for testing. Shooting in total darkness is an opportunity a lot of us don’t often get. Fear not the night, fear what hunts at night.
We headed back to the hotel around 2100. The feared PT Challenge is on every one’s mind. We all call it a night. No beer, no socializing, rest for tomorrow is more important.
Thursday, September 11th.
We have two events scheduled for this morning. First is the First choice Armor/Z-Medica Vehicle Assault Challenge. Unfortunately, the Metacon Gun range has suffered terribly from the rain and vehicle traffic. What was a nice green field is now a mud pit. The tow truck was bringing in the vehicles last night but got stuck so it was decided wisely to forego the vehicles.
Our start was delayed for a 9-11 memorial. It is customary at the club to come down and fire some rounds off to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks. A lone member came by and was then joined by a shooter from every team. Simultaneously, they fired their salute and then quietly left the range.
This challenge had a lot of targets. It started when the sniper fired. The team then rammed a door and threw a distraction device. Two riflemen and a hand-gunner took cover behind a barrel and engaged targets. When finished the team moved to the swinging platform where two operators with handguns engaged targets. When finished, I ran over to a dummy victim that had an injury that needed to be addressed. There was a tactical medic there to oversee care. Once the wounds were packed and dressed, the team had to take the dummy back to the start where the riflemen, would engage more targets and then run to the finish. This one went really fast, and my rifle shooting was again flawless.
The last shooting challenge was the Glock Handgun Challenge. You guessed it, all handgun shooting. A three-man team with a shield starts on the horn. They advance to a door, ram it and throw a DD into a barrel. Then go through the door and engage a row of targets. Move to the next position, reload and move forward shooting on the move, then backward shooting on the move. Reload and move to a barricade shooting three hostage targets. Then move to a litter with 200 pounds of weight on it. Put the ram on top of it and don’t drop it or get penalized. Move with the litter and shield to forty yards and engage targets the back to the start line where the three members of your team repeat the course. We did this one faster than most but our accuracy suffered. We had a great time running the course. We had a great time on every course.
We head back to our tent and break it down. The PT Challenge is a few miles away at a West Hartford reservoir. My anxiety level for the last event is high. I used this event as a goal to train for. We arrive at the reservoir and change into running shoes. We fill Camelbacks and wait for our 1445 start. At that time we are called to the start line with another team.
Station 1- Pugil sticks
For one minute, a member from each team stands on a platform and beat each other. The judges wanted to see enthusiasm and they did. You didn’t think two type A boys would go easy on each other did you?
All teams must carry one pack with a twenty five-pound weight in it for the entire event. You can pass it off to another member if you get tired, but it has to go the whole way. Each team must also carry their guidon. After that is a short run up a hill to Station 2-Kettlebell.
A gentleman with a thick Russian accent greets us with a 72-pound kettle bell. “A little gift from Russia.” That’s two pood for those of you that don’t know. You take the kettle bell and run 50 yards and run back passing to the next member of your team until everyone has gone. Then it’s a very short run to station 3-Bunji.
You hook a large Bunji cord to your belt and run as far as you can, placing a cone at that point. Then run back to the start with the Bunji pulling you down, touch the ground and go get your cone and bring it back to the start. Then run to station 4-Tractor Tires.
Your team must flip three large tractor tires fifty yards without rolling them, and then move them back to the start. Now run a short way up a hill to station 5-Pushups.
Forty pushups with one hand elevated on a brick, alternating hands every ten pushups. Now run over to station 6-Knee Kicks.
Run fifty yards then one person holds a pad while the other does twenty knee kicks, and then run back to start and switch for twenty more knee kicks. Run to station 7-Firehose Crawl.
Unbelievable, this sucked. You had to crawl through a fifty-foot length of culvert pipe while some sicko fireman blasts and inch and a half hose down it. Once a couple guys got through we were allowed to block the stream with our bodies for the other team members. Now run over to station 8-Fireman’s Carry.
Carry your teammate up a steep fifty-yard hill and run to station 9-Bus Crawl.
You had to low crawl a slalom course of cones under a school bus then run to station 10-Sand Bags.
All team members have to climb a steep root ridden, rocky, muddy hill. Four members must carry forty-pound sand bag. Now run to station 11-Car Tire.
Take a car tire and throw it as far as you can and repeat to a flag 75 yards away, then throw it back to the start. Run to station 12-Log Carry.
Carry a five hundred pound log fifty yards up a steep hill and back. Then run to station 13-Team-mate on a Pedestal.
Carry a teammate on a pedestal fifty yards around a cone and back to the start. Run up a long hill to station 14-Puzzle.
One member must complete puzzle blindfolded while being directed by teammates. I kind of missed this one. I was about to pass out so I leaned on the fence and caught my breath while they did the puzzle. No run down the hill to station 15-Tire Hammer.
Each member must strongly hit a tire twenty times with a sledgehammer. When finished, a long run to station 16-Rope Climb. Any number of teammates must make four trips to the top of the ropes and team must consume four donuts before moving on. Not so easy when you’re starving for air. Short distance to station 17-Log hang.
One teammate hangs from a log while two others carry it on their shoulders fifty yards. Now another long run to station 18-Zip line.
Two teammates travel hand over hand on a cable two hundred feet and back. Now a run through the woods to station 19-Log Chop.
Teammates take turns chopping a large log in half. Right next-door is Station 20-Mud Crawl.
A twenty-five yard low crawl through the mud. Not to worry, station 21-Culvert Crawl.
A ten-yard crawl through a culvert under the road, did I mention the roaring brook that runs through it as well? There were a few stones in there that dug up our arms a little. Run down to station 22-Litter Carry.
Carry one teammate shoulder high on a litter through waist deep water for fifty yards. The bottom was very silty and uneven adding to the difficulty. A short run to station 23-Fast Rope.
Run up the Patriot vehicle and slide down the rope. The finish line is now in sight and you can hear the crowd cheering the teams on. It gives you the strength to run down to station 24-The Wall.
All team members, pack, and guidon over an eight-foot wall. Now sprint with your head high to the finish. A total of six miles later.
We placed 18th in the overall competition.
This was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. I was winded very early in the run and my team carried me a long way. I could not have done it without their motivation. As bad as it was, I was not going to quit. I told my team leader they would have to carry me off the course on a stretcher before I quit. I walked a bit, I sang cadence, and kept drinking. Two hours and four minutes later, we all crossed the finish line. They told me on the run, pain is temporary, pride is forever. I will forever be proud of that run. We didn’t do great, but we finished.
Back at the start, team pictures were taken. Everybody changed clothes for the award dinner. I kept re-hydrating. My sergeant made me get checked by the medics before we left. They were great. They thought I was crazy to be 45, a year post knee surgery and try something like this. I guess I am. Because next year, I’ll be 46, and I’ll be back.
